It all begins with a premise, a simple statement that answers the question “What is my story about?”
Michael at the Confluence
This simple statement must be the driving force behind everything that is written.
“A good premise is derived from emotions and revolves around a character, a conflict, and a conclusion” writes Amy Dunklberger.
In James Cameron’s film Titanic (1997), the premise is that love conquers death, physically and spiritually. Rose is the character, the sinking ship and Rose’s forced engagement are the conflict and the conclusion is that Jack’s love helps her beat death and free herself from her fiancé.
“In The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy had an objective. It was to get back home to Kansas. She knew what she wanted” wrote Milo O. Frank.
Getting to “What?” is the first step in writing and being.