---
name: story-check
wtfbId: wtfb:story-check
description: |
  This skill provides the 12 critical story questions for screenplay evaluation.
  Covers concept, theme, audience reaction, beginning, ending, rising tensions,
  characters, protagonist, motivation, antagonist, and believability.

  Use when: evaluating a screenplay draft, identifying story weaknesses,
  preparing for rewrites, or validating fundamentals before submission.
---

# Story Check Skill

## Invocation Triggers
Apply this skill when:
- Evaluating a screenplay draft
- Identifying story weaknesses
- Preparing for rewrites
- Validating story fundamentals before submission

## The 12 Story Questions

Here are twelve great questions you should ask yourself about your script/story while you are developing it. You should actually chart it out.

### Question 1: Story Elements
**What are the elements of my story?**
- What is my story's concept?
- What genre is my story?

```
CONCEPT: ___________________________________
GENRE: ___________________________________
```

### Question 2: Message
**What do I want to say with my script or story?**
- The state of the world?
- Relationships?
- Governments?
- Religions?
- Life in general?
- People?

```
THEME/MESSAGE: ___________________________________
```

### Question 3: Audience Reaction
**How will audiences or readers react to my story?**
- Interesting?
- Believable? Is it a true story?
- Credible?
- Compelling?

| Criterion | Rating (1-5) | Notes |
|-----------|--------------|-------|
| Interesting | | |
| Believable | | |
| Credible | | |
| Compelling | | |

### Question 4: Beginning
**Where does my story begin?**
- What is the setup?
- Is the protagonist in a crisis?
- Have you established your world? The rules?
- The restrictions?

```
SETUP: ___________________________________
WORLD RULES: ___________________________________
```

### Question 5: Ending
**Where does my story end?**
- What is the outcome or resolution? And why?
- Do you answer any and all questions presented?
- Did you fulfill the premise of the story?

```
RESOLUTION: ___________________________________
QUESTIONS ANSWERED: [ ] Yes [ ] Partial [ ] No
PREMISE FULFILLED: [ ] Yes [ ] No
```

### Question 6: Rising Tensions
**Are there rising tensions?**
- Are there surprises?
- How does the conflict escalate?
- Is there a climax?

```
SURPRISE COUNT: ___
ESCALATION PATTERN: ___________________________________
CLIMAX: ___________________________________
```

### Question 7: Characters
**Who are my characters?**
- Are they likable?
- Interesting? Unique or different?
- Bigger than life?
- Will an audience care about them?

| Character | Likable | Interesting | Unique | Care Factor |
|-----------|---------|-------------|--------|-------------|
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |

### Question 8: Protagonist
**What or who is my protagonist like?**
- Can audiences empathize with them?
- What do they want?
- What are their goals in life? Needs?
- What's at stake for them?
- Are they tied to the problem they face?
- Are they in a position of no turning back?

```
EMPATHY: [ ] Strong [ ] Moderate [ ] Weak
WANT: ___________________________________
NEED: ___________________________________
STAKES: ___________________________________
POINT OF NO RETURN: Page ___
```

### Question 9: Motivation
**What are my characters' motivations?**
- Are these motivations shown?
- Justified or unjustified?
- Built into the story?

```
PROTAGONIST MOTIVATION: ___________________________________
SHOWN ON SCREEN: [ ] Yes [ ] No
JUSTIFIED: [ ] Yes [ ] No
BUILT INTO STORY: [ ] Yes [ ] No
```

### Question 10: Antagonist
**Who or what is the antagonist in my story?**
- Why are they trying to stop your protagonist?
- Is the antagonist a worthy foe?
- What drives them?
- What do they want or need?

```
ANTAGONIST: ___________________________________
MOTIVATION: ___________________________________
WORTHY FOE: [ ] Yes [ ] No
WANT: ___________________________________
```

### Question 11: Over-Explanation
**Do I over-explain my story?**
- Is everything spelled out too clearly?
- Is the setup "messy" and too busy?
- Do events get explained or unfold dramatically?
- Do too many key events take place off screen?

| Issue | Present? | Page(s) |
|-------|----------|---------|
| Over-explanation | | |
| Messy setup | | |
| Told not shown | | |
| Key events off screen | | |

### Question 12: Believability
**If my story and characters are fictitious, can I now believe that they are real?**

```
BELIEVABILITY SCORE: ___/10
AREAS TO IMPROVE: ___________________________________
```

## Story Check Summary Template

```markdown
## Story Check Summary: [TITLE]

### PASS/FAIL Assessment
| Question | Status | Notes |
|----------|--------|-------|
| 1. Elements | | |
| 2. Message | | |
| 3. Audience Reaction | | |
| 4. Beginning | | |
| 5. Ending | | |
| 6. Rising Tensions | | |
| 7. Characters | | |
| 8. Protagonist | | |
| 9. Motivation | | |
| 10. Antagonist | | |
| 11. Over-Explanation | | |
| 12. Believability | | |

### Critical Issues
1. ___________________________________
2. ___________________________________
3. ___________________________________

### Recommended Actions
1. ___________________________________
2. ___________________________________
3. ___________________________________

### Overall Assessment
[ ] Ready for submission
[ ] Needs minor revisions
[ ] Needs significant rewrite
[ ] Fundamental story issues
```

## Validation Checklist
- [ ] All 12 questions answered honestly
- [ ] Issues documented with specific page references
- [ ] Action items prioritized
- [ ] Overall assessment reflects reality