GEN RES
O f t en t i m es, th e gam e y ou 'r e p l ay i n g w i l l
d i ct at e t h e gen r e f or y ou , bu t i t i s y ou r
r esp on si bi l i ty to u n d er st an d an d be f am i l i ar
w i t h t h e gen r e. W h at d oes i t r equ i r e of y ou ,
t h e w r i t er ? T h i s i s v i t al t o cr eat i n g an
i m p act f u l stor y.
Req u i r ed Scen es
D i f f er en t gen r es h ave d i f f er en ce t y p es of
scen es t h at m u st be i n cl u d ed i n or d er f or t h e
stor y t o f eel w h ol e. I t seem s at od d s w i t h t h e
cr eat i ve p r ocess to r equ i r e scen es, bu t , w h en
absen t , t h e au d i en ce sen ses som et h i n g i s
w r on g w i t h th e stor y, even i f t h ey can 't qu i t e
ar ti cu l at e w h y. T h er e ar e f ar t oo m an y
r equ i r ed scen es to l i st h er e, bu t w e'l l r u n
t h r ou gh a f ew ex am p l es bel ow.
T h e ch al l en ge f or y ou , as a w r i t er , i s t o f i n d a
w ay t o cr af t th ese scen es w i t h ou t t h em f eel i n g
cl i ch e. Rem em ber th e ch est - bu r st er scen e
f r om A l i en ? T h at's th e 'd i scover y of t h e f i r st
v i ct i m ' scen e r equ i r ed by t h e h or r or gen r e,
d on e i n a n ew an d u n ex p ect ed w ay.
Ex am p l es
I n a h or r or stor y, th e an t agon i st m u st h ave a
'f al se d ef eat ' af ter w h i ch t h ey at tack on e l ast
t i m e bef or e bei n g tr u ly d ef eated .
I n a r om an ce stor y, th e l over s m u st br eak u p at
t h e en d of th e secon d act , bef or e r econ ci l i n g
or f ai l i n g to d o so at th e cl i m ax .
T his scene is built into AdventureByM ail's
T he Wanderers.
Sever al gen r es i n cl u d e t h e 'r ejecti on of t h e
cal l ', i n w h i ch th e p r otagon i st i n i t i al ly r eject s
t h e cal l t o ad ven tu r e/ I n ci ti n g I n ci d en t. T h ey
op t f or a l i f e of com f or t , bef or e an even t f or ces
t h em t o joi n th e stor y, l i ke L u ke Sk y w al ker
bef or e t h e d eath of h i s au n t an d u n cl e.
T his scene is built into AdventureByM ail's
T he Resistance of New H olloway.
St ar t w r i t i n g y o u r st o r y t o d ay at
ad v en t u r eby m ai l .i t ch .i o
W H Y A L L T H E RU L ES?
Stor y tel l i n g r equ i r es th ese r u l es becau se y ou
ar e a w r i ti n g f or an au d i en ce th at i s l i ter ate i n
stor y f or m , w h eth er th ey k n ow i t or n ot. Ever y
stor y y ou w r i te w i l l ei th er m eet, f ai l , or su bver t
th e ex p ectati on s y ou r au d i en ce sh ow s u p w i th ,
gai n ed f r om a l i f eti m e of r ead i n g an d
w atch i n g stor i es. W i th ou t u n d er stan d i n g th e
ar ch i tectu r e of th ese ex p ectati on s, y ou w i l l
f i n d y ou r sel f u n abl e to w r i te a stor y th at tr u ly
r eson ates.
Ru l es W er e M ad e T o B e B r o k en W r it i ng For
T h e r u l es l ai d ou t h er e ar e n ot set i t ston e.
T h ey can be ben t, su bver ted , an d total ly
br oken , bu t to d o so w i th ou t an u n d er stan d i n g
Sol o Jour nal i ng
of w h y th ey ex i st i n th e f i r st p l ace w i l l l ead to
an i n coh er en t an d of f - bal an ce stor y & Epi st ol ar y
GET T I N G U N ST U C K RPG s
D on 't be too qu i ck to aban d on a p r om p t i f i t
d oesn 't i m m ed i ately i n sp i r e y ou . L et i t si n k i n .
