Crafting a compelling story is an art, often seeming elusive to many aspiring writers. Glenn Gers, an accomplished screenwriter, offers profound insights into understanding and shaping narratives effectively. Drawing from his extensive experience, Gers distills storytelling into a set of essential principles centered around characters, obstacles, and purposeful questioning. Here’s a breakdown of his advice to help you hone your craft and unlock your narrative potential.
The Core of Storytelling: Character and Purpose
At its heart, every story follows characters striving to accomplish something. Glenn Gers emphasizes that stories need not be limited to a single protagonist; multiple characters can share the spotlight, each with distinct goals and challenges. However, no matter how many characters you include, the essential mechanism remains the same: a character tries to achieve a goal, but encounters obstacles—either external or internal.
Think of this dynamic as a billiard ball rolling in a direction until it hits another ball that changes its path. Similarly, characters push forward toward their objective but must navigate interference—whether through people, situations, or inner fears.
For example, consider a character trying to put a suitcase on a train. If nothing challenges them, the situation’s mundane and lacks dramatic tension. But throw in a thief stealing the suitcase, or even the character’s fear of the station’s noise, and suddenly the narrative gains stakes and complexity.
Key takeaway:
Story = Character + Goal + Obstacle + Response
The 6 Essential Questions That Shape Every Story
Gers identifies six fundamental questions every writer must answer to craft a potent narrative. These questions serve as a scaffold for developing characters, conflict, and resolution:
-
Who is it about?
Identify your main character(s). Who drives the story? -
What do they want?
Define their goal or desire clearly. -
Why can’t they get it?
Establish the obstacles—both internal and external—that block access to their goal. -
What do they do about that?
Examine the character’s actions and choices in response to the obstacles. -
Why doesn’t that work?
Determine why their initial efforts fail or fall short. -
How does it end?
Decide the resolution: does the character achieve their goal or not, and what new action ultimately resolves the conflict?
Answering these creates a narrative blueprint applicable to any story form—movies, series, video games, or even short stories.
Writing as a Process of Questions and Discovery
Storytelling is less about having a fixed formula and more about perpetually asking and answering questions. Each decision—from character traits to plot direction—is a response to a query. For example:
- Why is this character afraid of heights?
- What motivates their love for another character?
- How does that impact their choices when faced with danger?
This questioning deepens story layers and moves the writer closer to writing meaningful scenes.
Discovering Your Personal Writing Process
Gers highlights that writing is not one-size-fits-all. Some write best in the quiet hours of the night; others in short, focused bursts. The key is discovering what works for you through trial, error, and honest self-reflection.
For Gers, bursts of short writing sessions yield greater productivity and creativity than grinding through long hours, which can lead to dissatisfaction and self-doubt. Recognizing and respecting your rhythm will help you maintain momentum and produce better work consistently.
Tips for cultivating your process:
- Pay attention to when your creativity flows best.
- Experiment with different environments, times, and techniques.
- Use tools that help organize your thoughts clearly (digital docs, outlines, note cards).
- Write consistently, even if imperfectly; progress happens through doing.
Embracing the Imperfect Journey: No “Eureka” Moment Required
Unlike the popular notion of a dramatic “aha” moment, Gers stresses that refining your writing process is gradual. It’s a series of small advances and occasional setbacks—two steps forward, one step back—but always forward.
The action of “just writing” is vital. Even rough sketches or placeholder lines move you closer to clarity. Over time, repeated questioning and drafting yield nuanced, fully-fledged stories.
Final Thoughts: Keep Asking, Keep Writing
Glenn Gers’ approach reminds us that storytelling is fundamentally about movement—characters moving toward goals, writers moving from questions to answers. By continuously asking the six essential questions and attuning yourself to your unique writing process, you can unlock narratives that resonate deeply and tell your story like a pro.
Summary of the 6 Essential Storytelling Questions:
| Question | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Who is it about? | Define main character(s) |
| What do they want? | Determine character’s goal |
| Why can’t they get it? | Identify obstacles and conflicts |
| What do they do about that? | Explore actions and responses |
| Why doesn’t that work? | Understand failures and setbacks |
| How does it end? | Decide on resolution and story outcome |
Embrace these questions not as rigid rules but as helpful guides to uncover your narrative’s heart. Keep writing, keep exploring—you’ll be surprised at the stories you can tell.
For deeper insights and practical examples, Glenn Gers’ videos on storytelling and writing processes are invaluable resources for aspiring screenwriters and storytellers alike.
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