Part 2 — The Story Double Helix
Every great story is built from two strands twisting together.
One strand is visible.
One strand is invisible.
Most writing courses only teach the visible strand.
That’s why so many stories work… but don’t linger.
The Story Double Helix explains how plot and character evolve together.
The Two Strands
🔹 The Outer Story
What we can see:
Actions
Obstacles
Events
Consequences
This is the plot.
🔸 The Inner Story
What we feel:
Beliefs
Fears
Desires
Identity
This is the character’s transformation.
A strong story doesn’t choose one.
It twists them together so each step forward externally forces change internally.
One Engine, Two Strands
Both strands move through the same Core Story Engine:
The Spark
Rising Pressure
The Commitment
The Dilemma
The Release
The Aftermath
At every stage, you must ask two questions:
What is happening?
What is changing?
If one strand stops moving, the story loses power.