How the hero begins, changes, and grows
throughout a story ─ that’s the spine, the thing
writers and audiences track to make sure they are witness to a
well-structured tale. The five questions to ask to straighten any
spine are: Who’s the hero? What’s the problem? How does
the story begin and end? What are the tangible and spiritual goals?
What is the story “about,” what is its theme? Answer
these and win.