“Our appetite for story is a reflection of the profound human need to grasp the patterns of living, not merely as an intellectual exercise, but within a very personal, emotional experience,” according to Robert McKee in his book Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting. I read the book because of Donald Miller’s recommendation and because I wanted to learn how to communicate effectively not just to the head but to the heart.
In order to communicate a powerful story, the story-teller must use powerful analytic thought as well as vivid imagination. The emotional involvement of the audience is held by their empathy with the main character in the story. In a story there is a gap between what is expected to happen and what actually happens. Just as a good writer needs to avoid clichés, a good story-teller needs to avoid hackneyed and predictable story elements.
The book is intended for screenwriters, so its examples and terminology are exclusively confined to that field. However, much of the author’s wisdom is relevant to anyone who wants to communicate effectively through story, including book writers and public speakers such as preachers. My only disappointment was that the book was not itself written in the form of a story.
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