Story Structure: The Key to Successful Fiction

The Red Sneaker Writers #1

by William Bernhardt

“Writing is structure,” William Goldman said, but too often aspiring writers plunge into their work without grasping this fundamental principle. Story structure is one of the most important concepts for a writer to understand—and ironically, one of the least frequently taught. In this book, New York Times-bestselling author William Bernhardt explains the elements that make stories work, using examples spanning from Gilgamesh to The Hunger Games. In each chapter, he introduces essential concepts in a direct and easily comprehended manner. Most importantly, Bernhardt demonstrates how you can apply these ideas to improve your own writing.

William Bernhardt is the author of more than thirty books, including the blockbuster Ben Kincaid series of legal thrillers. Bernhardt is also one of the most sought-after writing instructors in the nation. His programs have educated many authors now published by major houses. He is the only person to have received the Southern Writers Gold Medal Award, the Royden B. Davis Distinguished Author Award (U Penn), and the H. Louise Cobb Distinguished Author Award (OSU), which is given "in recognition of an outstanding body of work that has profoundly influenced the way in which we understand ourselves and American society at large."

The Red Sneaker Writing Center is dedicated to helping writers achieve their literary goals. What is a red sneaker writer? A committed writer seeking useful instruction and guidance rather than obfuscation and attitude. Red sneakers get the job done, and so do red sneaker writers, by paying close attention to their art and craft, committing to hard work, and never quitting. Are you a red sneaker writer? If so, this book is for you.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Reference, Audiobook

130 pages, Paperback

First published April 25, 2003

About the author

William Bernhardt is the author of over sixty books, including the bestselling Daniel Pike and Ben Kincaid legal thrillers, the historical novels Challengers of the Dust and Nemesis, three books of poetry, and the ten Red Sneaker books on fiction writing.

In addition, Bernhardt founded the Red Sneaker Writers Center to mentor aspiring writers. The Center hosts an annual writers conference (WriterCon), small-group seminars, a monthly newsletter, and a bi-weekly podcast. More than three dozen of Bernhardt’s students have subsequently published with major houses. He is also the owner of Balkan Press, which publishes poetry and fiction as well as the literary journal Conclave.

Bernhardt has received the Southern Writers Guild’s Gold Medal Award, the Royden B. Davis Distinguished Author Award (University of Pennsylvania) and the H. Louise Cobb Distinguished Author Award (Oklahoma State), which is given "in recognition of an outstanding body of work that has profoundly influenced the way in which we understand ourselves and American society at large." He has been nominated for the Oklahoma Book Award eighteen times in three different categories, and has won the award twice. Library Journal called him “the master of the courtroom drama.” The Vancouver Sun called him “the American equivalent of P.G. Wodehouse and John Mortimer.”

In addition to his novels and poetry, he has written plays, a musical (book and score), humor, children stories, biography, and puzzles. He has edited two anthologies (Legal Briefs and Natural Suspect) as fundraisers for The Nature Conservancy and the Children’s Legal Defense Fund. OSU named him “Oklahoma’s Renaissance Man.”

In his spare time, he has enjoyed surfing, digging for dinosaurs, trekking through the Himalayas, paragliding, scuba diving, caving, zip-lining over the canopy of the Costa Rican rain forest, and jumping out of an airplane at 10,000 feet. In 2013, he became a Jeopardy! champion winning over $20,000.

When Bernhardt delivered the keynote address at the San Francisco Writers Conference, chairman Michael Larsen noted that in addition to penning novels, Bernhardt can “write a sonnet, play a sonata, plant a garden, try a lawsuit, teach a class, cook a gourmet meal, beat you at Scrabble, and work the New York Times crossword in under five minutes.”

Reviews

[Jacob · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book's coverage of story structure is kept down to the essentials and written very accessibly. It covers the topic fairly comprehensively, but if you're looking for more complete explanations about why certain parts of story structure need to be the way they are, you'll probably want to also read something like Story: Style, Structure, Substance, and the Principles of Screenwriting, Save the Cat!: The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need, or Story Engineering: Character Development, Story Concept, Scene Construction. For example, there's only one sentence about how the beginning of the story needs to illustrate the protagonist's normal life so that when the first life-changing event happens the reader understands how things are different.

Every good story needs structure; the classic structure exists for a reason, and that reason is because that's what humans respond to. So, as a writer, if you could use a quick intro or reminder of the essentials, this would make a good reference.

