This is going to be one part writing advice, one part literary theory, and several parts fan fiction to show how it all works.

Back in 2011, I had been thinking a lot about what goes into crafting a good story.  Particularly, I had been struck by how awful the 1978 film adaptation of Chandler‘s The Big Sleep was, despite keeping the original plot structure, and how good the 1946 film was despite draining much of the force of the book’s plot with a Hollywoodized climax.  The Bogart version succeeded, I suspect, partly due to better casting and more faithful adherence to the original witty dialogue.

Also, while reading Bukowski‘s Pulp, I realized the power of wit in driving a story even when structure is weak or absent. Then, the worst of the Pirates of the Caribbean films (so far) was released on DVD.  Lots to think about, and it led to the realization that there are essentially four dimensions of story-telling.

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