Dear Geist,

How many basic stories are there in English? I mean real ones. Everyone knows the hero's journey and all, but when I went online looking for new ideas I found hundreds more, all seeming legitimate. A fight against evil, mistaken jealousy, kidnapping, rescue, complicity, rags to riches. . . Help!

—Swamped in Winnipeg

Dear Swamped,

Indeed, there are as many “basic” story shapes as there are stories! Help yourself to any of them that seem intriguing. Some are better known than others, but any of them can serve as inspiration for a story you're keen to write. Whatever you choose, it's a good idea to brush up on the basic structure of storytelling in general: disequilibrium, rising action, intense conflict, risk, recovery, denouement—all written and tweaked to strengthen your story.

—The Editors