[Benjamin Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved it! Very informational and practical approach to writing.

[Ray Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this volume of the Red Sneaker series, William Bernhardt provides a straight forward recipe for structuring a novel - just as advertised. He provides great tips and tons of examples that are very entertaining. As the book approaches the last third, he lays down the traditional form and how to get started. To prove his commitment to the book actually being useful, Berhardt even explains how to start with 60 index cards... a bit patronizing, but he makes a good point - writing a book requires a plan.

This is a pleasant series. I started out of order, but no worries, Bernhardt's books are free standing workshops on specific topics. Again, lots of tips and lots of entertaining illustrations. If you are thinking of writing and need some direction, this is a good series. The 3 star rating truly means that I enjoyed and found this book useful. I got what I wanted from it and I liked it.

[Suzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good for Beginners

I appreciated the brevity of the book and chapter summaries, which make this an easy reference guide. I also liked that Mr. Bernhardt listed specific novels as examples for the points he was illustrating. I stress that this most helpful for beginners but it's a good refresher course for those who have been at it a while and write instinctively, without conscious awareness of what they are doing. I did not appreciate the multiple typos and formatting errors; it makes me wonder how much time and effort was actually spent on the book. That can be forgiven, however. One final note: I think the appendices are at least as important as the body of the book and should not be skipped.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook.

A straightforward guide for story structure. Contains very good information! It was just missing that 5-star factor. Definitely recommend if you want to learn the basics of story structure.
I did enjoy it enough and think it’s helpful enough that I ordered a paperback copy (to reference) after listening to it on Libby.

[Nora · Rating 5 out of 5]

De los audiolibros que escuché, el mejor.

[Tracy Karol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good first book in series

This first book in the Red Sneaker Writing Series was pretty basic, with a focus on outlining using an index card system to start. That's something I had actually already been doing, but this did help me put it in perspective and decide where my scenes needed to go. It's basically about the foundation for your novel - doesn't sound too exciting, I know, but really worth the trouble if you want to get beyond three chapters without floundering. And it's a quick read. I made a lot of notes I'm sure I will use.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very sound writing advice, with plenty of examples. I'm going to work my way through the exercises, follow the writer's calendar included in the appendices, and perform triage on my Camp NaNoWriMo monstrosity--and then probably write a more detailed review of this book.

(Audio is nicely read by author, who helpfully offers to send audiobook "readers" digital copies of the visuals when they email him. I received a response from him in less than twelve hours, with the promised materials!)

[Rick Ludwig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bill Bernhardt is a fantastic teacher, both in person and in print. Any writer, beginning or accomplished, can benefit from his clear message and engaging delivery. This is a must have book for any serious writer of fiction, or of non-fiction for that matter. There are so many useful tips packed into this enjoyable read that it is worth it's weight in gold.

[Darcee Kraus · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book came into my life, and for a brief time my entire life, because I had an ambition. I wanted to write a children's novel. Nothing impossible, simple illustrations, a reliable publisher. But these 130 pages are what pulled it all together and reaffirmed my guidelines and ideas.

Darcee Kraus
Mckinleyville, CA
http://www.etsy.com/shop/BlassGlass

[Carol Kean · Rating 5 out of 5]

"What do readers get from your book?
"How do you reward them for spending their time in your fictional world?"

Great questions!

I read this book more than once over the years, and as always, I keep forgetting the lessons inside. This is one of those how-to books that writers should revisit often.

I know. There are SO MANY books on the craft of writing, and maybe most writers can read them once and internalize the message and remember what they've learned. I'm not one of those gifted writers. I keep forgetting stuff like this:

-- Structure is the selection of events from characters’ lives strategically arranged to serve the writer’s purpose.

I love disclaimers like this:
-- Please. Why would you believe anything a fiction writer says anyway? These are people who make stuff up for a living.

