The Expanded Ultimate Story Checklist!

I’m expanding The Ultimate Story Checklist!  

The Checklist came to be when I took all the advice I’d offered up to that point on the blog and rephrased the posts as a series of questions you could ask about your manuscript.  Each question linked back to the original post that inspired it.  Then I later rewrote everything when I turned it into my book, The Secrets of Story.

Later, I kept studying examples and came up with various posts called Rulebook Casefile that backed up my points, and various posts called Straying from the Party Line that seemed to contradict them.  

For the expansion, I’m redoing every entry to use the text from the book, tacking on any Casefiles or SftPLs afterwards, and including a chart of how 30 movies answered that question.  

This expansion is ongoing.  So far, I’ve only done the first three Parts and the rest still link back to the original posts that inspired them.  

If you still want to read the original posts (and the original comments), I’ll leave that version up, too, underneath this one.  

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 (link fixed!)

(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?

 Is the one sentence description uniquely appealing?

 Does the concept contain an intriguing ironic contradiction?

 Is this a story anyone can identify with, projected onto a bigger canvas, with higher stakes?

Story Fundamentals: Will this concept generate a strong story?

 Is the concept simple enough to spend more time on character than plot?

 Is there one character that the audience will choose to be their “hero”?

 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?

 Does the hero permanently transform the situation and vice versa?

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 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?)

 Is the hero defined by ongoing actions and attitudes, not by backstory?

 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?

 Is the hero’s primary motivation for tackling this challenge strong, simple, and revealed early on?

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)?

 Is the hero surrounded by people who sorely lack his or her most valuable quality?

 …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?

 Does the hero have (or claim) decision-making authority?

 Does the hero use pre-established special skills from his or her past to solve problems (rather than doing what anybody would do)?

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?

 When the story begins, is the hero becoming increasingly irritated about his or her longstanding social problem (while still in denial about an internal flaw)?

 Does this problem become undeniable due to a social humiliation at the beginning of the story?

 Does the hero discover an intimidating opportunity to fix the problem?

 Does the hero hesitate until the stakes are raised?

 Does the hero commit to pursuing the opportunity by the end of the first quarter?

2nd Quarter: Does the hero try the easy way in the second quarter?

 Does the hero’s pursuit of the opportunity quickly lead to an unforeseen conflict with another person?

 Does the hero try the easy way throughout the second quarter?

 Does the hero (and/or villain) get to have a little fun at this point and get excited about the possibility of success?

 Does the easy way lead to a big crash around the midpoint, resulting in the loss of a safe space and/or sheltering relationship?

3rd Quarter: Does the hero try the hard way in the third quarter?

 Does the hero try the hard way from this point on?

 Does the hero find out who his or her real friends and real enemies are?

 Do the stakes, pace and motivation all escalate at this point?

 Does the hero learn from mistakes in a painful way?

 Does a further setback lead to a spiritual crisis?

4th Quarter: Does the challenge climax in the fourth quarter?

 Does the hero adopt a corrected philosophy after the spiritual crisis?

 After that crisis, does the hero finally commit to pursuing a corrected goal, which still seems far away?

 By the time the final quarter of the story begins, (if not long before) has your hero switched to being proactive, instead of reactive?

 Despite these proactive steps, is the timeline unexpectedly moved up, forcing the hero to improvise for the finale?

 Do all strands of the story and most of the characters come together for the climactic confrontation?

 Does the hero’s inner struggle climax shortly after (or possible at the same time as) his outer struggle?

 Is there an epilogue/ aftermath/ denouement in which the challenge is finally resolved (or succumbed to), and we see how much the hero has changed.

PART 4: SCENEWORK

The Set-Up: Does this scene begin with the essential elements it needs?

 Were tense and/or hopeful (and usually false) expectations for this interaction established beforehand?

 Does the scene eliminate small talk and repeated beats by cutting out the beginning (or possibly even the middle)?

 Is this an intimidating setting that keeps characters active?

 Is one of the scene partners not planning to have this conversation (and quite possibly has something better to do)?

 Is there at least one non-plot element complicating the scene?

 Does the scene establish its own mini-ticking-clock (if only through subconscious anticipation)?

The Conflict: Is this a compelling collision of competing agendas?  

 Does this scene both advance the plot and reveal character through emotional reactions?

 Does the audience have (or develop) a rooting interest in this scene (which may sometimes shift)?

 Are two agendas genuinely clashing (rather than merely two personalities)?

 Does the scene have both a surface conflict and a suppressed conflict (one of which is the primary conflict in this scene)?

 Is the suppressed conflict (which may or may not come to the surface) implied through subtext (and/or called out by the other character)?

