Introduction
Welcome back. In our last lesson, we focused on the 'Adjacent Possible,' learning how to plot a character's journey as a series of small, incremental steps. You mapped out a believable emotional path for the husband, moving him from a state of insecurity through several new emotional "rooms" that open up new possibilities for the plot.
Today, we'll shift our focus from the path to the groundwork. This lesson addresses the LAPS SEE technique of 'Platforms.' Your learning outcome is to use 'Platforms' to establish relationship agreements or social norms that enable or constrain the characters' actions.
If the 'Adjacent Possible' is the series of doors a character can open, 'Platforms' are the architectural blueprints of the house itself. They are the foundational rules, shared values, and social norms that determine which doors exist in the first place. For your story, this means defining the explicit or implicit rules of the vee relationship. These platforms will become a powerful engine for generating tension, as your characters must navigate, negotiate, and even break them on their path to the final resolution.
1. What are 'Platforms' in Storytelling?
In his book Where Good Ideas Come From, Steven Johnson uses a brilliant analogy to define a platform. It's a structure that allows new kinds of activities to emerge.
[PDF] A synopsis of Steven Johnson's book “Where Good Ideas Come From
This synopsis of Johnson's book explains the core concept of a platform using the analogy of a beaver's dam.
Please read the paragraph under the heading 'Platforms.' Focus on how the beaver's dam—a single structure—creates a platform (the new wetland) that enables an entire ecosystem of new life and activity.
In a story, a platform can be:
- A Social Norm: The default assumption of monogamy in society is a powerful platform that constrains non-monogamous relationships, creating external and internal conflict.
- A Personal Belief System: A character's deeply held philosophy about how the world works acts as a platform for their decisions.
- A Relationship Agreement: An explicit rule or boundary negotiated between characters becomes a platform that governs their interactions.
These platforms are not neutral; they are a primary source of conflict when the belief systems and needs of different characters collide.
To see how this works, let's watch a short video on how conflict arises from clashing worldviews, which are essentially personal platforms.
The video 'How to Create Story Conflict' by Tyler Mowery explains that compelling conflict is born from characters with competing philosophies. Think of each philosophy as a 'platform' each character stands on.
Watch from the beginning to 03:03. Pay attention to how the conflict in films like '12 Angry Men' and 'The Dark Knight' stems from characters whose fundamental beliefs (platforms) are in direct opposition.
For your vee story, the core tension will emerge from the clash between three different platforms:
- The Husband's Platform: Perhaps he believes that a marriage's stability depends on hierarchy and exclusivity.
- The Hinge's Platform: She may believe that authentic connection requires honesty and the freedom to follow her feelings.
- The New Lover's Platform: He might operate from a platform of relationship anarchy, where every connection is negotiated on its own terms without preset rules.
When these three characters interact, their foundational beliefs will inevitably grind against each other, creating the friction your story needs.
2. Designing Relationship Platforms: Rules vs. Boundaries
In the context of non-monogamous relationships, the most potent platforms are the agreements the characters make with each other. A critical distinction here, one that is a powerful tool for a writer, is the difference between rules and boundaries.
- Rules are designed to control other people's behavior, often out of fear.
- Boundaries are designed to protect your own emotional and physical space.
This distinction is not just semantic; it creates entirely different narrative dynamics. Rules tend to constrain and create power struggles, while boundaries can enable autonomy and build trust.
This video offers a clear and concise explanation.
The video 'Boundaries Not Rules' from the Relationship Anarchy channel provides excellent examples that directly apply to the platform you will build for your story.
Please watch from 00:58 to 01:05 and then from 01:51 to 03:01. Focus on the direct comparison between a 'rule' and a 'boundary' in specific relationship scenarios. Notice how one is about controlling an outcome, and the other is about managing one's own participation.
A platform of fear-based rules (e.g., "You can't see him more than once a week," "I have veto power") will generate a very different story than a platform of trust-based boundaries (e.g., "I need a check-in text by 11 pm so I don't worry," "I'm not comfortable hearing sexual details right now"). The first invites rebellion and secrets; the second invites negotiation and empathy.
