The 8 Steps of Dan Harmon's Story Circle
Dan Harmon is a well-known writer, director, and producer, best known for his work on the popular TV show Community. He has also written for other shows such as The Sarah Silverman Program and Rick and Morty. In addition to his work in television, Harmon has also gained notoriety for his unique approach to story structure, which he calls the "Story Circle."
What is Dan Harmon's Story Circle?
The Story Circle is a way of outlining a story that begins with the main character in their comfort zone. The character then has a need or desire that takes them out of their comfort zone into an unfamiliar situation. In this new situation, the character must adapt in order to find what they're looking for. However, once they find what they want, they realize that there is a price to pay. This price leads the character to return to their comfort zone, but they are now changed because of their experience.
Dan Harmon's Story Circle can be a helpful tool for writers who are looking to outline their stories faster. It provides a clear structure that can be followed in order to create a well-rounded story. In addition, the Story Circle can also help writers to avoid common pitfalls such as saggy middle sections or flat endings.
How does the Story Circle help you outline your story faster?
The Story Circle helps you outline your story faster because it provides a framework for you to follow. By having a specific structure to follow, you can more easily organize your thoughts and ideas. Additionally, the Story Circle can help you to identify plot holes in your story and make sure that your story flows smoothly.
The 8 steps of the Story Circle
Now that we have an understanding of what the Story Circle is and how it can help us, let's take a closer look at each of the 8 steps.
You - Comfort Zone
The first step in the Story Circle is understanding the main character's "you." In other words, who is your protagonist and what is their normal world like? What are their goals, fears, and motivations? Answering these questions will help you to create a more fully-formed character that readers will be able to connect with. It's important to remember that your protagonist doesn't have to be likable, but they do need to be relatable.
Need - Need or Desire
Once you know who your protagonist is and what their world is like, it's time to introduce the need or desire that will take them out of their comfort zone. This can be something as simple as a desire for something that they don't have (e.g., money, love, power) or it can be something more complicated like a need to right a wrong or save someone's life. Whatever it is, this need or desire should be strong enough to push your character out of their comfort zone and into unfamiliar territory.
Leave - Unfamiliar Situation
The next step is for your character to leave their comfort zone and enter into an unfamiliar situation. This could be anything from travelling to a new country to being stranded in a strange place. It's important that this situation is truly unfamiliar to your character so that they are forced out of their comfort zone and must adapt in order to survive. This is where the real story begins!
Search - Adaptation
In order for your character to find what they're looking for (or escape from the unfamiliar situation), they must adapt. This could mean learning new skills, making new allies, or even changing their worldview. Whatever it is, adaptation will be key in moving the story forward. Additionally, this is also where your character will start to grow and change as a result of their experiences.
Find - Get What They Want
After all of the searching and adapting, your character will finally find what they're looking for. This could be the object of their desire or it could be a way to escape the unfamiliar situation. However, it's important to remember that your character will not get what they want without paying a price. There should be some sacrifice or cost associated with getting what they want in order to make the story more interesting and complex.
Take - But Pay a Price
As mentioned above, your character will have to pay a price in order to get what they want. This could be anything from losing something precious to them to making a difficult decision. Whatever the cost, it should be significant enough to make the story more interesting and suspenseful. Additionally, this is where your character will really start to change as a result of their experiences.
Return - Return to Comfort
After paying the price and getting what they wanted, your character will return to their comfort zone. This doesn't necessarily mean that everything will go back to the way it was before, but it does mean that your character will have changed as a result of their experiences. They may be wiser, stronger, or even different than they were before. Either way, this is where the story comes full circle and comes to an end.
Change - Having Changed
The final step in the Story Circle is understanding that your character has changed as a result of their experiences. This change could be big or small, but it should be significant enough to affect the way that your character views the world and themselves. Additionally, this change should be something that readers can connect with so that they feel like they've gone on the journey with your character.
Conclusion
Dan Harmon's Story Circle is a helpful tool for writers who want to outline their story faster. The Story Circle is made up of 8 steps that take the character on a journey from their ordinary world to their final destination and back again. By following these steps, writers can create a well-rounded and believable story that will resonate with readers.
If you want further reading on this subject, you can find an even more in-depth article about Dan Harmon's Story Circle here.