Many people don't like structure. They find it limiting, they feel trapped or worse, formulaic. I've always found structure to be like a recipe - you follow the guidelines but you're still free to improvise. At the end of the day, you're baking your own cake, so to Hell with the consequences!
I believe that constraints are necessary for creative minds to focus. The very nature of creativity is to always strive to expand. In order to complete a novel, a screenplay, a symphony or a painting, constraints will keep the work grounded and accessible to an audience. This is the most important part of the creative process, in my opinion. If you create something that no-one understands, then no-one can appreciate it. You might as well have created in a vacuum. The self satisfaction of creating something will remain intact, of course, but I believe there is more to it than that.
Particularly for the written word, structure has time and again produced masterpieces while only in rare instances has complete freedom and anarchy given birth to anything resembling glorious achievement. Think of the rule of stenza and rhyme in poetry, of the rigid act structure of Shakespearian theater, or of the commercially imposed yet highly successful TV half hour format for series. Constraints borne of structure will lend strength to your work. It's an inevitable consequence, and I believe it should be embraced.
I consistently map out my stories along the classic three-act structure. I even make sure that my turning points are spaced out according to screenplay rules, every tenth of the story. It helps me organise my thoughts. It lets me check for rhythm issues, character arcs, balance in pace and many more important factors. It's a lifeline, not a crutch.
Structure also helps you overcome writers block, since you have consistently present goals to write towards. What's on my plate today? Oh yes, that's right, I have to take my main character from the story mid-point to the great failure moment of the story, all within five chapters. Piece of cake, let's fire up the keys.
Does it make me a better writer? Most definitely, and it also lets me improve my crafting skills since I spend less time writing and more time planning. This affords me more time to try out ideas without wasting valuable writing time. It means that when I do put words to the page, they are backed by thorough research and careful story planning. You learn a lot faster whether your plot works when you edit a story plan rather than a full manuscript. That way, when you do sit down to write, it's for the good stuff. The honey. The gold.
I respect writers and artists who refuse structure and firmly state they don't want to compromise their art. However, I believe that the art is more in the result than the process, since the audience only sees the result. This is why I research, plan and only start writing when I know every angle, every line of dialogue and every plot point. Then writing becomes the reward.
The author should always know where he or she is going. The reader is the one discovering the plot at every turn of the page. The reader trusts you to entertain, to explain and to challenge her. As the author, I am the one with the keys to the kingdom.
I have the map, and I'll take you on the ride. Join me?
