sanderson-story-architecture

name	sanderson-story-architecture
description	Use when the problem is structure, sequence design, act jobs, escalation, reversals, try-fail cycles, or nested arcs at scene/chapter/act/book/series scale. Based on Brandon Sanderson's 2025 story structure lecture.

Sanderson Story Architecture

Use this skill when a story needs shape, pressure, and ordered movement.

Source Protocol

• Read references/source-notes.md first.
• Pair with $sanderson-promise-progress-payoff when the user needs both structural shape and reader-bargain analysis.

Operating Loop

1. Define the scale: scene, chapter, sequence, act, book, or series.
2. Name the job of each major unit.
3. Track desire, obstacle, choice, and consequence.
4. Build or repair try-fail cycles.
5. Add reversals or reveals only when enough context exists to make them meaningful.
6. Verify that every major unit changes the story state.

Contract

Scope:
Current shape:
Missing function:
Desired section jobs:
Escalation path:
Reversal or reveal points:
Nested arcs involved:
Recommended structure:

Structural Jobs

• establish desire
• complicate desire
• force commitment
• reveal cost
• reframe the situation
• narrow options
• deliver consequence

Rules

• Do not add lore to fix structure.
• Do not add twists where setup is the real problem.
• Use structure as support, not a formula prison.
• If a section does not change the story state, it probably needs compression or redesign.