Re: the notion that there are 7...

 Posted on 1/20/1996 by STRACZYNSKI [Joe] to GENIE


Re: the notion that there are 7 basic stories...this isthe sort of
thing academics come up with because they feel this compulsive need to
categorize creativity and break it down into digestible pieces. It is, of
course, sheerest nonsense, and the usual descriptions they try to apply (man
vs. man, man vs. environment, man vs. god, man vs. self) are so broad as to be
essentially meaningless. There ARE no set numbers of stories or story types.
Stories, at their best, are based around characters, and what that specific
character wants, how far he is prepared to go to get it, and how far someone
else will go to stop him. Thus, there as many types of stories as there are
types of people...endless and varied.

There's a post-script to the Moby Dick story...subsequent to the events
described, I send the suit in question a copy of Moby Dick...in comic book
form (Classics Illustrated). Something he could handle.

To those who inquired, other TZ episodes I wrote: THE WALL, DREAM ME A
LIFE, ACTS OF TERROR, THE MIND OF SIMON FOSTER, THE CALL, SPECIAL SERVICE,
RENDEZVOUS IN A DARK PLACE, and co-written...THE CURIOUS CASE OF EDGAR
WITHERSPOON (w/Barkin), THE TRANCE (w/Stuart) and OUR SELENA IS DYING, story
by Serling, script by jms.

jms