Overcome Writer’s Block: How To Use The Story Circle Template

If you want to overcome writer’s block, using the Story Circle template is a great way to start. 

You’re not alone if you’ve ever struggled with how to write a novel. I’ve been there! Writer’s block is something even the most compelling creatives face, but there is a way to push through.

My writing mentor always says, if worker’s block can’t exist, neither can writer’s block! You may not feel like writing (or working!) today, but you can take the steps to do so.

The classic Story Circle can help you get there. We’ve taught over 8,000 authors how to write, publish, and market their books over the last 10 years, and plotting your book is a big part of success. Let’s get straight into it.

Story Circle template: what’s covered 

• What is the Story Circle template? 
• What are the 8 parts of the Story Circle?
• What is the story circle in the hero’s journey?
• Recommendations for outlining: M.O.R.E. Method

What is the Story Circle template? 

The Story Circle template is simply a structure created to help writers plot their manuscripts in a way that acknowledges the basic needs of a story’s structure and hero’s journey. 

There are many ways to create your plot structure, and we’ll touch on another one later on, but for now, let’s focus on the Story Circle template.

The Story Circle template breaks the story into the standard three parts, but within these parts, there are eight more. 

If you’re familiar with the monomyth, otherwise known as The Hero’s Journey, you have a great foundation to study the Story Circle template.

What are the 8 parts of the Story Circle?

There are 8 parts to the Story Circle template which are broken into 8 singular words for easy memory: you, need, go, search, find, take, return, and change. But what do these words mean, and how can you apply them to your own character’s development?

Fair warning, since we discuss a story’s entire circle, first page to last, there will be spoilers! But really, if you haven’t read The Lord of the Rings yet…what have you been doing with your time?

1. You

Part one of the Story Circle template establishes the protagonist, the “you” in the story. Here you may showcase the general characterization of your protagonist. 

Think of Frodo relaxing in The Shire with no idea that Gandalf’s arrival will transform his entire life. 

2. Need

Part two of the Story Circle template establishes a need. Something enters the story world that disrupts the narrative. 

To continue with J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, this is when Gandalf tasks Frodo with taking the Ring away from The Shire. 

3. Go

Ultimately, the protagonist should be proactive and choose to go, setting out on their journey, whether figuratively or literally. 

For Frodo, this means leaving The Shire with his trusty gardener, Samwise. This is when the Story Circle template really takes off.

4. Search

At this point, readers understand the protagonist and the need. The quest itself now comes the trials of the journey. 

Part four of the Story Circle template shows the literary conflicts the hero faces and the character traits they develop as a result. 

Much of this journey for Frodo takes place during The Two Towers. 

5. Find

Of course, what’s a great story without some form of success? Most book genres include some form of winning. 

For Frodo, this means he does succeed in taking the Ring to Mordor, but he pays a price for his heroic efforts. This is much of what defines a hero in the first place: paying a price to achieve something greater.

6. Take

If there is no cost to the hero’s journey, where does the tension and entertainment value for the reader come into play? Part six of the Story Circle template focuses on this cost. 

Frodo loses part of his finger, but emotionally, he has borne the heavy burden of the Ring throughout almost the entirety of his journey and is forever changed. 

7. Return

Saved by eagles off the volcano that is Mount Doom, Frodo eventually makes his return back to The Shire. While he and his heroic companions go about their lives as normal, for Frodo, life will never be the same. 

Tip: This change is one aspect literary agents look for when reading manuscripts. 

8. Change 

In the final part of the Story Circle template, real change occurs. For Frodo, this change is internal as well as external. Frodo emerges as a well-rounded individual, someone who has faced trials and challenges and come out stronger as a result. 

However, his journey has been so momentous that staying in the same geographical location no longer fits him.

Instead, the final part of his journey takes him with the Elves to the Grey Havens. This change is permanent and solidifies his hero journey. 

What is the Story Circle in the hero’s journey?

Before moving on, it’s crucial to note that the hero’s journey in the Story Circle template involves some type of change. There are some outlining methods that do not rely on the protagonist changing throughout the story.

For instance, whatever method Sir Arthur Conan Doyle used to create his masterpiece of Sherlock Holmes, he did not include a heroic character arc for his protagonist.

If you think of Sherlock Holmes, he’s a great protagonist, but he doesn’t really undergo any change. 

He’s brilliant, a great detective, and leads the way through compelling stories, but he experiences little to no change. In the Story Circle temple, your hero must change. 

Recommendations for outlining: M.O.R.E. Method  

The Story Circle template is a fantastic way to start your writing process, but there is a key step this structure does not include. That’s why, before sending you off to outline your own novel, we’re introducing you to the M.O.R.E. Method.

Founder and CEO of Self-Publishing School, Chandler Bolt, has shared this four-step structure around the nation. This method has helped countless people write their books.

In fact, it’s so simple even kids can use it to publish books, but it’s so helpful it can make you a self-publishing success story. 

This method stands for:

• Mind map
• Outline
• Rough draft
• Edit 

Time to break this down into actionable steps!

Mind map

Grab a piece of paper and a pen and draw a big circle in the middle of the paper with your story idea written inside (for example, let’s borrow J.K. Rowling’s: orphan boy goes to school for wizards).

Next, set a 15-minute timer and connect smaller circles to your main circle with any ideas that come to mind that support your big idea.

Outline

Stage two takes you through the outline process. You will likely see that some of your smaller circles seem to go together. 

To continue with the Harry Potter example, you could separate your supporting ideas into sections such as the below: 

• Friendship
• Competitive sports 
• House rivalries 
• School bullies 

These are some of the subplots of your novel. What about your themes and storyworld?

• Good and evil
• Wizards and Muggles
• Coming-of-age

For nonfiction, this may feel a bit more straightforward. Your big idea may be “how to run a business” and your sections may be the start-up stage, next, growing your team, then increasing revenue. 

Rough draft

Once you have your outline, it’s time to write your book. Identify how many words should be in your novel, choose a set time to write every single day, and get that draft written!

Remember what Chandler Bolt always says: done is better than perfect. Once you hit your word count goal you can edit your story, but you have to have some sort of a rough draft to work with.

Edit

Every writer’s first draft needs edited. This is simply a fact of the creative process and one every writer must work through. Learning how to self-edit is a crucial part of becoming an author.

Of course, you will want to work with a developmental editor, copy editor, line editor, etc., as your work toward publishing your book, but get the major hard work out of the way with a heavy self-edit. 

Remember, you can use the Story Circle template to help you focus on your hero’s journey and the intricacies of your plot, and combine it with the M.O.R.E. Method to delve deep into those plot points, outline, and first round of edits. 

Writing a novel is a very personal experience and something every writer does differently. Combining these two methods can help you discern how you work best as a writer so you can write your book and achieve your author dreams. 

Story Circle template: take your next step today

We can talk about templates and story structures all day long, but unless you actually sit down and put pen to paper, you can’t achieve that title of “author!” 

You now have the tools necessary to overcome writer’s block with tried and true outlining methods. You can combine the Story Circle and M.O.R.E. Method to create a compelling story future readers won’t be able to put down. Now all you have to do is outline.

Take your next step today and use our free resource below. It will help you get a jump start on outlining your book so you don’t have to deal with the fear of staring at the blank page. We’re rooting for you!