 Are the characters cagy (or in denial) about their own feelings?

 Do characters use verbal tricks and traps to get what they want, not just direct confrontation?

 Is there re-blocking, including literal push and pull between the scene partners (often resulting in just one touch)?

 Are objects given or taken, representing larger values?

The Outcome: Does this scene change the story going forward?

 As a result of this scene, does at least one of the scene partners end up doing something that he or she didn’t intend to do when the scene began?

 Does the outcome of the scene ironically reverse (and/or ironically fulfill) the original intention?

 Are previously-asked questions answered?

 Are new questions posed that will be left unanswered for now?

 Does the scene cut out early, on a question (possibly to be answered instantly by the circumstances of the next scene)?

 Is the audience left with a growing hope and/or fear for what might happen next? (Not just in the next scene, but generally)

PART 5: DIALOGUE

Empathetic: Is the dialogue true to human nature?

 Does the writing demonstrate empathy for all of the characters?

 Does each of the characters, including the hero, have a limited perspective?

 Do the characters consciously and unconsciously prioritize their own wants, rather than the wants of others?

 Are the characters resistant to openly admitting their feelings (to others and even to themselves)?

 Do the characters avoid saying things they wouldn’t say (and doing things they wouldn’t do)?

 Do the characters listen poorly?

 Do the characters interrupt each other often?

Specific: Is the dialogue specific to this world and each personality?

 Does the dialogue capture the jargon and tradecraft of the profession and/or setting?

 Are there additional characters with distinct metaphor families, default personality traits, and default argument tactics?

Heightened: Is the dialogue more pointed and dynamic than real talk?

 Is the dialogue more concise than real talk?

 Does the dialogue have more personality than real talk?

 Is there a minimum of commas in the dialogue (the lines are not prefaced with Yes, No, Well, Look, or the other character’s name)?

 Do non-professor characters speak without dependent clauses, conditionals, or parallel construction?

 Are the non-3-dimensional characters impartially polarized into head, heart and gut?

Strategic: Are certain dialogue scenes withheld until necessary?

  Does the hero have at least one big “I understand you” moment with a love interest or primary emotional partner?

  Is exposition withheld until the hero and the audience are both demanding to know it?

 Is there one gutpunch scene, where the subtext falls away and the characters really lay into each other?

PART 6: TONE

Genre: Does the story tap into pre-established expectations?

 Is the story limited to one genre (or multiple genres that are merged from the beginning, without introducing a new genre after the first quarter?)

 Is the story limited to one sub-genre (or multiple sub-genres that are compatible with each other, without mixing metaphors)?

 Does the ending satisfy most of the expectations of the genre, and defy a few others?

 Separate from the genre, is a consistent mood (goofy, grim, ‘fairy tale’, etc.) established early and maintained throughout?

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? 

 Does the story use framing devices to establish genre, mood and expectations?

 Are there characters whose situations prefigure various fates that might await the hero?

 Does foreshadowing create anticipation and suspense (and refocus the audience’s attention on what’s important)?

 Are reversible behaviors used to foreshadow and then confirm change?

 Is the dramatic question answered at the very end of the story?

PART 7: THEME

Difficult: Is the meaning of the story derived from a fundamental moral dilemma?

 Can the overall theme be stated in the form of an irreconcilable good vs. good (or evil vs. evil) dilemma?

 Is a thematic question asked out loud (or clearly implied) in the first half, and left open?

 Do the characters consistently have to choose between goods, or between evils, instead of choosing between good and evil?

Grounded: Do the stakes ring true to the world of the audience?

 Does the story reflect the way the world works?

 Does the story have something authentic to say about this type of setting (Is it based more on observations of this type of setting than ideas about it)?

 Does the story include twinges of real life national pain?

 Are these issues and the overall dilemma addressed in a way that avoids moral hypocrisy?

 Do all of the actions have real consequences?

Subtle: Is the theme interwoven throughout so that it need not be discussed often?

 Do many small details throughout subtly and/or ironically tie into the thematic dilemma?

 Are one or more objects representing larger ideas exchanged throughout the story, growing in meaning each time?

Untidy: Is the dilemma ultimately irresolvable?

 Does the ending tip towards on one side of the thematic dilemma without resolving it entirely?

 Does the story’s outcome ironically contrast with the initial goal?

 In the end, is the plot not entirely tidy (some smaller plot threads left unresolved, some answers left vague)?

 Do the characters refuse (or fail) to synthesize the meaning of the story, forcing the audience to do that?

Whew! So how did your story do? Go check out the Checklist Roadtests to see how some great stories line up.