Illumination is not a goal. Is something we gotta open our hearts to.
Dear fellow writer,
You’ve likely heard the phrase: “Form follows structure; structure doesn’t follow form.”
At one point, I attempted to illustrate this concept with a drawing, but upon reflection, it didn't make much sense. It resembled something like this.
Still, the phrase stayed with me like a seed waiting to sprout. For years, nothing grew—just dry soil. But eventually, I started digging deeper, searching for the roots, and it finally clicked when I thought about it in Spanish.
Form = Formato. Structure = Estructura.
The structure is the framework, the skeleton holding everything together. For us as writers, structure is the blueprint of our work, whether it’s a blog post, a book, or a film. Take classical storytelling, for example: beginning, middle, and end. That’s a simple structure. Depending on your story’s needs, your structure can be more intricate.
Form, on the other hand, is what sits on top. It’s the world we create—the imagery and emotions we project. I first understood this during an animation course. My professor glanced at my running cycle, didn’t press play, and immediately said it was wrong. How? He explained: “In a running cycle, there’s always one foot in the air. Both feet shouldn’t touch the ground simultaneously.”
Writing works the same way. The more you read scripts or books, the more you notice patterns. Errors stand out, just like that incorrect running cycle. Sure, you can get creative—maybe adding an unusual word in a romance script—but why force it?
Now, let’s explore form more deeply. When I mention 'form,' I mean format. What’s your format? A 16:9 movie? A vertical reel? A TV episode? The format you choose influences your work story's tone, pace, and genre.
Back to animation, my professor often asked, “Why use construction lines if you don’t follow them?” The same principle applies to writing. Your outline, treatment, or synopsis serves as your structure. Ignoring it is like building a house without a blueprint.
When you’re most logical, you’ll first map out everything—your structure. Later, you can add form: the genre, tone, or emotional beats that bring your work to life. But remember, form follows structure; structure doesn’t follow form.
Linda Seger, in her book on screenwriting, describes treatment as an opportunity “to see if your story makes sense and has movement and direction.” So, if you find yourself rewriting endlessly, refer to your structure. Fixing errors there is much easier than starting over.
This phrase, “Form follows structure,” isn’t just a rule—it’s a guide. It’s about balance. So, plan your structure carefully next time you write. You will have to focus on form, format, genre, punch-up, etc. It will be easy now that you have kindly laid the structure for yourself.
Until next time my friend,