What to do when you feel your story is too complicated? When you get feedback telling you it’s too complex and you need to “simplify it”?

Today, I want to share a perspective-shifting tip that may help you if you ever feel your story is too complex and needs to be simplified.

What does "too complex" mean?

When we're reading something and feel confused or overwhelmed by some of the information, we can quickly label that story as "too complicated". But rather than locating what in the script doesn't function, this label describes the audience's experience of it. Which is also valuable, of course - if you know how to use it.

The thing is, there is no such thing as a “too complicated” story or character's arc. Or rather, the labelling of it as such invites you to believe you need to “simplify” your plot. Which is usually not very constructive. There are millions of stories out there probably infinitely more complex than yours. And even if yours is THE most complex one, that doesn't mean it shouldn't be.

When the audience feels overwhelmed because a story feels “too complicated”, what’s really at the core of it is usually that the character's goal and motive are not clear. Perhaps they are intellectually presented, but they aren't intuitively clear.

In that case, you don't need to simplify the plot. You don't need to simplify your character's goal or motivation. You need to primalise it. Primitivise it. Animalise it.

Make it primal.

It's really just about shifting your perspective. The shift is not huge but it may help you tremendously. So instead of “simple”, think “primal”.

Why make it primal?

Focusing on what primal need is pushing your character will get you clarity on what they want and what drives them. You’ll peel off the layers and discover what’s at their core. If you have your character's external goal and some sort of external plot, ask yourself:

Let's say your character Tom wants to get a car. Your entire story is about Tom getting a car and the way he saves up money to get it. Now let’s try to figure out what is the primal urge that is driving him (pun not intended but welcome). And the options are infinite. Does he want the car as a status symbol (thus proving his position in the wolf-pack)? Does he want it to impress someone he likes, in which case his primal need is to feel connected? Does he see the car as a symbol of his freedom and wants to get it so he won't feel trapped in one place all the time?

Do you see how each of these brings a different flavour to a story about some guy buying a car? Each of these makes me feel something else for Tom - and ultimately, that's what it's all about. Making the audience feel something. (Just not boredom, amirite?)

Writing tip

A good way to peel off the layers is to keep asking, “Why?” For example: Tom wants to buy a car. Why? Because he wants to travel. Why? Because he doesn’t want to feel trapped in the same place. Why? Because he doesn’t want to be dependent on other people to make his schedule and drive him around. Why? Because he wants to feel independent and self-reliant. And so on.

Primal = Universal

Stories are about archetypes, not stereotypes. When we're trying to reach a wide audience and look for something that many people will relate to, it's easy to slip into stereotypes. You take a step back and try to figure out: What do we all have in common? (Here, “all” refers to the people in your target audience, of course. Or it can be the whole world. It's whoever you write for.) And it's tempting to focus on the material things, the externally observed behaviour - but that is exactly what brings out the stereotypes.

On the other hand, when you go within, when you peel off the layers of these external attributes and actions, that's where you discover true connection. If I use the above example of Tom buying a car - personally, that's a piece of information I wouldn't really care about. Sure, I've wanted to buy a car in my past and maybe I can relate to him on some level because of that - but that would be quite a superficial layer of reading that story. However, if you let me know that's his way of finding personal freedom, well, now I'm much more emotionally connected to the story. Whether it makes me like him or not doesn’t matter. The point is that it elicits a stronger and deeper emotional reaction. It elicits a more primal emotional reaction.

All humans are familiar with primal needs. Not only are we familiar with them, we all have deep and emotional connections to them. That's why understanding your character on a deeper, more primal way will inevitably touch me more than if I just knew their external, objective circumstances and behaviour.

(Note: You don't need to explicitly say what the primal need your character is trying to satisfy is. That is in no way, shape, or form what I am implying. My point is that knowing what it is, being able to pinpoint it, may help you a lot. Or it may not. Hey, what do I know. Try it out and see if it does anything for you.)

Building a strong foundation

Once you get a clear sense of what primal need is driving your character to move forward, you'll be able to put anything you want on it. If that is clear, my friend, you can go crazy with the plot and the story.

Let’s look at an example. You cannot tell me in all honesty that the plot of the movie Inception was simple, can you? Or Interstellar. Or The Prestige. Or any film that was not directed by Christopher Nolan.

But if we stick with Inception - you also cannot in all honesty deny that the main character's goal was not clear - and that it was not primal. Seeing your children and being reunited with them is such a basic primal urge that even those of us who don't have children completely understand it. And see, once you have that main thread, that basic need that will serve as foundation of the entire plot, your can really build whatever you want around it and on top of it.

In other words, clarity on your character's primal drive will give you a stable foundation to build any plot on top of it, no matter how simple or complex you want to make it. 

Primal vs. Intellectualised

Last but definitely not least, I want to remind you:

You are not writing a school essay or an academic article. You are creating a work of art.

And art is always primal. So instead of seeing your story through the “simple versus complex" lens, I suggest you try the “primal versus intellectualised” perspective and see where your story lands on that spectrum. Both of these can have really simple or really complicated plots but only one will resonate with the audience much more than the other. Figure out which one works better (for you).

Try it out

Hopefully, this article has inspired a new way to look at your plot and your character's goals. If you liked it, awesome. Let me know.

Don't take my word for any of it though. Try it out. See if it brings up anything new with regard to your story. And when you read or watch something, think about what primal need is at the core of the main character's actions. For the fun of it. Because, you know, it's fun to analyse stuff, right? Or is that just me?