NOVEL TREATMENT & STORY BIBLE
TITLE: Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said
GENRE: Dystopian science fiction, psychological thriller
TARGET: 85,000 words
LOGLINE: A famous television host loses his identity in a dystopian society controlled by surveillance and martial law
THEME: Identity, Surveillance, Reality, Privilege, Grief, Alienation
- NARRATIVE STRUCTURE OVERVIEW
ACT 1: THE DISAPPEARANCE
CH 1: The Famous Man (POV: Jason Taverner)
– The Encounter (Tension: 20%): Jason Taverner has a chance encounter with Kathy Sweetscent.
– The Disappearance (Tension: 50%): Taverner wakes up to find that no one recognizes him.
ACT 2: THE SEARCH
CH 2: The Investigation (POV: Felix Buckman)
– The Inquiry (Tension: 30%): Buckman begins to investigate Taverner’s disappearance.
– The Underground (Tension: 40%): Taverner seeks help from Kathy Sweetscent and her connections.
ACT 3: THE REVELATION
CH 3: The Truth (POV: Ruth Rae)
– The Interrogation (Tension: 80%): Ruth Rae is interrogated by Buckman’s team.
– The Explanation (Tension: 90%): The authorities learn about the artificial organism or psychological phenomenon connected to Kathy Sweetscent.
ACT 4: THE RESOLUTION
CH 4: The New Reality (POV: Jason Taverner)
– The New Identity (Tension: 20%): Taverner creates a new identity and regains access to society.
– The Reflection (Tension: 30%): Buckman reflects on his investigation and the human cost of the system.