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Story Structure to Die For: Fiction's Deadly Simple Secret Kindle Edition

by PJ Reece (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 49 ratings
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“Finally new information for the structure of any story. A writer’s must have!!” ~ Amazon reviewer
UCLA Screenwriting Chairman, Richard Walter says: “Profound in [its] insights into the nature not merely of screenwriting but narrative expression in any and all forms, formats, and media.”
“I've been teaching creative writing on the college level for 35 years and I was never able to reduce everything to this simple formula. You just dropped out of heaven for me.” ~ Susan S. Brown
STORY STRUCTURE TO DIE FOR recounts Reece’s near-miss in Hollywood and his 20-year search to discover “How Fiction Really Works”. What he discovered will surprise you.
•What are a story’s most basic building blocks? (Not what you’ve been taught.)
•What and where is the heart of your story? (The manuals don’t mention such a thing.)
•What makes a hero truly heroic? (You’d be surprised.)
This is essential reading for anyone who has ever wondered why readers read and writers write. The secret lies behind a literary blind spot.

PJ Reece has been a full-time writer for 25 years. His paradigm for how to structure a story has developed through his work in television, journalism, filmmaking, screenwriting, and published fiction.
**** Download Now and Begin Seeing Your Story Like Never Before ****
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  1. Print length
    40 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    November 14, 2012
  5. File size
    198 KB
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  7. Word Wise
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00A82NNN6
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Rolling West Productions (November 14, 2012)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 14, 2012
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 198 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 40 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 49 ratings

About the author

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PJ Reece

PJ Reece

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PJ REECE, geographer, filmmaker, and finally (although it's not over yet) a writer. I seem to have an obsession and it's called THE HEART OF THE STORY. My professional writing career hurled me into that abyss and I haven't found a good reason to talk about much else. There's a lot of jibber jabber among writers about "how-to" write, but I say "where to" is key. The story heart is always the destination. My blog concerns itself with this lethal heart.

I live on the west coast of British Columbia where I've scripted documentaries for most of the big networks including National Geographic, Discovery Channel, and A&E. My first novel, "Smoke that Thunders" grew from an unsold screenplay. (It was optioned three times!) "ROXY" is my second published novel, followed by "Flight of the Patriot," a memoir of escape from Iran (for which I settled on being the ghostwriter, although my name should have been on the cover, but that's another story).

"Story Structure to Die For" is my radical overview of story, about which one reader said this: "PJ, I've been teaching creative writing on the college level for 35 years and I was never able to reduce everything to this simple formula. You just dropped out of heaven for me." I hope she's just as crazy about my upcoming book: "Story Structure Expedition: Journey to the Story Heart."

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5
49 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Isaac Butterworth
5.0 out of 5 stars Small Book...Big Idea
Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2019
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Reece’s Story Structure to Die For is not a lengthy book. In fact, it is rather small, but it has a huge impact. Reece contends that, if a story is to avoid melodrama, it must be not one but two stories, connected by what he calls a “hole.” The first story drives the hero to the hole—the “heart of the story”—where she or he will see the unraveling of a treasured belief system. It will be like a death for the hero (hence, the title), but she or he will emerge into the second story (resurrected, as it were) fully equipped for the task that must be completed. Reece doesn’t provide much help in the mechanics of writing with this structure in mind, but he makes the case that without the hero’s descent into the heart of the story—the hole—there can be no emotional engagement with the story. It becomes mere melodrama. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to write better stories. It will provide what now presents itself to me as an essential perspective on what a story does.
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OceanSpry
5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific Insights
Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2013
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Quality beats quantity. Sometimes, you can think too much when you really need to think smart. That's what PJ Reece finally did and how he recognized what good fiction writers are doing that's different from everyone else. Good stories have an analytical structure and they follow the path he lays out.

Yes, this book is simple and it's short. Frankly, I wouldn't want it to be any longer. Why add fluff when you've said what you came to say? I found this book very insightful and the author explained his point with beautiful clarity. I loved both his own personal anecdotes from his writing failures and also the excerpts from movies and books that helped illustrate his road map (which is sheer genius, by the way).

I have come away from the book believing that I've learned his lesson. Now we'll see if I can incorporate it in my own writing.
2 people found this helpful
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cksisson
1.0 out of 5 stars Not helpful
Reviewed in the United States on November 23, 2014
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I'm sorry to say that I got nothing useful from this book, as a writer or as a reader.

