The story above the story above the story above the story
Let me tell you a story about a fascinating show I am watching.
A family of four — mother, father, daughter, and son — are on a boat.
The boat is a fishing boat.
Rickety. Rusty. Stench of fish.
This boat is carrying this family along a winding river. The river cuts through a lush, tropical jungle filled with green and birds and life.
Surely this is not a holiday. Not on an old fishing boat.
So why is this family here?
Well ... They’re on the run from the law.
The mother, at the helm of the boat, looks at the father.
“We should tell them the truth,” she says, exasperated.
Then, the scene shifts.
What follows next is a series of flashbacks, detailing a number of “direct action” demonstrations by the mother and father in their earlier years.
The last “direct action” demonstration, of course, being the one that led to this small family of four being on a boat in the middle of the jungle.
If you don’t know the Apple TV show I’m referring to here, I don’t blame you. It’s called The Mosquito Coast, and it’s relatively new.
What I just described is the first episode of the much-anticipated second season, which my wife and I watched last night.
Now, the story is good.
But what I really want to talk about is the structure of the story.
See … in season one of The Mosquito Coast, you never find out exactly what these parents did to end up on the run with their two young children.
And you just have this action packed, linear story from episode one of season one.
But with this season two opening, you now have the story of how these characters got into the situation in the story you are reading.
This is what I call the “story above the story.”
Now … you might say: “Well that’s just the backstory, David.”
To which I might reply: “Yes, it certainly includes the backstory. But it’s more than that. This technique is also a predictor of your character’s future behavior, challenges, and choices.”
Thus, it’s more than just a backstory.
To me, it's the story of the world "above" your linear story.
And I’ve found that this technique is employed by writers of some of the best stories known to humanity.
Stories like Harry Potter (Harry’s mom stopping the death curse). Or Stranger Things (Vecna and Eleven).
Want to use it yourself? A few fine points to consider:
The “story above the story” doesn’t have to be — nor should it be — revealed right away
It must give context to why your character is experiencing the struggle you are writing about … what’s the origin?
Bonus points for tapping the emotional the impact “story above the story” has, not just the physical or mental
Now, back to my story above the story … aka being a working copywriter with deadlines.
Oh, and sign up for my daily emails here.
David Patrick