Structure, pace, tension, conflict, and this business of throwing obstacles at our characters is a tricky business. I read books. Lots of 'em. Most come from the same cookie-cutter. Even a fresh premise, a 30-something civilian who trains service dogs for veterans with PTSD, turns stale when the usual tropes of the genre provide the conflict. She leaves her cell phone on the countertop on her way out the door to go confront suspects all by herself. She's had no training as a private eye or as a detective or as a cop. No matter. She solves a murder that the local police department never would have solved without her. The author is on Book Four of her series. Tropes and cliches sell well, it seems. The structure of the novel is as predictable as the stubborn, unreasonable, reckless heroine; chances are, the author has read all those books on how to create tension and conflict. Except this Bernhardt Book One of a series. Or she missed this part:

-- I always tell my students to discard the first thing that pops into their heads. There’s a reason why it came to you so quickly—it’s not original. You’ve read it before, heard it before, or God forbid seen it on television. It’s old hat. Cliché. Throw it out and come up with something better.
Plot concerns the specific events you concoct to keep your characters moving on their journey. Structure is about design. When you create your plot, you are the construction worker building the building. When you think about structure, you are the architect.

I'll share some more excerpts here, but trust me, these are only a fraction of the information in the book. A sample. A teaser, like a book trailer:

-- Story structure is one of the most important concepts for a writer to understand—and ironically, one of the least frequently taught. In this book, New York Times-bestselling author William Bernhardt explains the elements that make stories work...in a direct and easily comprehended manner.

-- Story is complex. Characters can be elusive. Plot and presentation can be daunting. Style can be frustrating. So you should welcome any tools that aid you in this challenging but eminently worthwhile quest. And structure, once you understand it, is a tool that will make your work....

-- Structure is one of the most important concepts for a writer to understand—and ironically, one of the least frequently taught.

-- Most professional writers engage in some form of preplanning. They may or may not call it outlining, but for all intents and purposes, that’s what it is. It may not involve the use of Roman numerals or indented subheadings, but that’s still what it is.

86 Kindle Notes
from this book, and that is only a fraction of the good advice for writers to "use or lose," as we'd say in that online fiction workshop years ago. This is a great book for writers trying to make their manuscript a winner. But don't take my word for it. Here are a few more excerpts:

"Too much information" vs judicious editing
-- your tale may be better told with some events than others. Much of my revision usually revolves around deciding what to leave in and what to take out. My first drafts are typically all-inclusive, everything I can think of that might possibly be good. In later drafts, I try to be more judicious.

Hold out on the reader - keep them wondering, wanting to know more
-- reader interest can be intensified by not answering all the questions right from the start. Let them wonder. Delay explanations. Mystery is good (though confusion is not).

-- the placement of the key events in your story can have a huge impact. That’s why you plan. What does the reader need to know when? What character clues need to be planted so the reader will grasp the inner conflict without being told? How do I surprise without resorting to coincidence?

-- Most messages are best delivered with just enough to allow the reader to get there themselves, rather than cramming it down their throats.

Less is More
-- I’ve always disliked the expression, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Bit of a slam at writers, isn’t it? I can think of many situations in which a word was worth a thousand pictures.

Editors and beta-readers can only offer so much. As writers, we all need to read a few "How To" books to get all the explanations and examples from an experienced teacher who can articulate it better than I can. This book does it.

That said, I still support the pansters vs the plotters among us.

[Abigail Sands · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is an excellent resource for writers. It's easy to read, easy to understand and has easy application tools. Would recommend it to every novice and not-so-novice author.

[Jerrod Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good skeleton is built here of the overall considerations of telling a story well.
Looking forward to the next volume.

[Eric Drysdale · Rating 5 out of 5]

STORY STRUCTURE: The Key to Successful Fiction
William Bernhardt
Reviewed by Eric J. Drysdale on July 5, 2014
Format: Paperback |Verified Purchase
OUTSTANDING - The best I have found in 50 years.
Eric J. Drysdale - Sydney - Australia
In STORY STRUCTURE, and the 4 companion volumes, CREATING CHARACTER, PERFECTING PLOT, DYNAMIC DIALOGUE and SIZZLING STYLE William Bernhardt has provided aspiring and seasoned writers with the mechanism that cannot but enhance the quality of the stories they tell and the manner in which they tell them.
If you read and work through these 5 volumes - and that is the key, WORK at it to make the process your own - you will create superior plots, peopled with sympathetic characters, who engage the readers and take them as companions on their journey towards the denouement. What more could a writer want?
Each of these volumes is small, compact and bite sized, focusing on one specific, but vitally important element of the creative process. Combined they form the best writer's "package" I have found in 50 years. I have read well over 100 books on writing in that time, the best of them being Lajos Egri's The Art Of Dramatic Writing, Stephen King and David Morrell, but Bernhardt has gone the extra yard, providing a comprehensive blueprint and framework that the writer can use to create the best work of which he is capable, and one which will resonate with the reader. Would that I had found these volumes 40 or 50 years ago, the apprenticeship would not have been as long and many of the dozens of stories I have sold would have been the better for the discovery.
Footnote: Now, 10 years later, writers please note that Bill has added other titles to this series, all of which are worth including in your library.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fine book on structure. It's a nice overview. I like Bernhardt's exercises and his advice on outlining seems useful. I think Bernhardt's books seem, generally speaking, to be a good mix of practical and sophisticated advice. He strikes a good tone. That said, little in this book was particularly illuminating if you've looked at structure before. It wasn't even quite good enough a summary that I would use it as a primer in a class. I don't feel like it would give my students a really clear sense of how to approach structure. While I love visual displays of story concepts, the diagrams in this book didn't seem to clarify the concepts, especially once he added in lines for multiple viewpoints.

