French Literature Reviews - 2026

Y. Lavandier, Constructing a Story
Literary Theory, Linguistics and Stylistics

Bibliographic reference: Yves Lavandier, Constructing a Story, Les Impressions Nouvelles, "Réflexions faites" series, 2019. EAN13: 9782874496998.

A highly practical book,
an essential companion to La Dramaturgie.

The Author

Born in 1959, Yves Lavandier is a playwright, filmmaker, and script doctor. He studied at Columbia University under Frantisek Daniel, among others. He has written and staged puppet plays, written and directed about ten short films, and a feature film released in 2001 starring Émilie Dequenne and Gérard Jugnot: Oui, mais… He is also an educator and the author of the trilogy: La Dramaturgie, Constructing a Story, and Evaluating a Screenplay.

The Book

Learn how to design the foundations of your story and master tools as diverse as milestones, enriched structure, or thematic subplots. Discover how to create a character's internal arc and how fractal theory can be applied to narrative writing. See how to avoid clichéd shortcuts and deus ex machina devices. Master the setup and payoff of that powerful tool: dramatic irony. Find hundreds of tips on meaning, comedy, the pitch, endings, characterization, stakes, villains...

In Constructing a Story, Yves Lavandier offers a clear, comprehensive, step-by-step method. This approach stems from both an understanding of narrative mechanics and Yves Lavandier's experience as an author, educator, and script doctor. Examples are primarily drawn from the dramatic repertoire: theatre, cinema, television, and comic books.

Table of Contents

Preface

1. The Core Motif

2. Meaning

3. Major Choices

4. The Dramatic Pitch

5. The Internal Arc

6. The Foundations

7. Characterization

8. Scene-by-Scene

9. The Treatment

10. The Dialogue Continuity

11. Specific Writing Formats

12. Fundamental Requirements

13. Getting Feedback

14. Exercises

Conclusion

Glossary

Index of Works

Index of Names

Bibliography

The study of narrative structure has long been a central concern in screenwriting and dramatic theory, drawing upon principles that date back to classical understandings of plot and character. Constructing a Story by Yves Lavandier addresses components of the writing process, including the development of character arcs, the implementation of thematic subplots, and the use of dramatic irony.

The author draws on his background as a filmmaker and educator to examine the practical aspects of crafting a narrative, ranging from the initial pitch to the final dialogue continuity. By discussing elements such as the core motif and scene-by-scene development, the book covers various narrative mechanics. Readers interested in the technical aspects of screenwriting and the application of narrative mechanics across theatre, cinema, and television may find this examination of the creative process relevant to their own practice.