Cracking the Story Code™ – presented by Cassie Selleck 

Cassie Dandridge Selleck, author of an Amazon bestseller The Pecan Man, will present a program for writers on the basics of the Story Code™. Please join us on Sunday, September 10, 2023, at 2:30 pm at the Milhopper Branch of the Alachua County Public Library.

How do you predict the success of a novel or play? Is it even possible? What makes a good story?

If you’ve been writing for a while, you’ve undoubtedly learned how plot drives a story. And, yes, plot is important. However, according to researcher Katherine J. Farmer, the most accurate way to predict the appeal of a story to a national audience lies in the role functions of the characters.

The Story Code™ is a system of narrative analysis discovered, developed, and substantiated by Farmer through extensive research. While a deep analysis of a particular work is complex, the basics of the system are relatively simple and incredibly helpful to writers.

Unlike the classic plot mountain and other structure-based writing methods, the Story Code™ does not focus on plot, event structures, or archetypal patterns like the hero’s journey. Instead, this system’s character-centered lens reveals structures that focus on relationships and their conflicting power dynamics. A key finding in Farmer’s research is that story is all about power. Things to consider include:

– Who has the power in the story and who wants it?

– What are characters willing to do to get or keep power?

– How does power shift over the course of the story?

– How does the power balance change at the end of the story?

The Story Code™ shows you how to track the power and harness it for the good of your story.

In addition to character functions, Selleck will discuss the importance of identifiable themes within each story. Farmer’s research found that when the theme was not clear or not easy to state, the work received low ratings in appeal and quality. Writers often debate the importance or relevance of theme, but the findings affirm its central nature.

Selleck will talk about the impact of the audience’s emotional response to the end of the story.

She will also discuss how the kind of hero who emerges will determine the story’s genre. Each genre of story comes with a pattern. Understanding these patterns helps writers decide what kinds of stories they want to create, and it can provide a roadmap on how to get there.

In addition to The Pecan Man, Selleck has written three other novels of character-driven Southern Fiction. She holds a BFA in Creative Writing from Goddard College and a Master of Arts in Communication and Storytelling from East Tennessee State University. She currently teaches Public Speaking at the University of South Carolina but still makes her home on the Suwannee River in Mayo, Florida.