It was the original Toy Story that punched me in the heart first; the nostalgia and sweet characters, blended with a lifelike style of animation I’d never seen before. I then dove headfirst into their collection of short movies, many of which I showed over and over to my elementary students as an excuse to watch them again.

In his book Creativity, Inc, Pixar cofounder Ed Catmull divulges a behind-the-scenes look at what creates the magic in stories of childhood toys, bugs, cars, fish and garbage-cleaning space robots with hearts of gold. And while much of it boils down to an environment that supports teamwork and creativity, there is one familiar element that Pixar teaches that we can all lean on for creating tightly crafted stories and keep the reader turning the page: their storytelling structure.

1. Once upon a time / Every day… 

The classic once-upon-a-time opener serves more purpose than simply making us think of princesses in ball gowns. Although we are often anxious to jump right into the action, we have to pause and think about the state of affairs at the beginning before everything changes and the plot begins to unfold.  

In addition to setting the stage with exposition, this is also where we need to think deeply about who our protagonist is and how they spend their time. Most importantly, we need to understand how they got here, to the beginning of this story, and why they are going to make the decisions they are going to make.

In Toy Story, we are intentionally shown how Woody has always been Andy’s most beloved toy and the leader of the toy box community, which sets him up to have a devastating fall from grace with the introduction of Buzz Lightyear. Could the stakes be any higher? 

2. One day… 

This is the catalyst, the thing that happens that changes everything. The catalyst could be huge, like the loss of a loved one, a diagnosis, or being replaced by a new space ranger toy. It could also be small, like something someone says offhandedly to the protagonist. 

Whatever it is, the catalyst needs to be intentional and clear, because it leads into everything that comes next.  

3. Because of that… 

This is the only beat in the structure that will repeat…and repeat…and repeat. But it’s also perhaps the most crucial. As writers, we are tasked with creating a series of events and obstacles that our protagonist and other characters will move through. And so often we wind up writing our way into dead ends or dark corners where we never meant to be.

Instead of simply saying “and then this happened”, we are intentionally connecting plot events through cause and effect by swapping it with because of that. Because one thing happened, the next thing happened. Because the protagonist was feeling a certain way, they made the next decision. Because Buzz Lightyear came into Andy’s life, Woody decided to get rid of him. This is how our key plot events stay connected and intentional, and keep from getting lost in the woods.  

Pixar is known for giving all of their characters some sort of emotional arc. Whether the arc is central to the story, or subplot, or backstory, we can play with it as we make decisions for even the smallest character. 

 4. Until finally…  

This could be thought of as the climax of the story, the peak where everything changes again, for good this time. But we should also consider this as the moment when the lightbulb goes on above the protagonist’s head. 

In Woody and Buzz’s case, they realize they’ll be better together than working against each other. They now understand the world in a new way, and are going to make decisions from here on out based on this new understanding.

It’s what your reader has been rooting for them to realize all along the way. If, as the writer, we have a vision for what this point is, it’s much easier to point our protagonist in the right direction from the beginning, even if they take some missteps and wrong turns along the way.  

5. And ever since that day… 

Of course, many stories don’t wrap up with quite a nice, tidy bow, as Pixar would have us believe. But we have to think about what imagery, emotions, and new understandings we want to leave the reader with as they turn the final page. This connects right back to once upon a time and every day: Who is the protagonist now? How have the events of the story changed them? What do they see for themselves in the future?  

In summary…

Writing a novel or short story is very different from writing a screenplay, but a story is a story, and the essential elements are the same. What this fairytale-esque story structure offers us is a way to connect the key scenes and draw a through line that takes the reader on both an external adventure, and an internal emotional journey (to infinity…and beyond!).

Stephanie Dethlefs is a writer and book coach living in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, two teenagers, two cats, and a spunky dog. A former teacher, she now helps writers with stories on their hearts finally write their novels. She’s the author of the middle grade novel Unspoken and several published essays and articles. Connect with Stephanie at HelloWriters.net.

The post #5onFri: Five Things Pixar Teaches about Cause and Effect appeared first on DIY MFA.

Yet I knew that I needed to write it for more than just her. While she would certainly be an ideal reader, she was only one person, and I wanted others to connect with it. The message of the novel needed to be shaped so that it became a universal truth that would resonate with young readers, whether they faced the specific challenges of the characters or not.

I like to think of my future readers as being inside concentric circles. The largest circle would be anyone who might pick up the book. This is, of course, far too broad of a category to spend much time worrying about, aside from being clear on genre conventions. But the next smaller circle would contain that group of people that you really want to read my book; those whose hands I’d put it in myself if I could.

The truth is that we can’t control how readers are going to receive our writing. (If only we could!) But there are a series of steps that we can take which can increase the chances that a reader will connect with your story. 

And one of those steps is to get to know our ideal readers by reflecting on a series of questions.

Who is your ideal reader?

This question is just scratching the surface. You might answer with details like age, family structure, gender identity, geographical location, socioeconomic factors, race or cultural identity, etc. We don’t need to know their favorite type of latte or personal habits (unless, of course, that is important to the plot of your story), so don’t worry about going too specific here. We just want a general sense of the space they occupy in the world.

What do they want from a book?

Consider your ideal reader as a reader. What do they love in a book? What don’t they like? What keeps them turning the pages? What makes them pass a book along to a friend?

Of course, every reader is different. But these are your ideal readers. We’re narrowing the focus so that you can write your book in a way that speaks directly to the people you want to speak to. And we’re getting even more personal with the next two questions.

What do they want in their own life?

When we read, we are subconsciously (or sometimes consciously) seeking validation and healing for the ways that we experience pain. If your book can provide answers to the big life questions your reader is asking, they will connect to your story on an even deeper level. Even when we pick up a book purely for entertainment, we make emotional connections between the journey the protagonist is on and our own lives.

As you answer this question, focus less on external goals and more on the emotional desires they have. This is about how they want to feel. Do they long for a sense of acceptance or belonging? Do they long for a happier marriage, an easier time parenting, to feel more successful in their work life? Do they wish they could make a bigger difference?

What keeps your ideal reader up at night?

If you could sit beside your ideal reader with a cup of tea and get personal, what would they say is their biggest fear or regret? The reason we want to consider this is because – ideally – our book will become a salve for that pain.

What will your book show or provide to them?

In your story, your protagonist is going to go through some sort of emotional growth. By the end of the book, they will have a new understanding about something they were struggling with in the beginning. By showing our ideal reader this change, we are showing them what’s possible in their own lives.

A quick note here: it’s important to remember when we talk about the message behind your book or the point you are trying to make, we are not talking about blatant preaching or proselytizing. We’re not putting a moral at the end of our story like an Aesop’s fable. But every story has a point that it’s trying to make about the world or human nature, and we need to make sure that this point comes across through your protagonist’s emotional growth and decision-making. It’s a message that your ideal reader wants or needs to hear, and it’s what is going to help your ideal reader remember your story long after they close the book.

In summary…

A story is communication between the reader and the writer. It is our job as writers to consider our ideal reader in the same way we would if we were telling a story to someone in person. In person, we would consider the other person’s history and experiences, and perhaps adjust our story accordingly. We can do the same with our ideal readers. And by doing that, we can increase the chances that they will connect with our story in the way we most hope they will.

Stephanie Dethlefs is a writer and book coach living in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, two teenagers, two cats, and a spunky dog. A former teacher, she now works with writers who have a story on their hearts find clarity and accountability so they can finally write their novels. She’s the author of several published essays and a middle grade novel, Unspoken. She also hosts the Let’s Write Your Novel podcast. 
Connect with Stephanie at HelloWriters.net.

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