3. Writing Exercise: Building and Testing Your Story's Platform (35 minutes)
In this exercise, you will design the initial "platform" for your vee relationship and create a scene premise where that platform is immediately put under pressure.
You can use this chart as a menu of topics your characters' platform might need to address.
Instructions:
Part 1: Design the Platform (15 minutes)
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Choose the Foundation: Rule or Boundary?
Decide what kind of platform the husband initially tries to establish when confronted with the new relationship. Does he impose a rule to control the situation, or does he attempt to state a boundary to protect himself? This choice will define the opening power dynamic. -
Get Specific.
Write down one concrete agreement that becomes a central point of conflict. Draw inspiration from the videos and the provided Quora article, which offers a wealth of realistic scenarios. The section on making rules concrete and the section on what a "Primary" partner can control are particularly useful here.
How would I write a healthy polyamorous relationship? I can ... - Quora
This Quora answer is an excellent resource for brainstorming realistic relationship agreements and the conflicts they can cause. You don't need to read it all now, but use it as a reference.
For inspiration, skim section 2, specifically point #5, 'Make rules concrete and negotiable.' Then, look at section 3, which lists many examples of controlling rules a 'Primary' partner might set. These are perfect seeds for conflict.
* **Rule-based example:** "You are not allowed to sleep over at his place. That is a line I can't cross."
* **Boundary-based example:** "I'm not ready to meet him yet. I need for my home to remain my safe space for now."
Part 2: Create a Scene Premise (20 minutes)
Now, design a scene where this platform immediately creates tension. Outline the scene using the following prompts:
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The Situation: Briefly describe the context. What is happening right before the conflict erupts? (e.g., The wife is on her way home from a date with the new lover.)
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The Platform Under Pressure: How does the situation challenge the rule or boundary you just created? (e.g., A sudden storm makes it unsafe for her to drive home, and the new lover offers for her to stay the night.)
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The Characters' Conflicting Objectives:
- What does the Hinge want in this moment? (e.g., She wants to be safe, and she also doesn't want to break the agreement with her husband.)
- What does the Husband want? (e.g., He wants the rule to be respected because it makes him feel secure.)
- What does the New Lover want? (e.g., He wants the hinge to be safe and may see the husband's rule as unreasonable.)
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The Constraint and the Choice: Explain how the platform constrains the hinge's actions and forces her into a difficult choice. What are her options, and what are the potential consequences of each? (e.g., She can either break the rule, causing a major fight with her husband, or risk driving in a storm, disrespecting her own safety and the new lover's care for her.)
This outline gives you a scene where the conflict is not just an argument; it's a direct consequence of the relationship's foundational platform.
Conclusion
Today, we've defined 'Platforms' as the underlying agreements, norms, and belief systems that govern a story's world and its characters. You've seen how clashing platforms create conflict and how the specific design of a relationship agreement—as either a controlling rule or a self-protective boundary—can shape the entire narrative.
Key Takeaways:
- Platforms are Foundational: They are the structures (social, personal, or negotiated) that enable and constrain character actions.
- Conflict from Clashing Platforms: Tension arises when characters with different core beliefs or needs operate within the same system.
- Rules vs. Boundaries: Using fear-based rules generates conflict around control and rebellion. Using trust-based boundaries generates conflict around empathy, negotiation, and self-awareness. Both are powerful narrative tools.
In our previous lessons, you've established the characters' backstories ('Liquid Networks'), mapped their step-by-step emotional journey ('Adjacent Possible'), and now designed the system of agreements they must navigate ('Platforms').
In our next lesson, we will explore 'Slow Hunches.' This concept focuses on how a character's true understanding of a situation, or their deeper motivations, can emerge gradually over time. We will see how the hinge, operating within the 'platform' you designed today, might have a slow hunch that the agreements they've made aren't truly about safety, but about something else entirely.