A STORY GUIDE
W al k aw ay f r om y ou r d esk an d m u l l i t over
w h i l e y ou m ake d i n n er or go f or a w al k . T h e BY DANIEL TOZIER
p r om p ts th at ch al l en ge y ou th e m ost u su al ly
y i el d th e m ost i n ter esti n g r esu l ts.
L et th e p r om p t i n sp i r e th r ee to f ou r p oten ti al
scen ar i os, d i f f er en t p ath s y ou r stor y cou l d
take, an d ch oose th e m ost i n ter esti n g on e.
Som eti m es th e f i r st i d ea i s th e best on e, bu t T H I S I S A Q U I CK GU I D E t o h el p y ou m ake t h e
m or e of ten th an n ot i t'l l be a bi t bor i n g an d m ost of y ou r t i m e w i t h sol o jou r n al i n g &
p r ed i ctabl e. ep i st ol ar y RPGs, i n cl u d i n g t h ose f r om
Ad ven tu r eBy M ai l . T h ese ar en 't i n t en d ed t o be
Con si d er w h o y ou r p r otagon i st i s. H ow w ou l d h ar d an d f ast r u l es, bu t si m p ly t o gi ve y ou t h e
th ei r back gr ou n d , th ei r str en gth s, an d th ei r t ool s an d t ech n i qu es st or y t el l er s of ever y l evel
w eak n esses com e i n to p l ay ? Recal l y ou r p ast u t i l i ze t o cr eat e an d p op u l at e t h ei r w or l d s. T h ey
en tr i es- - th e p eop l e y ou 've m et, th e p l aces ar e al so som ew h at si m p l i f i ed t o bet ter ap p ly t o
y ou 've been , acti on s y ou 've taken , an d an y
st or y - d r i ven RPGs. O n ce y ou h ave a h an d l e on
r esou r ces y ou 've col l ected .
t h ese sy st em s, y ou can bet ter u n d er st an d h ow t o
u se t h em an d w h en t o br eak t h em
M O RE A B O U T A D V EN T U REBYM A I L
Ever y gam e by Ad ven tu r eBy M ai l i s d esi gn ed Rem em ber : A s h u m an s, w e ar e n at u r al st or y
ar ou n d th e stor y - tel l i n g p r i n ci p l es cover ed i n t el l er s. Bef or e w e bu i l t h ou ses an d h ar vest ed
th i s gu i d e. T h ey gi ve y ou th e f r eed om to tel l gr ai n , w e w er e t el l i n g stor i es. I t 's i n ou r bon es.
th e stor y y ou w an t to tel l , w h i l e of f er i n g a I t 's i n y ou r bon es.
f r am ew or k th at en su r es y ou r f i n i sh ed stor y i s
com p l ete, i m p actf u l , an d str u ctu r al ly sou n d .
C REAT I N G YO U R PRO T A GO N I ST
En gagi n g p r otagon i sts ar e m ad e u p of f ou r
el em en t s: D esi r e, N eed , Scar , an d O bstacl e. L et 's
br eak each of th ese d ow n .
D esi r e: T h e p h y si cal , ex ter n al m an i f est at i on of
y ou r p r ot agon i st 's goal . I t i s t h e ex p l i ci t ly st at ed
't h i n g' y ou r ch ar acter i s t r y i n g t o att ai n . T h i s
can be d ef eat i n g th e d em on k i n g, t h ei r f at h er 's
accep t an ce, or f i n d i n g th e l egen d ar y t r easu r e.
N eed : T h i s r ep r esen t s t h e p r ot agon i st's i n n er
str u ggl e. I t i s i n ter n al an d n ot obv i ou s t o t h e
r est of t h ei r w or l d , n or t o t h e p r ot agon i st at t h e
on set of t h ei r jou r n ey. T h ey absol u tely h ave t o
r esolve t h ei r N eed bef or e t h ey h ave an y ch an ce
of at t ai n i n g th ei r D esi r e. A l t h ou gh p l en ty of
stor i es en d w i th th e ch ar act er gett i n g w h at t h ey
N eed , w h i l e l oosi n g w h at t h ey D esi r e. Con si d er
a st or y abou t a sp or t s team i n w h i ch t h e t eam
l ear n s t o p l ay as a team (t h e N eed ), bu t st i l l l oses
t h e ch am p i on sh i p (t h e D esi r e).
