The most compelling stories move us emotionally. Up and down, between hope and fear, in ways we don t always expect but that you can harness as a writer, editor, and critic. This book shows you how to track, map, and understand the rhythm of a story. Whether you re writing or rewriting, editing a manuscript or dismantling your favorite television episode,Beating the Storyhelps you understand how stories get hammered into shape.

Beating the Storycombines Laws insightful and articulate analysis of story beats with all-new transition beats and icons to do for fiction and screenplays what hisHamlet s Hit Pointsdid for narrative games.