I’ve used this
list to evaluate my favorite stories and
my own work. The result: my favorite stories all pass and my own work always
fall short. This tells me what I’m doing wrong.
The goal is simple: Try to answer yes as often as possible. Of course, every story is unique and no story that I’ve evaluated has answered yes to all 122 questions, nor should it. Check out the Checklist Roadtests over there in the sidebar, to see how lots of great movies did. If you want to try it yourself, a downloadable version of this list as a word document is available here.
(This list is
primarily for stand-alone stories such as
screenplays, novels and plays, but
don’t worry, there’s a separate “pilot” checklist for the first
episode of continuing stories such as
TV series, book series, web series, and comics)
PART 1: CONCEPT
The Pitch: Does this concept excite everyone who
hears about it?
Story
Fundamentals: Will this concept generate a strong story?
Is the concept
simple enough to spend more time on character than plot?
Does the story
follow the progress of the hero’s problem, not the hero’s daily life?
Does the story
present a unique central relationship?
Is at least one
actual human being opposed to what the hero is doing?
Does this
challenge represent the hero’s greatest hope and/or greatest fear and/or an ironic answer to the hero’s question?
Does
something inside the hero have a particularly volatile reaction to the
challenge?
Does this
challenge become something that is not just hard for the hero to do (an obstacle) but hard for the hero to want to do (a conflict)?
In the end, is
the hero the only one who can solve the problem?
The Hook: Will this be marketable and generate word
of mouth?
Does the story satisfy the basic human urges that get people to buy and recommend this genre?
Does the story satisfy the basic human urges that get people to buy and recommend this genre?
Does
this story show us at least one image we haven’t seen before (that can be used to promote the final product)?
Is there at
least one “Holy Crap!” scene (to create word of mouth)?
Does the story
contain a surprise that is not obvious from the
beginning?
Is
the story marketable without revealing the surprise?
Is
the conflict compelling and ironic both before and after the surprise?
PART 2: CHARACTER
Believe: Do we recognize the hero as a human being?
Does the hero
have a moment of humanity early on? (A funny, or
out-of-character, or compassionate, or oddball, or comically vain, or
unique-but-universal “I thought I was the only one who did that!” moment?)
Does the hero
have a well-defined public identity?
Does that
ironically contrast with a hidden interior self?
Does the hero
have a consistent metaphor family (drawn from his or
her job, background, or developmental state)?
Does the hero
have a default personality trait?
Does the hero
have a default argument tactic?
Care: Do we feel for the hero?
Does the hero
start out with a shortsighted or wrongheaded philosophy (or accept a false piece of advice early on)?
Does the hero
have a false or shortsighted goal in the first half?
Does the hero
have an open fear or anxiety about his or her future as well as a hidden, private fear?
Is the hero
vulnerable, both physically and emotionally?
Does the hero
have one or two untenable great flaws that we empathize with? (but…)
Invest: Can we trust the hero to tackle this
challenge?
…Is that great flaw (ironically) the natural flip-side of a great strength that we admire?
Is the hero
curious?
Is the hero
generally resourceful?
Does the hero
have general rules for living he or she clings to (either stated or implied)?
…And is the hero
willing to let them know that, subtly or directly?
Is the hero
already doing something active when we first meet him or her?
PART 3: STRUCTURE (assuming that the story is about
the solving of a large problem)
1st Quarter: Is the challenge laid out
in the first quarter?
2nd Quarter: Does the hero try the easy
way in the second quarter?
3rd Quarter: Does the hero try the hard
way in the third quarter?
Do the stakes, pace and motivation all escalate at this point?
4th Quarter: Does the challenge climax
in the fourth quarter?
PART 4: SCENEWORK
The Set-Up: Does this scene begin with the
essential elements it needs?
The Conflict: Is this a compelling collision of
competing agendas?
Are the characters cagy (or in denial) about their own feelings?
The Outcome: Does this scene change the story going
forward?
Does the outcome
of the scene ironically reverse (and/or ironically fulfill) the original intention?
Does the scene
cut out early, on a question (possibly to be answered instantly by the
circumstances of the next scene)?
PART 5: DIALOGUE
Empathetic: Is the dialogue true to human nature?
Specific:
Is the dialogue specific to this world and each personality?
Heightened: Is the dialogue more pointed and
dynamic than real talk?
Strategic:
Are certain dialogue scenes withheld until necessary?
PART 6: TONE
Genre: Does the story tap into pre-established
expectations?
Framing: Does the story set, reset, upset and
ultimately exceed its own expectations?
Is there a dramatic question posed early on, which will establish in the audience’s mind which moment will mark the end of the story?
Is there a dramatic question posed early on, which will establish in the audience’s mind which moment will mark the end of the story?
Does the story
use framing devices to establish genre, mood and expectations?
PART 7: THEME
Difficult: Is the meaning of the story derived from
a fundamental moral dilemma?
Grounded: Do the stakes ring true to the world of
the audience?
Subtle:
Is the theme interwoven throughout so that it need not be discussed often?