I like what Bernhardt is doing with the Red Sneaker Writers Book Series, and this is worth a read if you are new to Structure, but it isn't the strongest craft book.

[Jonathan H. MONTES · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will hold your hand, walk you in a clear path, and even sweep the leaves off to the edge just so that you can have a good view of what's coming next. I enjoyed this short book. The amount of basic knowledge that is topped off in this book comes to the maximum for beginning writers.

I have a bachelors in this stuff and still, as a writer, I must keep reading books on writing. That being said, this is one of the best when it comes to structure.

Looking for exercises? This book has them. Looking for tips and tricks? This book has them. Even if you are looking for inspiration or just catching up again on your writing and what a quick reminder, this book is a good pick-up.

Highly recommended. Looking forward to reading more of his work.

[S.S. Scott | Romance Author and Fiction Story Coach · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third craft book I've read on structure, and it's definitely set the bar high for providing actionable steps to approach novel writing. Bernhardt explores the Three-Act structure in particular, notes how it's the basis for nearly every book since the beginning of time, and goes into pretty deep detail on how to create a novel from the elements that make up this structure. I'm really looking forward to implementing these steps in my own writing, and providing advice to any authors I happen to work with in the future.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably the best structure book I've read. For an overall writing guide, Stein On Writing is likely the best I've read. But for structure specific points, this is short, punchy and seems quite complete for anyone starting, OR someone experienced who is wanting to be sure they hit all the core points. I'm going to adopt much of this at least once, and much will likely become part of my approach. I highly recommend this.

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Explains what story structure is, why it is important, and how to do it.

This is a concise book that offers much practical advice on how to structure your story. It tells ways to plan the story before you begin. Your book will be more successful if you plan it first. You will learn some important skills you may not read about elsewhere.

[B L Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super Helpful with Getting Started

I've wanted to write fiction for the longest and its felt like I've been journeying through the woods in the middle of the night. Thankfully William Bernhardt wrote this series! I feel.well on my way to getting started ! Can't wait to read the rest !

[Erin Grey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Concise, engaging, and practical. No waffle or extreme techniques, just good, solid writing advice that will stand the test of time. I will be referring back to this book repeatedly while writing, just as with all of William Bernhardt's excellent guides.

[Suzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came across William at the Red Sneakers Website. He is now my new writing guru! I follow him on Audible, and I purchased all of his writing lesson books. I listen on Audible while I make notes in the book.

[Nikki Rome · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Informative

Although I may never outline a book, I did find the material in this one very informative. It’s a great book for beginning writers and lays the foundation for what all writers should keep in mind while creating their stories.

[Joel Cutter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The entire Red Sneaker series is very accessible for new novel writers, and helped me get my first novel from idea to polished, published product. I recommend it for anyone who is trying to write their first novel, or wants to.

[R.A.Y · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sangat sangat SANGAT informatif, membantu penulis memandang naskahnya dengan cara yang lebih jelas dari sekadar kumpulan kalimat, adegan, dan konflik yang bisa bikin mereka bingung.

[Michael Harston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for writers

William keeps it simple for every one to understand the way to storytelling. Also our writing techniques is based on our way of thinking.

[Antonella Moretti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Succinto, va subito al dunque, schematico. Ottimo manuale.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful, simply written guide to writing. Bernhardt puts it all into an easily accessible perspective. I will definitely check out other books in the series.

[Speranta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Main take - plan all the scenes before starting a story and stick to agreed upon standards.

[Art · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and focused.