What is the Anatomy of a Great Story? | Marc Gutman (3 of 5)
Brand strategist Marc Gutman breaks down the anatomy of a great story, from the classic three-act structure to why your audience must be able to locate themselves within your narrative. Trained under legendary screenwriting coach Robert McKee, Marc reveals why something simply has to happen for a story to resonate.
Show Notes
In This Episode
Marc Gutman, Chief Strategist at Wild Story, draws on his Hollywood training and mentorship under screenwriting coach Robert McKee to break down what makes a great story. He explains the classic three-act structure — inciting incident, a flawed but likable hero, the distinction between wants and needs, and a climax — while acknowledging that storytelling on social media does not need to be that rigid. Marc's core takeaway: something has to happen, there must be conflict or change, and your audience must be able to locate themselves within the narrative.
Key Takeaways
- A great story follows a three-act structure with an inciting incident, rising action, and climax — a framework dating back to Aristotle
- Heroes do not need to be "good" — flawed, likable characters who struggle between what they want and what they need create compelling narratives
- The simplest test of a great story: something has to happen — without conflict, change, or payoff, it falls flat
- The more specific your details, the more universal the story becomes — when audiences can locate themselves in your narrative, you have created something powerful
About Marc Gutman
Marc Gutman is the Chief Strategist at Wild Story, a brand strategy and design studio near Boulder, Colorado, focused on arts and outdoor recreational clients. Trained in the movie business under screenwriting coach Robert McKee, Marc is on a mission to help the world one brand at a time.
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