Steal These 11 Writing Techniques from Stranger Things

Summary

In this video, the creator explores 11 writing techniques derived from the first season of *Stranger Things*, offering valuable insights for storytellers. Techniques include using 'red shirts' to raise the stakes, incorporating multiple antagonists to create tension, and revealing character abilities early to build curiosity. The script also emphasizes the importance of misdirection, showing the costs of superpowers, and creating contrasts between emotional tones. With examples from the show, the video delves into how elements like love triangles, themes, nostalgia, and careful plot convergence contribute to a compelling and emotionally engaging narrative. These strategies are essential for writers aiming to craft memorable stories.

Takeaways

• 😀 Use Red Shirts: Introduce minor characters to kill off early, establishing high stakes and making the audience worry for the main characters.
• 😀 Multiply Your Antagonists: Don't rely on just one antagonist; introduce multiple types, such as human and monster antagonists, to increase tension.
• 😀 Choose Curiosity Over Mystery: Reveal important elements, like a character's powers, early on to build curiosity and keep the audience invested in how they develop.
• 😀 Use Misdirection: Lead the audience to believe events will unfold a certain way, only to surprise them with a different outcome, enhancing suspense.
• 😀 Make Superpowers Have a Cost: Ensure that characters' powers come with consequences to avoid them feeling overpowered and to create tension.
• 😀 Create Contrast: Juxtapose contrasting elements, like innocence and horror, to heighten emotional impact and make key scenes more powerful.
• 😀 Offer Love Triangles: Use love triangles to generate anticipation and emotional investment, ensuring they feel like organic choices, not manipulative devices.
• 😀 Use a Theme: Integrate a strong theme (e.g., Dungeons & Dragons) into your story to enrich the world-building and provide additional layers of meaning.
• 😀 Be Nostalgic: Embrace and fully embody a time period, using cultural references and period-specific details to engage the audience and evoke nostalgia.
• 😀 Unify Diverging Plotlines: Develop multiple storylines that converge at crucial moments, leading to a satisfying culmination and resolution.
• 😀 Master Cliffhangers: Create cliffhangers that leave the audience excited for more, while ensuring major storylines are resolved to avoid frustration.

Q & A

What is the significance of using red shirts in storytelling, as mentioned in the video?

The concept of 'red shirts' refers to minor characters who are introduced only to be killed off early in the story. This technique raises the stakes and creates a sense of tension, showing that no character is safe and making the audience more invested in the main characters' survival.

How does Stranger Things use multiple antagonists, and what is the impact on the story?

Stranger Things features multiple antagonists, including the Demogorgon, Dr. Brenner, and even human sub-antagonists like the bullies. This variety enriches the conflict, offering both visceral fear (from monsters) and psychological tension (from human cruelty). It teaches writers to include multiple sources of opposition in their stories.

What is the difference between curiosity and mystery in storytelling, as explained in the video?

In Stranger Things, the character Eleven's powers are shown early on, sparking curiosity about how they will develop rather than keeping them a mystery. This approach encourages the audience to wonder how the powers will evolve rather than what the powers are.

What role does misdirection play in Stranger Things, and how can writers use it?

Misdirection in Stranger Things is used to create suspense and lead the audience to believe certain outcomes, only to reveal something unexpected. For example, the fake body of Will is discovered, convincing the audience he might be dead, but the truth comes out later. Writers can use misdirection to keep their readers or viewers guessing.

Why is it important to show that superpowers come with a cost, and how does Stranger Things use this technique?

In Stranger Things, Eleven's powers result in nosebleeds, showing that her abilities have physical consequences. This adds tension, as it makes the audience question whether she can use her powers to solve every problem. It also adds emotional depth to the character, emphasizing that power comes with sacrifices.

How does Stranger Things create contrast in its storytelling, and what is its effect?

Stranger Things uses sharp contrasts, like juxtaposing the innocent romance between Nancy and Steve with the horrific death of Barb. This contrast intensifies the emotional impact of both scenes. Writers can use this technique to highlight the emotional stakes of different plotlines, making them more memorable.

What makes love triangles an effective storytelling device, according to the video?

Love triangles create anticipation and emotional investment from the audience, as they want to know who the character will choose. In Stranger Things, Nancy's love triangle with Steve and Jonathan adds depth to her character arc, making her decisions more meaningful as she transitions between the two.

How does Stranger Things use nostalgia effectively, and what can writers learn from this?

Stranger Things taps into 1980s nostalgia, embracing the era's aesthetic, references to movies, and cultural fears like the Cold War. Writers can use nostalgia to create a rich, immersive world that resonates with audiences, drawing on familiar cultural touchstones while enhancing the story's emotional impact.

What is the significance of diverging plotlines in Stranger Things, and how are they eventually brought together?

Stranger Things features multiple diverging plotlines, with different characters working on solving the central mystery. These storylines eventually converge, allowing characters to pool their knowledge and advance toward a solution. Writers should carefully plan how and when these plotlines intersect for maximum dramatic effect.

How does Stranger Things handle cliffhangers, and what can writers learn from this approach?

Stranger Things ends its first season with a satisfying resolution to the main storylines, yet leaves a small cliffhanger with Will coughing up a strange creature. This technique leaves the audience wanting more without feeling cheated, showing that a well-executed cliffhanger can generate excitement without leaving viewers frustrated.