Quantum Storytelling

Pros: Excellent guide to story structure.

Cons: A bit overwhelming for someone new to storytelling.

Thoughts: The parts that stood out for me most were the explanation of archplot, antiplot, and miniplot featured in a diagram on page 55. McKee explains that the adherence to structure (or lack of) usually follows which one of these categories a story falls under.

The other memorable section of the book is Part 3, The Principles of Story Design where McKee really breaks down what every story is made of, and how you can better understand your story by breaking it into acts, scenes, beats, etc.

Summary: This is probably one of the most detailed and comprehensive books on storytelling, period.

Table of Contents:

PART 1: THE WRITER AND THE ART OF STORY
Introduction 3
1: The Story Problem 11

PART 2: THE ELEMENTS OF STORY
2: The Structure Spectrum 31
3. Structure and Setting 67
4. Structure and Genre 79
5. Structure and Character 100
6. Structure and Meaning 110

PART 3: THE PRINCIPLES OF STORY DESIGN
7: The Substance of Story 135
8: The Inciting Incident 181
9: Act Design 208
10: Scene Design 233
11: Scene Analysis 252
12: Composition 288
13: Crisis, Climax, Resolution 303

PART 4: THE WRITER AT WORK
14: The Principle of Antagonism 317
15: Exposition 334
16: Problems and Solutions 346
17: Character 374
18: The Text 388
19: A Writer’s Method 410

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