Your Next Draft
Act Structure: How the 6 Elements of Story Work in Act 1 of How to Train Your Dragon
26 Sep 2023
The story structure that makes the first act of How to Train Your Dragon work.One of my favorite things about the six elements of story structure is the fact that they work everywhere.You can use them to structure your entire novel. You can use them to structure each act. And you can use them to structure each scene.And to prove it, I’m breaking down the first act of How to Train Your Dragon to show you the six elements at work.You’ll learn:What values shift in the first act (and why those changes are good and bad)The crisis choice Hiccup must make, and the many risks at stakeHow the inciting incident and resolution make the value shifts crystal clearAnd more!Plus, you can get my full spreadsheet analyzing How to Train Your Dragon at alicesudlow.com/dragon.Links mentioned in the episode:Get the full How to Train Your Dragon analysis: alicesudlow.com/dragonWatch the opening scene of How to Train Your DragonEp. 45: How the 6 Elements of Story Work in How to Train Your DragonEp. 27: Value Shifts: How to Craft Compelling Change in Every StorySend me a Text Message!Support the showRate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts "I love Alice and Your Next Draft." If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more writers through the mess—and joy—of the editing process. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap the stars to rate, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode! Loving the show? Show your support with a monthly contribution »
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