1. STORY LAB
Authoring your story as mission

2. A story is a character that wants something
and overcomes conflict to get it.
Elements of a good story

3. Darius Goes West

4. A character is what he does. Story brings
about character transformation.
There is a general rule that characters don’t
like change. If a character doesn’t change,
the story hasn’t happened yet.
Elements of a good story

5. Object of desire - the thing that if you give it
to your character the story would stop:
“Object of Desire” is the “wants something”
part of our definition of story.
Elements of a good story

6. Write your story: Value + cause =
controlling idea.
The Controlling Idea for your
story

7. Values are universal qualities of human
existence that can change from positive to
negative, or negative to positive, from one
moment to the next. Ex. Truth, freedom,
justice...
Controlling Idea (Value)

8. Cause is the way in which the value
changes state, the 'Cause' that brings the
change of value.
Controlling Idea (Cause)

9. (Value) does what? Because when
(Cause) occurs something happens to the
value.
My Controlling Idea:
Transformation prevails because dreams
that are realized have the power to change
lives.
Creating Your Controlling
Idea

10. How is your conflict controlling your story,
and In what way is your conflict
transforming your character?
Writing Question:

11. STORY LAB
Authoring your story as mission