Untidy: Is the dilemma ultimately irresolvable?
Whew! So how
did your story do? Go check out the Checklist Roadtests to see how some great stories line up.
43 comments:
Excellent! This post is the distallation of just about everything in Cockeyed Caravan.
Stop now. Close up the blog. You're never going to top this.
In the future, this will be the Six Sigma of screenwriting.
HOLY COW
Brillianto.
Ooh, I love this! I'm so bookmarking this for help with my edits! Thanks so much for sharing.
Great stuff. Thanks a million for sharing.
Terribly useful checklist!
I'm one of those who've been urging you to write a book about writing, but now it seems to me that even if you do, it would be hard to top the usefulness of this site itself or this very entry, with its exhaustive hyperlinked checklist. Excellent work! Thanks again for sharing it with everyone.
Sure, J.S., but this could be the table of contents and each corresponding entry would be a two-page chapter. Oh, I'm thinking ahead...
The problem, of course, is that no one wants to read a screenwriting book by someone without a produced credit. I'll probably have to wait until one of my scripts floating around out there actually gets made. And wait... And wait...
I am overwhelmed with awesome.
I need to breathe into a paper bag and return later.
This is brilliant.
Wow. Should I become a working screenwriter one day it will be on the back of this blog and this post.
I love the way this post raises the bar by saying, "Shoot for writing greatness." It's rare to read any tips -- let alone such coherent ones -- about how to work at the most advanced end of the craft.
Bookmarked.
Golden.
Am I the only one who can't download this doc?
Hopefully fixed.
Wow. That's thorough.
How can I give you money?!
So true. Bookmarked and stored for storywriting purposes in the future!
Hello! Late to the party, but ditto all of the above. I sat down with a story I'm working on, but haven't yet started writing, and went through all the questions. I wondered at first at the length and detail of the list, if it would be skewed toward a certain genre or scale of film, but whether someone is working on a tent pole picture or a modest indie film, this checklist is an excellent diagnostic tool. Especially when you don't have an answer. That's where it really shines.
You are a very generous man! Heard you on Narrative Breakdown and had to come check out your blog. Thanks so much for all the help.
I doubt you'd see this comment since it's quite late BUT thank you so much for sharing this checklist with everyone. I wanted to download it to my Scrivener but couldn't, so decided to go through everything. Took me two days to do that and now I've got to the end, there's a surprise waiting for me! A downloadable doc! Thanks!
OMG. Amazing. Again.
Thank you so very, very much.
Matt Bird! I just heard you on The Narrative Breakdown and came here to read your checklist. Your writing on writing is excellent: It's practical, economical and fun. Bravo and thank you from your new inspired reader, Alex.
wow... you're killing me... but what a wonderful way to die... I'd rather die in the sanctity of my desk instead of at the hands of a producer... you have given all of us a chance...
You have made it very difficult for myself lean back and try to say "well I think that's good enough"...
I can't find any holes to poke at...
Thank you for your efforts, knowledge and kindness...
Namaste Speedo
I second James Kennedy, close the blog. Thanks for sharing this. Maybe it's your shot at greatness?
I still sense that it will serious-ize my comedy.
How can I keep that from happening besides remaining true to my wild side while putting my protagonists through your chops?
Hi. Love your whole program. One small thing: You say: "Does this challenge represent the hero’s greatest hope and/or greatest fear and/or an ironic answer to the hero’s question?" But nowhere previous to this in the list do you mention anything about any challenge, hence "this challenge" has no antecedent and is meaningless. Having read your book, I know what you refer to as "the challenge," but this is not made clear here. Nor do you mention anything about the hero's "personal problem," as you focus on in the book as part of "the challenge." Seems like an inconsistency worth noting. Otherwise, fantastic work. Thanks!
just have a look at this link and you will see how you can change your writing
Plans for my writer's suicide can be tabled. Your "Secrets of Story" gives me hope that my novel can work eventually and that I'm only a partial fraud and failure.
I'm encouraged to find my basic instinct has touched on maybe three-fourths of the checks in V6. My next step is merely to make these touches successful rather than negative. My Indian spirits have given me about ten years to complete my three novels and one fantasy epic involving Native Americans. I hope this is enough time.
Seriously, each question in your checklist requires meditation equal to that required to understand each verse in the Bible. It would be impossible except that writing about my characters is so damned much fun. I'm loving them good and bad and they surprise me daily.
Your "The Secrets of Story" coupled with "Techniques of the Selling Writer" by Dwight Swain have launched me into an authorship career. My engineering has vanished into the sunset for all time. Good riddance.
A lifetime of material gained from living and working on five continents and with social classes from dirt farmers and homeless up to CEO's of corporations gives me unlimited material for stories. Hope I live long enough to realize these.
Your Secrets has greatly sped up this learning process. I thank you from the depth of my being.
Enjoy your summer.
For other good stories check out our book analysis essay samples, professionals ready to assist you
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I love the way this post raises the bar by saying, "Shoot for writing greatness." It's rare to read any tips -- let alone such coherent ones -- about how to work at the most advanced end of the craft.
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