Scar : I t i s th e p r otagon i st 's Scar t h at st an d s i n
th e w ay of th em r esolv i n g t h ei r N eed (an d by
ex ten si on , th ei r D esi r e). T h e Scar i s t h e f al se
bel i ef t h e p r otagon i st h ol d s abou t t h em selves or
th ei r abi l i ti es an d gr ow s f r om a p r ev i ou s
ex p er i en ce th at th ey can n ot f or gi ve
th em selves f or . I t's a cop w h o f ai l ed t o save h i s
p r ev i ou s p ar t n er an d n ow bel i eves h e w i l l
alw ay s l et d ow n th ose ar ou n d h i m . O r an
ad ven tu r er w h o w as r eject ed by h i s f am i ly an d
n ow bel i eves h e can n o l on ger t r u st t h ose w h o
cl ai m t o l ove h i m .
Rising D ark by AdventureByM ail has a Scar
mechanic built directly in.
O b st acl e: T h i s i s w h at st an d s i n t h e w ay of y ou r
p r otagon i st r esolv i n g th ei r N eed / D esi r e. I t i s t h e
v i l l ai n of y ou r stor y, th ou gh i t d oesn 't n eed t o
be a p er son / cr eatu r e. I t cou l d be, f or ex am p l e, a
d ead ly at m osp h er e on a f or ei gn p l an et.
W h at ever i t i s, th e O bst acl e ex p oses t h ei r N eed
as w el l as th e w eak n esses cau sed by t h ei r Scar . I t
f or ces t h e p r otagon i st t o con f r on t an d
over com e th ese el em en t s. N ot on ly t h at, i t i s t h e
O N LY t h i n g th at can f or ce t h em t o
con f r on t / over com e. I n t h i s w ay, t h e O bstacl e
n eed s t o be p er f ectly tai l or ed t o u n d er m i n e t h e
str en gt h s y ou r p r otagon i st i s com f or tably
r ely i n g on w h en th ey sh ou l d be con f r on t i n g
t h ei r i n n er w eak n esses/ Scar .
PRO M PT S
W h y d o w e u se p r om p ts? Pr om p ts h el p to
el i m i n ate th e d eci si on p ar aly si s f am i l i ar to al l
w r i ter s w h o h ave star ed at a bl an k p age. By
r estr i cti n g ou r op ti on s, even a l i ttl e bi t, w e
su d d en ly f i n d ou r selves abl e to f ocu s, cr eate
f r eely, an d m ove th e stor y f or w ar d . T h i s i s
cal l ed Cr eati ve L i m i tati on an d i t i s th e
beau ti f u l en gi n e of jou r n al i n g/ ep i stol ar y
gam es.
I t's a good i d ea to bu i l d a scen e ar ou n d each
p r om p t. Bu t to u se p r om p ts to th ei r f u l l
p oten ti al , y ou m u st f i r st u n d er stan d th e
bu i l d i n g bl ock s of a scen e.
SC EN ES
I n or d er to be su ccessf u l , scen es m u st tu r n on
on e of tw o even ts:
A ct i o n :
You r p r otagon i st m akes an d acts on a d eci si on
f or ced by som eth i n g th ey en cou n ter . T h e m or e
p r essu r e th e en cou n ter f or ces u p on y ou r
ch ar acter , th e better . D eci si on s m ad e u n d er
p r essu r e r eveal th e d eep est tr u th s abou t y ou r
p r otagon i st.
Rev el at i o n :
N ew i n f or m ati on i s r eveal ed to y ou r p r otagon i st
r el evan t to th ei r N eed / D esi r e/ Scar / O bstacl e.
T h i s i n f or m ati on sh ou l d cau se an i n ter n al sh i f t
i n th e w ay y ou r p r otagon i st v i ew s th e
p l ot/ w or l d ar ou n d th em .
I t's a good i d ea to m i x th ese tw o scen e ty p es as
m u ch as p ossi bl e. Too m u ch of on e ty p e i n a
r ow cr eates a m on oton ou s stor y th at i s ei th er
too ex p osi ti on h eav y or on e w i th too m u ch p l ot
(ch ar acter s goi n g f r om A to B to C) an d n ot
en ou gh 'stor y '. Revel ati on scen es ar e a good
op p or tu n i ty to l et y ou r stor y 'br eath e' an d gi ve
y ou r ch ar acter s a ch an ce to r ef l ect an d l ear n
af ter acti on - d r i ven scen es.
