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Productivity · Tip

Dan Harmon's Story Circle

An eight-step storytelling structure adapted from the Hero's Journey

From the Xiry library · Updated 3 October 2026

Dan Harmon's Story Circle is an eight-step framework for outlining narratives and screenplays, adapted from Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey. It splits a narrative arc across two realms—Order and Chaos—guiding a character from comfort through conflict and back. It provides a simple, reusable structure for writing short scripts, books, or video content.

How it works

Dan Harmon's Story Circle divides a story into two halves: Order (Порядок, upper half) and Chaos (Хаос, lower half), traversing 8 sequential steps:

  1. Hero (Герой): The protagonist is in their comfort zone / living an ordinary life.
  2. Need (Потребность): They encounter a problem or desire something.
  3. Action (Действие): They enter an unfamiliar situation / cross into chaos.
  4. Search (Поиск): They navigate trials and adapt to the unfamiliar world.
  5. Finding (Нахождение): They get what they were searching for.
  6. Sacrifice / Price (Жертва): They pay a heavy price for what they got.
  7. Return (Возвращение): They return to their familiar world / comfort.
  8. Change (Изменение): They have changed and demonstrate internal growth.

What it's for

  • Outline video essays and YouTube scripts with clear narrative progression
  • Structure episodic television scenes or feature film screenplays
  • Pace fictional stories and character transformation arcs

Key points

  • 1. You (Comfort zone): Establish the protagonist in an ordinary situation of order
  • 2. Need (Desire): The character wants something or faces an unresolved issue
  • 3. Go (Crossing over): The character enters an unfamiliar situation of chaos
  • 4. Search (Adaptation): They face trials and navigate the unfamiliar environment
  • 5. Find (Discovery): The character gets what they initially wanted
  • 6. Take (Price paid): They pay a heavy price or make a sacrifice for what they acquired
  • 7. Return (Coming back): They journey back into their familiar world
  • 8. Change (Transformation): They return capable of change, having grown from the experience

Pricing

Free

Details

Type
Tip
Category
Productivity
Topic
Storytelling Frameworks
Open source
No
Platforms
other
For
Screenwriters, fiction authors, video creators, and narrative designers.
Alternative to
The Hero's Journey, Save the Cat! Beat Sheet, Three-Act Structure
Tags
storytelling, screenwriting, scriptwriting, creative writing, framework

Why it was saved

  • @andrey_krylove, 28 May 2024: Provides a clear, repeatable formula to outline stories, video scripts, and narratives divided between order and chaos.

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Updated