the INCREDIBLY SIMPLE secret to story structure

talking about story structures for writing and when they might not be the most helpful writing tool.
discord • / discord
twitter • / ecyinka
tiktok • / ecyinka
thanks for hanging out ❤

[@123TheMpoMan321]

Whether it's writing, mathematics or any other subject, I've always liked learning theory before practical. Gives you so much more freedom to deviate and actually know what you're doing when you do so. And for sure, a Discord would definitely be cool!

[@theultimateartist4153]

Key in deviation is a big thing for me, just sitting down and following a structure is a BORING

[@justanormalartisticperson870]

Funny thing is I have a notebook next to me that has all my character names, locations of important place's, etc... So I technically do have a book next to me when I write. Because I'm a classic pen and paper kind of guy,😅 but it does help me keep track of the world. I don't use anything else, I personally found this to be more simple for me.

[@ozymandas4746]

I used to do the same but I kept breaking my notebooks from taking them everywhere to jot ideas down lol. Now I mostly use notepad on my phone.

[@arzabael]

“The natural ebb and flow of story structure is already ingrained in us” so true!!!!!!!! 😊😊😊

[@trilobite3120]

Yep

[@ahabwolf7580]

I like that the video utilizes the trope of the creator portraying multiple characters who interact with each other, to help explain archetypes/tropes. Very meta. 😂

[@mr.honeycomb]

Thanks for this! I struggle with trying to hit certain beats to emulate familiar emotions in a story arc. Often times the story I want to tell feels like half a story, but then adding these beats causes it to feel like a different story, like it has gotten away from me.

[@Kyuushi94]

The timing on this video is impeccable! I was just getting into a place of giving up on a couple of stories for structural reasons, but this new perspective has me feeling motivated to keep trying! Thank you so much!

[@nathanblue5548]

Thank you for the emphasis on stagnation and asking why we use certain beats in our story rather than stick to structure as a way to make our story "Good."

[@rzuue]

First of all, I really love watching writing theories, so thank you for making videos like this. I only once had the case where the structure of a story just popped up in my head and felt like it was just right like that. I could even tell why I needed each story beat. But I think that was due to the fact that it was a fanfiction idea, so a lot of the worldbuilding was already there, I had the frame and could completely focus on what I wanted from the characters and the stuff I intended to add. I had the frame and only needed to add the core. But when I try to come up with something of my own, the ides I have for the world and the setting and the ideas I have for the characters often end up not working well together and then I am always conflicted what to chose over the other. So, I suppose, it's absolutely crucial to first figure out what you want to be the core of your story and everything else needs to serve it or be held together by it.

[@InvalidationX145]

Would love a Discord server. My writing has been suffering for years, and part of it is the fact that the communities I had built up over the years where I could speak with fellow writers have more or less dissolved, or I rarely associate with them anymore. Having another haven with people passionate about writing would be amazing. Plus, the ability to meet new people and share concepts and tips! Thanks for another great one yinka.

[@pufthemajicdragon]

I love your channel, and this video is straight up needed with all of the other writing channels just repeating their campbellian worship dribble. I'd love a discord to connect and work with other writers. And a patreon, too ;) Absolutely LOVED the Lego analogy.

[@5Gburn]

I've never hit Subscribe so fast--and I'm a fairly charitable person. Love your style, man.

[@Max3110]

Definitely have to watch this again in peace and not while busy. Felt eye-opening. Would appreciate a discord.

[@itshere.run.6724]

1:00 is exactly why I love the term Pantser. I write until I surprise or 'pants' myself into a corner, which either leads to great discovery on the direction of my writing or frustration as I'm left in the cold and forced to edit structure into my scenes timeline.

[@daviddouglas391]

Bro I love you perspective for real teach me how to be a better writer😭😤

[@FonVegen]

I'm running a terrible migraine and can't promise I will retain much from a first watch of this video, but I definitely agree with the title.

[@ecyinka]

that’s alright 😅 hope you feel better

[@arrowrandoman]

As a Lego fan, an AFOL, the Lego analogy was a great way of wrapping it all together.

[@j.f.fisher5318]

This was a surprisingly funny discussion

[@jonathanhinkel8813]

I love the insight I'm gaining from watching your videos. You've helped me put my thoughts in order, thanks a bunch.

