The Building a Story Podcast follows the same structure and topics as the StorySteps 25-Day Story Series on YouTube, but in a conversational format.
Each episode explores one key storytelling concept through discussion, breaking down not just what to do, but why it works. Instead of presenting ideas step by step like in the video series, the podcast gives you a more natural, back-and-forth exploration of the same principles.
If you prefer learning by listening, this format allows you to absorb story structure in a more relaxed and reflective way, while still following the same progression as the main series.
This podcast is designed to complement the StorySteps 25-Day Story Series.
Each episode aligns with a corresponding topic from the video series, covering the same core ideas while expanding on them through discussion. Together, the formats reinforce each other:
You can follow along in one format, or move between them depending on how you prefer to learn.
Lost Boy is an original story inspired by classic themes from Peter Pan, developed for StorySteps as a case study to demonstrate how story structure works in practice.
Instead of talking about theory in isolation, we build a story step by step, applying principles like character development, theme, and structure in real time. Each episode, article, and podcast entry uses Lost Boy to show how these elements come together into a cohesive narrative.
It’s not just explanation and theory. It’s application.
We draw heavily from proven frameworks like Save the Cat and The Story Solution, while applying them directly to a working story.
The early episodes focus on developing a strong foundation, including premise, character, and theme. From there, we move through key structural beats and how to execute them effectively. Toward the end of the series, we cover refining your story, tying together subplots, and preparing your work for the next stage.
Lost Boy is an original story inspired by classic themes from Peter Pan, developed for educational purposes to demonstrate how story structure works in practice.
Instead of talking about theory in isolation, we build a story step by step, applying principles like character development, theme, and structure in real time. Each episode, article, and podcast entry uses Lost Boy to show how these elements come together into a cohesive narrative.
It’s not just explanation and theory. It’s application.
Lost Boy is not a finished script, novel, or polished story.
It’s not meant to represent perfect writing, final dialogue, or production-ready material. You may see rough edges, evolving ideas, or alternative directions being explored.
It’s also not structured or refined to a level suitable for pitching. At this stage, the story is still being shaped, expanded, and tested, far beyond what a concise, pitch-ready concept would require.
That’s intentional.
The goal is not to present a flawless end product, but to show the process of building a story so you can apply the same thinking to your own.
Most writing advice tells you what to do.
This case study shows you how it actually plays out.
By following along, you’re not just learning concepts. You’re seeing how decisions are made, how problems are solved, and how structure supports creativity.
We could have used a produced movie or published novel to explain the same theory, but we choose to use our own story for one reason: It’s proof that a cohesive story can be written with an idea and with structure without removing its soul or your creative energy.
And when you’re ready, you can apply those same steps in your writing, with or without the guidance that StorySteps provides.
You can download the full Lost Boy treatment here.
Though based on a mix of original materials and curated content, this podcast is produced using AI-generated voices. This is a deliberate choice. StorySteps is a small company with limited time and resources, and using AI allows us to publish consistently across multiple formats while focusing our effort on the quality of the content itself.
Every episode is built on original, human-created material. The structure, examples, and teaching points are carefully developed and refined before being adapted into this format.
The goal is not to replace human input, but to make it possible to deliver useful, structured storytelling guidance in a consistent and accessible way.
The one line to rule it all: In this episode, we break down the logline: a clear, one-sentence that rules your entire story. We go through logline examples, and we define that clear description that defines your character, goal, and stakes. Using the Lost Boy case study, we turn a rough idea into a focused story direction.
In this episode of Building a Story, we look at whether you should start your story with a character or a premise and how to make sure the character and the plot are built to attack the protagonist’s emotional wound. If you start with a premise, you need to find the worst possible character to put through it. If you start with a character, you need to find the worst possible story to force them through. We discuss how a character’s wound creates a flaw or emotional shield, and why the plot should constantly press on that weakness.
Friction is the structural foundation of every compelling narrative. When an audience feels that a victory is cheap, it’s almost universally a failure of opposition. Today, we are going to dive into the mechanics of a villain. What are the secret ingredients that you need to craft a masterful adversary?
Why do we care about some protagonists almost immediately, while others leave us cold?
In this episode, we look at what we call the storyteller empathy handshake: the early connection a writer creates between the audience and the protagonist. Before the plot gets big, before the stakes explode, and before the hero transforms, the audience needs a reason to lean in and care.
Your opening image is the audience’s first taste of your story, but it needs to be more than that. In this episode, we explore how to start a story in a way that makes your reader instantly understand what sort of ride they are in for. Then we apply it directly to Lost Boy, the StorySteps case study, as we begin shaping the story on screen. This is where theory turns into our very first real story fragment.
© 2026 Implemi AS. All rights reserved.
Lost Boy is an original story created by Fredrik Roaldset and developed for StorySteps. All rights to the story and its elements belong to the creator. Unauthorized use, reproduction, or adaptation is not permitted.
