The power of the premise in a story can often be overlooked, but it’s a crucial part of any narrative. A premise is the central idea or argument of a story, and it’s the foundation for all the action and drama that will follow.
It is used to answer the questions of why the story is being told, what the characters are trying to achieve, and what the reader should take away from the story. The premise informs every line and every action.
Lajos Egri, author of the book The Art of Dramatic Writing, believes that a strong premise is essential to a story’s success. He states that the premise should be “a clearly stated truth, a universal truth, and a conflict between two opposing forces.” A premise, in Egri’s formation, is a statement of belief about what will result from a particular universal value placed into conflict.
Where a logline expresses the plot of a story, a premise focuses on the ethereal. The structure of a premise should include the theme of the story centered around a main conflict and the outcome of the conflict. Specifically, the premise, according to Egri, consists of three parts:
- The dominant trait of the Hero: Absolute power
- The conflict: corrupts
- The ending: absolutely
So, what does that look like? Here are a few examples from Egri:
- "Great love defies even death" --Romeo & Juliet
- "Ruthless ambition leads to its own destruction" --Macbeth
- "Jealousy destroys itself & the object of its love" --Othello
- "Blind trust leads to destruction" --King Lear
A well-crafted premise can be the foundation for a captivating story. Yet, there is still no play/drama until the author takes sides and infuses the premise with their conviction. Egri states:
"Only when he champions one side of the issue does the premise spring to life. Does egotism lead to loss of friends? Which side will you take? We, the readers or spectators of your play, do not necessarily agree with your conviction. Through your play you must therefore prove to us the validity of your contention."
The Art of Dramatic Writing
Pick a side! Get clear and own your belief. The goal is not to be right. The goal is to have a clear perspective that opens the story for audience engagement with your premise.
Robert McKee took this idea of a premise a little further in his book, Story. McKee defined the premise, or Controlling Idea, as a statement expressed in a single sentence that describes how and why life undergoes a change in value (from negative to positive or vice versa). The controlling idea = value + cause.
So essentially, McKeen is taking the value statement of Egri's premise and tacking on the reason why it is so. For example, with King Lear, we could take the premise of "Blind trust leads to destruction" and add the cause, "when you are blinded by flattery." We now
The argument becomes more specific and calls on the writer to get really clear on their point of view. This is the place for you to double down on your unique point-of-view! The goal is not to prove you are right, but rather engage the audience with your perspective.
What are some of your favorite premises to explore in your writing?