In the first part of this series, we looked at the definitions and purposes of concept, premise and story. Now let’s look at how to build a good premise and break down one of the previous examples to see how the author built a stronger story from her concept and premise.
Elements of a Good Premise
A good premise has specific elements that help it stand out. These include:
- A protagonist
- Details about the protagonist
- A set-up
- An antagonist (sometimes)
- An end goal
- An obstacle to overcome or conflict to resolve
Ideally, the premise will include character, a beginning, middle and hint at an ending. All that is left is filling in the details until you have a story.
Story Examples
The stories that resulted from the concepts and premises above resulted in a popular animated movie, two Anime series, and successful novels. How?
The authors took their ideas and developed them fully. They pursued the initial spark (concept) and expanded them by asking endless questions until they had a workable premise and story.
Going In-Depth: Case Study: Daisy Jones and the Six
Let’s look at Taylor Jenkins Reid’s novel more closely for answers.
Daisy Jones and the Six follows the format of a documentary-style show format. Listening to the audiobook felt like listening to an episode of VH-1s Behind the Music from the 1980s. It took the reader behind the scenes of a 1970s rock band through interviews with the band members.
The author, Taylor Jenkins Reid, created the members of the band and their individual stories and backstories. Then she wove those together to tell the story of the band. She added a manager or two, an audio engineer, a studio exec, a wife, best friend and other side characters to add dimension to the band members. This expanded the story beyond the band itself and allowed her to show how the band affected those around them.
The resulting story went far beyond the idea of recreating a music documentary and told a human story of musicians pursuing their dreams and the obstacles, fears and failures they faced along the way. It dove into their personal lives and the music they created.
The story had depth and texture. It had characters that came to life. That is story. That is how you take a concept and premise and turn it into a story. You keep digging for more. You don’t give into a shallow concept or premise.
Conclusion
A strong story comes from a strong concept and premise. While those elements alone cannot replace story, they can ruin one. Relying on a poor premise or concept undermines plot and structure, even character development. It pays to get it right. To find that one premise and concept that will hook a reader and provide enough fodder to build a story around.
Knowing the difference among these terms will help you create stronger stories. Each step in the process is a building block to better stories.
If Taylor Jenkins Reid had written her novel focused on a single musician it would have lacked the energy and depth the entire band brought to the story of Daisy Jones and the Six.
If Carl from Up hadn’t taken his house with him on his adventure, the story would have lost the main symbol of Carl’s grief and growth. It is only in letting the house go in the end that the audience sees him release his grief.
If Tanjiro didn’t have his sister, he would not have had the same drive to find a cure.
The concept and premise must be broad enough to allow for a story with depth. It must be scalable.