[@AzariahMarinaStarcaster]

I actually think I found you through the magic system video because that's what I was looking into most at the time 😂 Anyway, I'm glad to be here and thanks for continuing to give us awesome writing based content like this ^^

[@ozymandas4746]

Actually upset the algorithm didn’t get this to me for over a week after the post. Thank you so much tor your videos, I consistently think I stagnate for my own work. While writing is a hobby for me not a job, I want to keep improving, and learning. Your videos and advice have helped me feel like I achieve this, so thank you!

[@some_random_guy___]

Hey man! Love your videos, they're super helpful! :D

[@JoriamRamos]

Something you said at the end stuck with me! Your thought experiment about EEAAO's writing room: "What if we did this instead?" sounds like a very useful mantra if I ever feel I'm stuck in a particular writing structure. .... not that I think I will, I'm mostly pulling people's pants 😂Great narrative example - and gosh, you chose a difficult movie to analyse, and I'm very glad you did! (Also.... I am so happy to hear you also think Marvel stories are mediocre 🥲 thank you)

[@alinapeng8602]

absolutely fantastic channel. I am currently compiling a comprehensive list of writing advice that I can refer to when stuck with my writing. Your videos are definitely going to be added to the list. i especially enjoy your style of teaching, where you teach the abstract theory first, then get right down to the practical advice. It's really helpful when I want to visualize how i'll actually use this advice to improve my writing. Your weird and wonderful analogies give me life. If a discord is in the works, consider me a member! I would love to contribute knowledge to the writing community any way I can. And improve my own writing any way I can.

[@GuyHayes]

Glad to know I’m not the only one that hates the term “pantser.”

[@ArachisNPO]

Thank you very much for this, and your previous videos! They help me, and I think I'm not wrong to assume: other people too, a lot! I'm at the beginning of writing my first fantasy book, and I have no prior experience other than that I know a lot of stories from books, movies, story based games and anime (especially books and anime). As well as in school I was always always one of the best in text comprehension and writing short stories during literature class. I know it's not too much, and exactly this is why these type of videos are such a great help! Keep up the amazing work!

[@thelivichronicles]

i love your videos so much

[@euphedine3140]

Love the content as always! A discord sounds interesting to me

[@Trekiros]

Another great video 🙏

[@katiereed5038]

May you carve out the best days for yourself that you can

[@chidiugoagwu8127]

Wow a Nigerian guy like me actually think about making story's telling. am so glad I found somebody else

[@east2westfan]

More great content

[@MrJTheNobody]

"Popped up out of nowhere [show's thumbnail]"... oh that's me! Nice! 😎 Also, I'm actually a game dev and while I consider myself to pretty much have mastered software engineering at this point (after ~2 decades of studying/using it and most languages under the sun) story writing has always been something I struggled with! So to that end: thank you VERY much for these fascinating and very informative videos!

[@Wombola]

k bye is a really good sign off. Also you're videos keep improving, that's awesome. Lastly, big yes on the patreon, you got this.

[@katiereed5038]

Besides being an avid fantasy reader, I'm a poetry person, and your points carry over remarkably well! (i'd totally join the possible Discord)

[@Ali_Saracen]

❤

[@mihaleben6051]

Fun fact: i barely ever write worldbuilding I mostly daydream it. And i dont forget any of it.

[@quakxy_dukx]

If you create a discord, you best believe I’m gonna find someone there to rant to about my dozens of different stories that are currently in planning (I have way too many ideas)

[@Mythraen]

1:31 Well, if you can't find anyone else to agree with you, I guess you can always count on yourself to agree with you? ... Probably.

