We can probably all identify a handful or more of common basic structures that feature time and time again in novels, short stories and other creative art forms. Guy meets girl (or vice versa). Hero is presented with a challenge to overcome. A stranger comes to town and unusual things happen. Hero goes on a journey (literal or metaphorical). A question is posed at the beginning that, by the end, is answered. Relationships face adversity.

You might think that all of this would start to get a bit boring after a while. But it doesn’t (well, sometimes it does. It depends on how good the specific story in question is). I think the reason for this is that all of those ‘common’ basic structures and ideas are things that we can all identify with. They mean something to us.

They also offer decent amounts of tension, potential for drama and conflict, and offer interesting things for our characters to do. The characters involved in the stories also add interest. Even though we can also identify common character traits – the typical romantic leads, the wandering lonely hero, the anti-hero – as long as the author does their job properly, each character is unique and exciting and someone we want to read more about.

We all have our own ways of seeing things. We all have our own interpretations. We could be reading one of the most tried and tested story formulas of all time, with a main character who on first glace is a total cliché, and still find plenty to love about it. At the same time, we could be reading something that’s trying to be quirky and original and entirely different, and it could be awful.

In many ways, the quality of the writing and how the story is told are the really important things. Done well, we don’t even notice that we’ve essentially read many similar things before, and our own viewpoints add another layer of individuality to proceedings. All those popular basic story structures are popular for a reason, and I’m willing to bet they’ll be popular for as long as we continue to write and tell stories.

What do you think?