Thread by @Spaztique

A Story (Structure) Reboot: A thread summarizing Narratology for #storytelling and #writing.

Part 6: Macrostructure and Microstructure

We’re now approaching the end of our Narratology journey together with Macro and Microstructure, which ought to feel familiar…

Macrostructure is the arrangement of events, while Microstructure is how those events are portrayed.
If you’re even remotely familiar with the various plot structures at your disposal, then you should have a basic overview of Macrostructure.
Only we’re gonna dive deeper!

The standard format most writers use is the Act Structure system.
Acts are made of Sequences.
Sequences are made of Scenes.
Scenes are made of Beats.
Typically, every Act ends in a major Kernel Scene, while Sequences end in Minor Kernels, and Scenes may be Kernels or Satellites.

And the most common among the Act Structure variations is 3-Act and 4-Act Structure (which splits Act 2 into 2a and 2b, which is also compatible with the Kishoutenketsu format). Snowflake/Fractal design allows you to repeat the structure down to the Sequence and Scene levels.

HOWEVER, thanks to what we’ve learned, we’re not limited to just 3-Act or 4-Act Structure! We can now use 2-Act Structure, typical of many plays (or as seen in Full Metal Jacket). You could even do 5 Acts, 7 Acts, or sustain a 1 Act Minimalist story using Sequences.

Of course, Act structure is not the limit. There are also cycles, which work from the larger levels akin to Acts to the smaller levels akin to scenes.
We’ve already covered Labov’s Natural Narrative cycle (Orientation, Complication, Reaction, Resolution), but there are more…

On a larger scale, we have Todorov’s Cycle, a similar cycle which runs like this:
1. Equilibrium
2. Disruption of Equilibrium
3. Recognition of Disruption
4. Attempt to Repair
5. New Equilibrium, Repeat
This cycle can apply to the story at large, or to individual scenes.

We all should be familiar with the Hero’s Journey by now, and if not, here’s a quick refresher:
1. Separation from the Ordinary World
2. Initiation in the Special World, culminating in Death and Rebirth
3. Reintegration back into the Ordinary World to share new gifts.

But not many people are aware of the smaller-scale version of the Jungian-based Hero’s Journey, the Hermeneutic Cycle:
1. Current Understanding
2. New Question Raised
3. Need for New Meaning
4. Engagement with Unknown
5. Learning from Feedback
6. Reflection and New Understanding

Dan Harmon’s Story Cycle has enjoyed popularity lately for its ease of use, combining all the cycles above.
It’s a story circle divided by 8ths, starting at the top and traversing clockwise. The top half is the Ordinary (or Familiar) World, and the bottom is the Special World.

The right half, the first half of the story, is pre-Midpoint understanding, before the protagonist realizes what they truly want/need. Writing teacher James Scott Bell has often called the Midpoint “The Mirror Moment,” when the protagonist faces their flaws/ghosts.

The left half, the latter half of the story, represents the post-Midpoint growth-spurt of understanding.
The 8 Sections themselves are…
1. You: Orientation of the Character
2. Need: What the character (thinks they) need.
3. Go: Initial (and often faulty) attempts to get it.

4. Search: Character begins learning what works and what doesn’t, culminating in the Midpoint “Mirror Moment.”
5. Find: Character realizes what they really need and goes for it.
6. Take/Pay: Character must face the consequences of what they’ve done to get this far.

7. Return: Character recovers, often with renewed vigor and new insight, ready to integrate everything they’ve learned.
8. Change: Character can now resolve the disruption using everything they learned.
This structure’s quarters also line up perfectly with 4-Act Structure.

Another added benefit of the cycle structure is that events tend to mirror across the circle. Things that the character learns in 4 is often used in the climax at 8. What the character says they fear most in 2 comes true in 6. The ordinary life of 1 is akin to the new life of 5.

And speaking of structures that are mirrored across the cycle, there’s another structure that’s not particularly talked about, but most people know instinctually through planning setups and payoffs: Chiastic Structure, or Symmetrical Structure.

Rather than mirror events across the story cycle, Chiastic Structure mirrors events *horizontally.* In other words, if an event occurs at the 5% mark, a similar or opposite event will occur at the 95% mark. For what happens at the 25% mark, something like it will happen at 75%.

Chiastic Structure can be found in the fable of The Tortoise & The Hare, Beauty & The Beast, even many ancient/classical narratives.
Let’s look at an example of Chiastic Structure in action: Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.”

How does it begin? Scrooge is a miserly cynical curmudgeon. How does it end? He’s generous and back to his old happy self.
What happens second? Scrooge hears of Marley’s regretful death.
What happens before the end? Scrooge faces his own regretful death.
Noticing a pattern?

What does the Ghost of Christmas Past show Scrooge? His happy past, before his disillusionment.
What does the Ghost of Christmas Present show Scrooge? Everyone else’s present, who could really use Scrooge’s old happy self.
That’s Chiastic Structure: it’s mirrored down the middle.

These macrostructures are mainly a toolbox: use them in concert, use them alone, use them how you will. Just remember the principles of Kernels and Satellites, their event shapes, and what to focalize within them.
Next, we’ll look at Microstructure to bring these to life.

Microstructure is dependent on the medium in which you’re telling the story, but it usually boils down to three things:
1. Objects: What is being presented?
2. Means: How is it presented?
3. Manner: In what way is it being presented?

For Prose, your means are Words, Sentences, and Paragraphs. Your manner is tone via your word choices.
For visual stories, your means are shot types (and, if it’s video, time and sound). Your manner is mise-en-scene (placement, lighting, color, etc.) and possibly audio.

For games and interactive narratives, your means will vary wildly depending on the level of interactivity and linearity. The manner won’t just be in visuals or environmental storytelling, but in the mechanics themselves: especially since *the player* is now the focalizer.

Of course, Ludology (the study of games) is another subject entirely, and much too large for this study of Narrative.
Next up is the final section, Application, where we give you a Narratology Toolbox to try out in your own writing, as well as some resources and exercises!