Master Fiction Writing

Plot Without Panic: Using the Pixar Story Spine


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Plotting doesn’t have to feel like wrangling an octopus into a cardigan. In this episode of Master Fiction Writing, we turn to Pixar’s Story Spine - seven simple prompts that reveal your story’s engine: who we meet, what upends the status quo, how cause-and-effect escalates, where the climax hits, and what the change means. We unpack each beat (from “Once upon a time…” to “And ever since that day…”) and keep things focused with just two “Because of that…” moves to force clean causality. You’ll hear quick, recognisable examples and leave with a concise spine you can expand into scenes—without drowning in index cards.

You’ll learn:

  • How to define your story’s “normal,” inciting incident, and rising consequences

  • Why limiting yourself to two causal beats sharpens momentum

  • How to aim your climax at your character’s internal shift

  • How to land an emotionally clear resolution

...more
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Master Fiction WritingBy Stuart Wakefield

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