Day 25 Assignment

[Arial Burnz]

Subject: Arial’s Solved Structural Problems

What I learned doing this assignment is…to be flexible in learning about the story as I write it. As Aaron Sorkin said in an interview, “By the time you finish writing your first draft, you may learn your story might not be about what you originally intended. Your second draft gives you the chance to rewrite the new story as it was meant to be.” (My paraphrase.)

ACT 1

Opening/Old Ways

Title sequence follows paper bird to Aylen, where we see she is more of a follower than a leader. Jealous best friend, loving boyfriend, sickly mother, gets promoted from Apprentice to Dress Maker.

Structure Questions:

Is this an engaging opening scene that lures us into the story? I think so! This is fantasy story, so the opening scene will be the dazzling sight of an Elven city filled with various races of people (e.g., elves, dwarves, humans, hobbits, etc.) and we’ll get a peek at some of the fantasy creatures…a perfect lure for fantasy lovers!

Is the lead character clearly living in a pre-transformation mode? Yes! Aylen is a naïve apprentice dress maker who allows herself to be bullied by her co-workers and is oblivious to her best friend’s jealousy.

Do the “Old Ways” show up in their behavior and dialogue? Yes. She is submissive, makes excuses for the abuse happening to her, and is in denial about many things around her.

Inciting Incident

Aylen is arrested and charged with treason. Although she is innocent, the conditions of her arrest force the royal clerk to have her imprisoned anyway. Aylen escapes custody and runs to her friend Kylantha for protection/help.

Structure Questions:

How does this incident invite and propel us into the journey? I think it pulls on the heartstrings of the viewers. Here is a naïve, good-hearted young woman who is victimized because people around her are jealous of her. She totally doesn’t deserve what’s happening to her and we will want to see how her fate ends. How will she handle this turn of events? Will she triumph over those who have done her wrong?

Turning Point 1

Kylantha entraps Aylen, who discovers it was her best friend who betrayed her, and Tanyth (co-worker) was somehow involved. Aylen is arrested and sent to prison.

Structure Questions:

How is this Turning Point a twist that locks us into the journey with “no going back?” She is now in prison! There’s no escaping (for the time being), especially since she is the naïve young girl of whom everyone takes advantage.

ACT 2

New Plan

Her initial plan is to appeal. Then she discovers she’s pregnant and tries to use that to be released. However, after she has the baby and it’s taken away from her, she falls into despair, tries to kill herself, which the prison prevents, and eventually gives up.

Structure Questions:

What new plan did the protagonist create to deal with the Act 1 Turning Point? As noted above, she exhausts all her options – appealing, hoping her condition (pregnant) will give her some advantage, trying to commit suicide – but then gives up and surrenders to her fate.

Plan in Action

Syndra digs her way into Aylen’s cell, however, and the new plan is to learn all she can from Syndra as they dig their way to freedom and escape. Aylen learns magic and fighting skills in the process.

Structure Questions:

How does the protagonist take action on that plan? When Syndra (her future mentor) accidentally digs her way into Aylen’s cell, she gives Aylen hope that they can escape, so her original plan to get out of prison resumes, but takes a different, more rewarding, turn. Also, Aylen’s renewed plan now includes revenge against those who put her in prison.

Midpoint – Turning Point 2

Aylen & Syndra are caught digging their tunnel but are able to overcome the guards and escape. Unfortunately, when Syndra uses magic to get off the island, she triggers a fatal booby trap lying dormant inside her since she was imprisoned 25 years ago. Aylen must go on alone – to seek revenge and to find Syndra’s treasure.

Structure Questions:

How does the Midpoint change the meaning, creating a reveal that changes everything while keeping us on the same journey? Aylen will still want revenge, but the plan of having Syndra help her is no longer part of the journey. Aylen must now use everything Syndra taught her to accomplish her goal, but also have the advantage of riches and magic to help her, which she never would have had without meeting Syndra. Syndra gives Aylen hope and the tools to achieve her goal.

ACT 3

React/Rethink

Aylen meets and joins the Thieves Guild, then journeys with her new companion to find Syndra’s treasure.

Structure Questions:

What is revealed to the protagonist from the Midpoint? Aylen is now stronger, smarter and wiser than she ever was, or than she could have been on her own. How do they react or rethink things? Because she is a different person, Aylen is approaching this new phase in her journey with an altered point of view.

New Plan

Aylen wants revenge, so she tasks Gwen to set things up at their new estate while Aylen goes to Havencrest to get her degree in magic. When she returns, she and Gwen set up Tanyth and Qiren and entrap them. Next is Dylan, but Aylen discovers he has always been faithful to her and they decide she is done with revenge. They make plans to live together (Aylen, Dylan and Gwen) as a family.

Structure Questions:

What new plan did the protagonist create to deal with this new level of conflict? This is an upturn for Aylen during this journey, where the beginning of the story was a downturn. She already had everything taken from her and she has been reformed into a stronger person. This new plan, however, will take Aylen in the direction of vengeance, so anger has replaced her motivation, where love and compassion were once the fuel for her daily life.

Turning Point 3

Kylantha foils Aylen’s plans by killing both Tanyth and Qiren.

Structure Questions:

The lowest of the low. How has this Turning Point brought the character to the lowest of lows, making it almost impossible for them to win in a normal way? This forces them to adopt the change in a much bigger way. Aylen has been so bent on revenge that she didn’t see Kylantha’s counter moves, which pulls her revenge plans right out from under her. Kylantha now has the higher ground.

ACT 4

Dilemma

Kylantha captures Dylan to lure Aylen into facing her. Everything Aylen finally has is stolen from her, so she must face Key in order to save those she loves.

Structure Questions:

What emotional dilemma requires the protagonist to choose between two alternatives, losing something with either choice? If Aylen does not face Kylantha, Dylan will be killed. If Aylen does face Kylantha, she may die along with Dylan, and she’s putting Gwen in danger.

Climax/Ultimate Expression of the Conflict

The sorceresses duel to the death! Although Aylen does not want to kill her friend, Key gives her no choice. During the duel, Aylen learns Gwen is her daughter and Dylan is the father.

Structure Questions:

How is this the ultimate expression of the conflict? How does it require a “fight to the death,” either literally or symbolically? When Aylen came to Kylantha for help, only to discover Key was the one who betrayed her, they fought. Key had magic and Aylen was helpless to protect herself – not just from her friend’s magic, but emotionally she was unfit to face her friend. This duel will put Aylen’s skills against Key’s and the satisfying conclusion of Kylantha getting what she deserves – death by the person she wronged.

Resolution

With Kylantha dead and no one on the throne, Aylen and Dylan are crowned the new rulers of Solinta, with their daughter Gwen as heir and princess.

Structure Questions:

How does this resolution represent the “New Ways” and bring this story to a fitting conclusion? Aylen earned her place on the throne, got the family that is rightfully hers, whom she suffered for greatly, and they are all better suited for each other and for the position as the rulers of Solinta because each one of them has gained wisdom as a result of their hardships.

New Ways

They live happily ever after as the new rulers of Solinta. Aylen is now a powerful sorceress, a strong woman, and a leader of a country.

Structure Questions:

What are the New Ways and do they clearly show up in your lead character’s Act 4 behavior and dialogue? I believe they do! See the notes above.