It went south pretty quickly when the writer began trashing the people who turned down his initial writing attempts and the so-called writing "gurus." It's true -- some of the gurus are making thousands for poor advice. But good writers should be able to make their point without spewing negativity about others.

The most helpful section was the one where he discussed the heart of the story and used the movies "Rocky" and "Good Will Hunting" to show a brief narrative arc.

But you can take any movie you like and figure that much out alone while being entertained at the same time.

This is a very short read, less than an hour. But it's cheap, and I suppose it's worth trying if you don't find any other plot books you like.

I found much more usable tips in "The Plot Skeleton" by Angela Elwell Hunt. It's not great, but it's much better than this drivel.

And if you're looking for a good deconstruction of movie plots, read "Save the Cat."

In the case of this book, I'd save my money. It's not worth it. You'll get more from a good writer's blog.
3 people found this helpful
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Josh Botana
4.0 out of 5 stars Insightful.
Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2014
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Really great book on story structure. Now it won't give you all the fine point details you might want out of a book with this title, but if you're looking for a way to give the heart of your A story a greater impact then this book might help you achieve that. It's also a very fast read and the details are easily absorbed and put into action. PJ Reece is full of great examples and ideas. Good book.
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Short but sweet, and worth it
Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2019
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This is not a long book, but it doesn't need to be. It's the perfect length for what he needs to say, no fluff or filler.

While I've seen the moment, the plot point, he focused on mentioned in many books on writing, and it's a standard beat, none of the many books and articles on writing that I've read have ever quite described it like this. It's surprisingly refreshing. And I definitely learned something new, or perhaps something deeper? A new way to look at it. And an important enough point to be well worth the money.
One person found this helpful
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Book lover
5.0 out of 5 stars Finally new information for the structure of any story... A writers must have!!
Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2013
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Pj Reece, did it! He put the exact definition of a difficult and unexplored part of story and story structure into a much needed part of the storytelling world! I have studied nearly every book out there, many have the same stuff over and over each author giving the beats and turns of story their own name, just confusing the reader/student more... The author wanting something to link them to the specific book, they are selling, but always with little to NO new insight.

THIS book actually explores new and important ideas, specifically one on which the entire storytelling world spins. Highly recommended!! Not a long book, but rather a short ebook--thus the low price. But worth even more than is being charged for this clear, concise and helpful wisdom.
2 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars For the first time, I truly understand story
Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2013
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On some unconscious level I already knew this stuff. Except I didn't.
Reading this sort book is like having a veil lifted from my eyes, allowing more to understand why some stories worked for me and punched me in the gut. And why others didn't.
By helping me to see a story as actually two stories instead of one linear plot line, this book enables me to structure my own punch-in-the-gut stories.
Thank you so much for this wonderful book with all its insights.
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Brandon Dumas
4.0 out of 5 stars For 3 bucks?! TOTALLY 100% Worth it!!
Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2014
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The only problem or issue I had is that this really needed to be edited. Sentences condensed a few points made a bit more clear. Other than that, this might actually change the way I write stories. Its exactly what I've been looking for. Well done Mr. Reece. Well done.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

MrsA
5.0 out of 5 stars Laughed and nearly cried.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 22, 2021
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I absolutely loved this book. I laughed a lot. And also nearly wept because after reading it I realised I had to re-write my ‘precious’ novel. Reece shared so many piercing, right to the bone, obvious after you’d read them points, there was no arguing with him. This guy knows his stuff and has generously shared what no doubt took him a lot of blood, sweat and tears to realise. Thank you PJ Reece!
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Jai
5.0 out of 5 stars Wow! No story structure can be understood like this.
Reviewed in India on November 19, 2020
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PJ Reece is a clear thinker and his focus approach will yield very deep insight in you. No one can simplify story structure better than PJ Reece.
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Catherine
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Concepts
Reviewed in Australia on January 5, 2019
Verified Purchase
Excellent. I intuited this for a long time. I was looking for this and I didn’t know.
Very clearly written.
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Singwah
5.0 out of 5 stars Cheap but the advice feels hard earned.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 22, 2013
Verified Purchase
Every story is two stories with a hole in the middle... a simple premise, but one I feel holds true and will keep in my tool box like a trusted hammer.
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Chrissie
1.0 out of 5 stars Just boring.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 2, 2015
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It's hardly informative at all. Just boring.
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