Dan Harmons Story Circle

Dan Harmon's story structure, often referred to as the "Story Circle" or "Story Embryo," is a simplified version of Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey. It's designed to be applicable to a wide range of stories, from feature-length films to individual episodes of TV shows. Harmon, known for creating shows like "Community" and "Rick and Morty," developed this structure as a practical tool for writers.

Here's a breakdown of Harmon's 8-step Story Circle:

1. You (A character is in a zone of comfort)
2. Need (But they want something)
3. Go (They enter an unfamiliar situation)
4. Search (Adapt to it)
5. Find (Find what they wanted)
6. Take (Pay its price)
7. Return (And go back to where they started)
8. Change (Now capable of change)

Key aspects of this structure:

1. Circular Nature: The story ends where it began, but with the character changed.
2. Top vs. Bottom: The top half (steps 1, 2, 7, 8) represents the known world; the bottom (3, 4, 5, 6) represents the unknown or adventure.
3. Left vs. Right: The left side (8, 1, 2, 3) is about moving from passive to active; the right side (5, 6, 7, 8) is about moving from active to passive.
4. Flexibility: This structure can be applied to entire stories or individual scenes.

To practice using Harmon's Story Circle:

1. Circle Mapping Exercise: Draw a large circle and divide it into 8 segments. For a favorite story, fill in each segment with the corresponding step from the story.
2. Episode Analysis: Watch an episode of "Rick and Morty" or "Community." Try to identify each of the 8 steps in the episode's plot.
3. Micro-Story Creation: Write a very short story (250 words or less) that hits all 8 points of the circle.
4. Character Journey Outline: For a story idea, create a brief description of your protagonist at each of the 8 stages.
5. Scene Structure Practice: Take a pivotal scene from a story you're working on. Try to structure just that scene using the 8 steps of the Story Circle.
6. Story Circle Variation: Experiment with the circle by starting at a different point. How does this change your story?
7. Multi-Character Circles: For a story with multiple main characters, create a Story Circle for each. See how they intersect and diverge.

Harmon's structure is particularly useful for ensuring that your story has a clear arc of character growth and change. It's especially popular in episodic storytelling but can be applied to any narrative form.

Would you like to try one of these exercises or explore how this structure compares to others we've discussed?