How to beat Writer’s Block? The 8 types of Adventure

You have created 3-6 Characters.

You have created 3-4 Settings.

How do put them together to create Stories?

Here’s How.

The Easy way to write a Story.

Pick 1 of the following Story types
Choose a Setting
Define the Objective
Define a Main Issue
Define an Opponent
Choose a method of Resolution
Choose which Character is most qualified to resolve the Issue
Identify a 2ndary Issues
Give a Role to every Character in the resolution of these
Define an Outcome for each issue

The 8 Type of Stories – Table

Story	Goal	Location	Characters	Stakes	Issue	Resolution	Outcome
Discovery	Find a Location or an Item
Opposition	Impeach someone to reach a certain outcome
Collection	Retrieve a certain/fixed amount of Objects
Delivery/Escort	Help a certain Person or Object to reach a Destination
Negotiation	Guide someone towards a certain outcome
Investigation	Find Information in order to solve an Issue
Rescue	Deliver someone from a Dangerous Situation
Escape	Extract someone from a Hostile Location

The 8 types of Stories – Goals & Development

Thwart/Oppose

Impeach someone to reach a certain outcome

Stakes
What/Who is Threatened?
Why is it Threatened?
How can it be saved?
What can be done to protect it?
Can it be only done through the Use of Force?

Issue
Who’s the Opponent?
What’s her Goal?
Why does she Threaten us?
Why should we stop her?
How urgent is it?
Why should we Impeach her to reach her Goal?

Resolution
How do we Impeach her to reach her Goal?
By Force?
By Wit or Surprise?
How do we prevent attempt of Retaliation?
Should we finish her?
Should we let her live?
Which Means should be used?
Which Weapons should be used?
Which Tactics should be used?

Outcome
Did we reach our Goal?
Is it a Victory?
How did we ensure our Survival?
What was Lost?
Who is dead?
Which Relationships were at Stake?
How did the Relationships Evolved?

Discover

Find a Location or an Item

Stakes
What is there to Discover?
Why should we be interested by it?
What’s peculiar about this Setting?
What’s peculiar about this Item?

Issue
What prevents us to Access this Location?
What prevents us to Access this Item?
Why can’t we find our way to this Item?
Which other issues are there?

Resolution
What is supposed to be Found?
How do we find it?
How do we make sure is it the thing we were looking for?
How has been Found?
Should we keep it?
Can we keep it?
Should we Release it?

Outcome
Did we acquire a New Item?
Did we discover a New Location?
Did we discover a New Method?
Did we create a New Relationships?

Deliver/Escort

Help a certain Person or Object to reach a Destination

Stakes
What are we delivering?
How is it transported?
In which kind of box
What’s the Nature of the box?
Why is it precious?
To whom?
Who is the Sponsor?
Why does she need this Item?
Why does she need this Person?

Issue
Who would benefit from this Item’s destruction?
Who would benefit from this Item?
Who is susceptible to steal it?
Who would benefit from this Person’s death?
Who would benefit from this Person?
Do we have to Guide someone?
To a known location?
To an unknown location?
How will this person survive?

Resolution
What’s the optimal Road to take?
What’s the fastest Road to take?
What’s the safest Road to take?
Which Security do we dispose of?
Can Extra Escort be provided by the Sponsor?
Will additional difficulties appear on the Road?
Which kind?

Outcome
Did the Item reach its destination?
Was it damaged during the transportation?
Did the Person reach its destination?
Was the destination reach in time?

Collect

Retrieve a certain/fixed amount of Objects

Stakes
What are the Items to Collect?
Who wishes to Collect them?
Who else wishes to Collect them?
Why?
How do they oppose each other?

Issue
Who will hinder us?
Where are the Objects located?
Are they Hidden?
Are they Protected?
Who protects them?
Should we get rid of their Protectors?

Resolution
How do we Retrieve the Items?
Are there Lost?
Who lost them?
Are there Hidden?
Who hid them?
How do we reach the Room where the Items are stored?
How can we get rid of their Keepers?
What does the Sponsor know about the Objects?
What will she tell us?
What will she hide us?
Which Preliminary information can be provided?
Do they indicate us the Object’s location?
Were they provided by the Sponsor?
Were they provided by a 3rd party?
What’s the interest of this 3rd party into the Collect?

