The ‘W’ Beat Sheets

One of the structural models I use in ‘Write What You Don’t Know’ is called the ‘W’. It is linked to other models called the ‘V’ and the ‘Wardrobe’ (I know, what can I tell you?) Here are the basic beats at two levels of complexity, the half angle and sixteen beat versions. Feel free to copy / paste as you like for your projects:

THE ‘W’ IN HALF ANGLES

FIRST DOWN ANGLE – RECOGNITION

A. Primary exposition.

B. From rejection to acceptance.

FIRST UP ANGLE – AVOIDANCE

C. Doing just fine on my own.

D. Pushed to your (opening) limits.

MIDPOINT – JUMP!

SECOND DOWN ANGLE – COMMITMENT

E. From leap to crisis.

F. Through crisis to revelation.

SECOND UP ANGLE – RESOLUTION

G. The plan and the pushback.

H. The resolution and its meaning.

THE ‘W’ IN SIXTEEN BEATS

FIRST DOWN ANGLE – RECOGNITION

A. Primary exposition.

1. “…in a world where ‘ooh look, stuff.’”

2. “If only…”

B. From rejection to acceptance.

3. “Shan’t.”

4. “Oh, all right then.”

Did you spank your hero/ine today?

FIRST UP ANGLE – AVOIDANCE

C. Doing just fine on my own.

5. “You may not realize this yet, but…”

6. “What, me broken?”

D. Pushed to your (opening) limits.

7. “Meh, this is harder than I thought.”

8. “Leap? But it’s dark?”

Did you spank your hero/ine today?

MIDPOINT – JUMP!

SECOND DOWN ANGLE – COMMITMENT

E. From leap to crisis.

9. “Bigger kids came.”

10. “Er… little help?”

F. Through crisis to revelation.

11. “It sucks to be me.”

12. “Oh, riiight…”

Did you spank your hero/ine today?

SECOND UP ANGLE – RESOLUTION

G. The plan and the pushback.

13. “I have a cunning plan.”

14. “Bandits, three o’clock high.”

H. The resolution and its meaning.

15. “Eat judge boot, creep.”

16. “Oh brave new world…”

Did you spank your hero/ine today?