H O W T O B U I L D A SC EN E
A l l scen es ar e m ad e u p of f i ve el em en ts:
I n ci ti n g I n ci d en t, Pr ogr essi ve Com p l i cati on s,
Cr i si s, Cl i m ax , an d Resol u ti on . W e'l l br eak
d ow n each of th ese on th e n ex t p age.
I n ci t i n g I n ci d en t : T h e even t or r evel at i on t h at
k i ck s t h e scen e i n t o m ot i on , t h e m at ch t h at
l i gh t s t h e f u se. A p r ox i m i ty al ar m goi n g of f i n
t h e m i d d l e of t h e n i gh t , a sp ou se com i n g h om e
u n ex p ect ed ly, or t h e k i d n ap p i n g of y ou r f r i en d .
Pr o gr essi v e C o m p l i cat i o n s: T h ese ar e t h e
even t s t h at p op u p u n ex p ect ed ly f or y ou r
p r ot agon i st as t h ey at t em p t t o n av i gat e t h e
scen e. U su al ly y ou 'l l f i n d m u l ti p l es of t h ese i n
y ou r scen e, each on m or e u r gen t , d an ger ou s,
an d p r essu r e- i n d u ci n g t h en t h e l ast . En em y
r ei n f or cem en t s bei n g cal l ed i n a f i gh t, a sp ou se
d i scover s a cod ed m essage p l ay i n g on y ou r
r ad i o, or a gu n jam m i n g at t h e w r on g m om en t .
C r i si s: T h i s i s w h er e t h e Pr ogr essi ve
Com p l i cat i on s f or ce t h e p r ot agon i st t o m ake
t h e m ost d i f f i cu l t d eci si on of t h e scen e. I t t est s
t h ei r bel i ef s, l oy al t i es, or , m ost i m p or t an tly,
w h et h er or n ot t h ey 've over com e t h ei r Scar . I t
r eveal s som et h i n g v i t al abou t y ou r p r ot agon i st .
A gu n ai m ed at t h ei r com m an d i n g of f i cer , a
sp ou se accu si n g t h em of bei n g a sp y, or f i n d i n g
t h em selves at t h e ed ge of a cl i f f , su r r ou n d ed by
en em i es.
C l i m ax : T h e act i on i m m ed i at ely f ol l ow i n g t h e
Cr i si s an d t h e d i r ect ou t com e of t h ei r d eci si on .
T h ey ju m p i n f r on t of t h e bu l l et t o save t h ei r
f r i en d , t h ey ad m i t t h ey ar e a sp y an d t r y t o
con v i n ce t h ei r sp ou se t o joi n t h em , t h ey t ake a
l eap of f ai th an d ju m p of f t h e cl i f f i n t o t h e r i ver
bel ow.
Reso l u t i o n : H er e w e ex p l or e t h e con sequ en ces
of t h ei r Cr i si s/ Cl i m ax d eci si on . I t 's a good
op p or t u n i t y t o l et y ou r st or y br eat h a bi t an d
ex p l or e t h e i n n er w or l d of y ou r p r ot agon i st an d
t h e ch ar acter s i n t h ei r or bi t . T h e com m an d i n g
of f i cer d r ags t h em t o saf et y, t h e sp ou se
con f esses t h at t h ey t oo ar e a sp y, or t h e
p r ot agon i st f i n d s t h ei r f r i en d h as d r ow n ed i n
t h e r i ver 's r ap i d s.
T r y t o bu i l d on e scen e ar ou n d each p r om p t , bu t
bef or e d oi n g so, con si d er al l y ou r op t i on s. T h e
f i r st i n st i n ct i s of t en t o u se y ou r p r om p t as t h e
I n ci t i n g I n ci d en t . T h er e's n ot h i n g w r on g w i t h
t h i s, bu t f i r st ex p l or e u si n g t h e p r om p t t o
i n sp i r e on e of t h e ot h er f ou r el em en t s of t h e
scen e.