Outcome
Have the Objects been brought back?
Have they been stored?
Are they still usable?
Is it necessary?
What has been Destroyed in order to Collect them?
What will be the repercussions of this Destruction?

Negotiate

Guide someone towards a certain outcome

Stakes
What’s at Stake?
Who is interested by it?
Why?
How can this person obtain it?
Should she obtain it?

Issue
What do I know?
What does the other Person know?
Do we agree on the essential definitions?
Who are the other parties to this negotiation?
What’s the prior relationships between these parties?

Resolution
How do we develop Empathy?
Around what is this empathy developed?
How will it help us?
What’s the best way to end this Negotiation?
What’s the best way to end this Negotiation according to the other parties?
What are the other ways?
How do we reach this outcome?
Is it necessary to acquire new Intelligence?
Which kind?
Who can purvey it?
How can we identify the other parties Interests?
Do they speak about it?
Do they orient the Conversation towards it?
Should we change of Setting?
Is it possible?
Why is it necessary?
How can it help us?

Outcome
Was a Solution reached?
Are the Parties Satisfied?
Did they answer out of Free Will?
Were they forced?
Did they feel obliged to do so?
Was the outcome consensual?

Investigate

Find Information in order to solve an Issue

Stakes
What are the Dangers emanating from the Situation?
Are we Looking for safety?
Should we?
How can we Protect the potential victims?
How do we Capture the perpetrator?

Issue
What’s the Crisis nature?
Is it a Crime?
- Was it a Theft?
- Was it a Murder?
- Was it a Rape?
Is it an Accident?
What are the Repercussions?
Is it Voluntary?
Did it hinder someone?
Who was hindered?
How?

Resolution
Where are we?
Can we escape if necessary?
Is the Police present?
Can we reach them?
Will they assist us?
Which Clues do we need?
Which Clues do we find?
Which Mistakes were made by the Perpetrators?
- It’s the most important Question
Which clues allow us to solve the Crisis?
Are there any Discriminators?
Any items allowing us to identify the Perpetrator?
Which Testimonies do we need?
Which Clues do we get?
Where is the Interrogation conducted?
Who is interrogated?
Do some of them have Criminal Records?
Who had a motive?

Outcome
Did we find the Perpetrator?
Did we arrest the Perpetrator?
Did we prevent her to act?
Was the true Perpetrator found?
Did we protect the Victim?

For a more in-depth article on Investigation.

Rescue

Deliver someone from a Dangerous Situation

Stakes
Who has been Captured?
Why should she be Saved?
Why is she in this situation?
Who sponsored you to rescue the Victim?
What is her relationship to the Victim?

Issue
Who Captured her?
What’s this person’s Goal?
Why did she captured the Victim?
Should she be arrested?
Should she be killed?
Where is the Victim kept?
How is she kept?
Should you get rid of the keepers?

Resolution
Why can’t you go through a Peaceful method of resolution?
What did the Captor do to the Victim?
How do we Access the Keep?
How do we Find the Victim?
How do we Access the Room/Cell?
Are there Traps?
Are there Defences we didn’t know of?
Are there Creatures?
Are they human-like?
How many Access routes do we have?
How is the Victim maintained captive?
How do we Protect the Victim?
How do we Escort the Victim?

Outcome
Is the Captive freed?
In which state is she?
Has she been harmed?
How much?
Is she healable?
Where is the Sponsor waiting?
Why is she waiting there?
Why didn’t she accompany you?

Escape

Extract someone from a Hostile Location

Stakes
How can you Escape?
How do you Find the Exit?
What’s the shortest path to the Exit?
How do you remain Undetected?
How do you Stay Alive?

Issue
How is the Surveillance process?
What are the Surveillance Maneuvers?
Which Rooms are the most Controlled?
What’s the Technology used?
What do you know about the Maintenance system?
Where is the Surveillance room?
Who can Access it?
Why does this Personnel has an access to it?

Resolution
What’s the Guards’ Schedule?
What’s the Enforced schedule?
Do they have Personal Routines?
How do you ensure your Escape?
Do you escape In front of guards?
Do you wear a Disguise?
How does it look like?
Will you take a Hostage?
Who’s the hostage?
Will you provoke a Riot?
Which Road do you take?
Will you go through the Maintenance system?
Will you go through the Sewers?
What’s inside?
Which transportation mean will you use?

Outcome
Did you escape?
Who did you escape with?
Did you Collaborate with the guards?
How did your relationships evolve?