[@nnnnnn-gk2qi]

i personally like to se the story structure as a bounch of failings and sucseses + failing with sucses. then how big are they a faling can be for exampel forgeting to feed your cat or it can be your mentore dying. then after that how do your charakters persev and interact with them for exampel some charakters maybe hated ther mentore for som reson so for them it fellt like a sucses and maybe their cat died after the charakter forgot to feed it and the cat is the only thing left behind drom a dead reletive so how to the charakters se it. for an exampel in a real story -dark souls: in dark souls the story is started with one big failier not to kindel the flam then moving to game play you are constantly trown problems at wher you will faile over and over agine but even so you come out the other way sucsesfull. for another more charakter driven story -arcane: in arcane the story starets with a big sucses stelling from jace but that leads to a small failing when he comes home erly then when they meet the gang powder fails by losing the tresure then when they get back to vander they relised a big faling that now the cops and the goverment are mad at the under city. then jumping to E3 powder things that her bomb working is a sucses but it turn out to be a mistake killing most of her frinds. then if whe go back to the chosen one exampel you used maybe our hero is falling in a small way when trying to learn the magick system and havin troubel with it then that can build up to a big sucses when he maybe uses it for the first time to defeat a monster that whas attacking him. but all this is just persenol prefrens sorry for any miss speling im not a naitive speker and i think a discord sound like a great idea love your content it relly helps

[@Noel-fp6hz]

Nice upinion

[@absolutelycitron1580]

Omfg you saying "this isn't mathematics" has made the concept of writing way less intimidating. I've spent the last 3 days trying to find the correct equation of storytelling only to be more confused

[@serbrawl7981]

nice

[@ActiveAdvocate1]

YAAAAAAAAAAAAY, you're back! Where the hell have you been?

[@ecyinka]

doing life things and trying not to die 😂

[@ActiveAdvocate1]

@@ecyinka, aww, but we like you! No dying. okay...do you have any videos, or recommendations of videos or resources on WHAT THE HELL TO DO when you just can't write? It's not even writer's block. It's TOTAL lack of energy for my main project. There's just NOTHING there. I'm working on a side project in the same series to try and keep myself busy, but I want to be working on the main thing. It's just that the book is MAMMOTH long, so it's daunting, to say the least. Any recommendations? You're smart.

[@pufthemajicdragon]

@@ActiveAdvocate1 Have you spoken to a dr or therapist? What you describe sounds an awful lot like ADHD, though there's some overlap with depression and with burnout. Getting my ADHD medicated was the BEST decision of my life. Wish I'd done it 20 years earlier, I'd be a millionaire. Maybe try breaking your story down into smaller pieces. The "hip" thing to do right now is massive long epic drama series with 30 books all 700 or more pages long. Nobody would not be intimidated if the idea in their brain even had the tiniest potential to look like that. Try to just focus on what happens in one chapter. One chapter at a time. And share your thoughts and ideas and progress with supportive and encouraging friends. A good friend getting excited for the next part of your story is an excellent source of motivation.

[@pufthemajicdragon]

@@ecyinka I agree with Active - No dying. We like you :)

[@ActiveAdvocate1]

@@pufthemajicdragon, I don't have ADHD (trust me on that one), I'm just a stupid perfectionist. So when it's not perfect from the word go, I lose inspiration. I do appreciate the advice, figuratively speaking, to eat the elephant one bite at a time, though. Mind you, who wants to eat an elephant? They're too cute! XD

[@JusticeStiles]

I think I need a wall sign that says Hermit Writer Cave...

[@Halberddent]

I would appreciate a discord, for sure

[@enxman7697]

I would have appreciated a Spoiler Warning for "Everything Etc Etc", but great video as allways!

[@berrydelightdeepwithin2770]

I dislike the word "pantser" because it dares to assume that I'm wearing pants. I feel like a good story knows where its narrative thread wants to go and weaves the path accordingly. Whether it follows certain structures or paths, whether it breaks those conventions, whether it embraces tropes, whether it subverts them, the most important thing is to not let the story lose sight of itself. A Discord sounds like fun.

[@tearstoneactual9773]

Not sure how archetypes are any better, after this. Or how they're not a dressed-up version of the same problem.

[@mrbriggs1855]

Writers' discord... Can't imagine what it would look like. Lots of people would want to talk and share their ideas, no doubt, listening on the other hand is not such a common ability. Especially if you've got so many things to say. Not saying it won't fly, I just struggle to imagine a social dynamic this would result in.

[@Procrastin_Sensei]

What’s on he’s left

[@jasonsomers8224]

Yeah, pantser is a terrible name. I prefer planter, though discovery writer is more immediately clear.