>[!info] Michael Jamin is a screenwriter, and he takes a no BS, practical approach here. The goal here is to define story in a way that is instantly applicable in writing, and avoid all academic jargon and abstractions. Why do people watch/listen to stories? To see what happens next (It's not that deep). In other words, a good story has to make people want to know what happens next — more specifically, that is the role of the plot. A story (more specifically a plot) is defined as "a hero facing an obstacle trying to reach a goal." The bigger the obstacle, the more interesting the story. The better the goal, the more interesting the story. The story doesn't begin until the audience can identify the hero, the obstacle, and the goal (all three!). How long they stay invested in the payoff depends on the medium—you can take longer to build the story in film than on TV. The sooner you start the story, the better. *Reflections: A good story could sound like something as simple as "I (the hero) want to (the goal), but (obstacle)."* Underneath the plot (hero, obstacle, goal) is an emotional story or core, that is equally as important. For Rocky and Jake and the Beanstock, it is the story of a boy wanting to be a man. Almost, if not all, stories are like that. A story is made up of a plot, and the emotional story beneath it. Plot provides clarity that keeps the audience engaged and not confused, while the emotional story is what really hits hard, and that is what the story is really about.