Using Your Story Map
Once you've completed your Story Shift Map, take a step back and look at the whole picture. What patterns do you
notice? What elements feel strong? What needs attention?
BREAKING STORY
In story development, "breaking story" means breaking down a narrative to its most essential elements and
components. Now it's time to break your creative story —strip away the complexity and see what's really at the
core of your narrative.
ESSENTIAL STORY ELEMENTS TO IDENTIFY:
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What's the ONE thing you really want in your creative life?
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Who is your primary creative ally?
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What's your biggest creative obstacle?
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What's the central tension driving your creative journey?
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Where does your creativity feel most alive?
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What's the core question your creative work asks?
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What would have to change for your story to shift dramatically?
My Story Shift Map
A story-based guide to mapping your creative narrative
using the elements of story.
A STORY CAN'T EMERGE UNTIL THE CREATOR RECOGNIZES THE ELEMENTS
Character. Setting. Conflict. Plot. Theme.
These aren't just concepts for novels and films. They're the building blocks of your creative life, your entrepreneurial journey, your daily experience. The difference between living randomly and living deliberately is learning to recognize these story elements in your own experience — and then consciously shaping them.
You're not waiting for a story. You're in the middle of one right now.
The Story Shift Map helps you see it.
Breaking Story
In story development, "breaking story" means breaking down a narrative to its most essential elements and components.
Now it's time to break your creative story, to strip away the complexity and see what's really at the core of your narrative.
So, ex vita fabula (from life, story), how do we use story structure to create more intentional, compelling creative lives?
HOW THE STORY SHIFT MAP WORKS:
The Story Shift Map is a safe place to recognize the stories you're already living, understand what elements need attention, and consciously author what happens next.
On the following pages you'll find a copy of the Story Shift Map, with notes that unpack each element. And at the end is a clean, printable version you can use again and again.
Start wherever feels right and trust what emerges. I've often filled one of these out on napkins during coffee conversations, just to help someone see the narrative gold they're sitting on. It works every time.
My only advice: be honest with what you find. Some elements will be stronger than others. Some will need work. That's the point.
Too many creators think their story isn't worth exploring because they're still in the middle of it. But that's exactly when mapping becomes most powerful.
Keep it simple, trust the process, and remember — the goal is to take real action towards the story you want to live.
The Five Elements of Your Creative Story
CHARACTER
Who you are, who
supports you, what
opposes you
SETTING
Where and when
your creativity
thrives
CONFLICT
The tensions
driving your
creative growth
PLOT
The sequence of
your creative
journey
THEME
The deeper
meaning behind
your work
CHARACTER:
Who's in Your Story?
THE PROTAGONIST (YOU):
You are the main character of your creative story.
But which version of you? The one who creates? The one who
doubts? The one who dreams big? Map your creative identity honestly.
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Creative identity: How do you see yourself as a creative person?
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Main desire: What do you most want in your creative life?
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Greatest strength: What creative superpower do you possess?
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Greatest challenge: What consistently trips you up?
THE SUPPORTING CAST:
No story unfolds in isolation. Who are the key players in your creative narrative?
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Mentor: Who guides and teaches you?
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Champion/Ally: Who believes in your work?
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Collaborator: Who creates alongside you?
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Challenger: Who pushes you to grow?
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Antagonist: What/who opposes your creative progress?
SETTING:
Where Does Your Story Unfold?
Setting isn't just about place — it's about the entire context in which your creativity exists.
PHYSICAL SETTING
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Where do you do your best creative work?
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What environments inspire you?
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What spaces drain your creative energy?
TEMPORAL SETTING
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When are you most creative? (time of day, season, life phase)
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How does time pressure affect your work?
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What creative rituals mark your "story time"?
CULTURAL/EMOTIONAL SETTING
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What community supports your creativity?
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What family/cultural narratives shape your creative choices?
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What emotional states fuel your best work?
CONFLICT:
What Creates Tension?
Conflict isn't the enemy of creativity — it's the engine. Without tension, there's no movement, no growth, no story worth telling.
INTERNAL CONFLICTS:
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What beliefs limit your creative expression?
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What fears keep you from sharing your work?
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What voices argue inside your head while you create?
EXTERNAL CONFLICTS:
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What practical obstacles do you face?
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How do others' expectations affect your creativity?
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What systems or structures work against your creative goals?
Remember: The conflicts you're avoiding often contain your most powerful material.
PLOT: What's Your Creative Arc?
Plot is the sequence of events in your creative journey. Where are you in your story?
PLOT POINTS TO CONSIDER:
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Opening: When did your creative journey begin?
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Inciting Incident: What sparked your current creative phase?
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Rising Action: What challenges are building?
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Climax: What major breakthrough are you approaching?
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Resolution: How do you see this chapter ending?
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New Beginning: What story wants to start next?
Example Plot Mapping:
Opening: Started writing morning pages three years ago
Inciting Incident: Friend asked me to co-write a book
Rising Action: Wrestling with self-doubt and finding our creative process
Current Moment: Stuck halfway through the first draft
Next Plot Point: Need to push through the messy middle
THEME:
What's It Really About?
Theme is the deeper meaning beneath the surface action of your story. It's more than what you're doing. It's what you're exploring.
FINDING YOUR THEME:
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Surface Level: What topics do you explore in your work?
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Emotional Level: What feelings does your work evoke?
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Universal Level: What human experiences are you investigating?
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Personal Level: What questions is your creative life asking?
Example Theme Development:
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Surface: I write about small businesses and creativity
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Deeper: I'm really exploring how to build something meaningful without losing yourself
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Universal: The tension between security and authenticity
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My Question: How do we create sustainably in an unsustainable world?