John Yorke's 10 Questions

1. Whose story is it? 
2. What is your character's flaw or what do they need?
3. What is the inciting incident?
4. What does your character want?
5. What obstacles are in the character’s way?
6. Why should we care?
7. What's at stake?
8. What do they learn? 
9. How and why? 
10. How does it end? 

Watch John Yorke explain the 10 Questions in detail below...

John Yorke created the BBC Drama Academy in 2005, to nurture the next generation of TV writing talent. As well as his work as a teacher and story consultant, John is also a drama producer. 

In his various roles as Controller of BBC Drama, Head of Channel 4 Drama and MD of Company Pictures, he oversaw the production of some of the UK’s best loved, award winning drama, including Shameless, EastEnders, Life on Mars, and Wolf Hall.  

John Yorke is also the author of the acclaimed screenwriting book Into the Woods – How Stories Work and Why We Tell Them and follow up Trip to the Moon, released in 2026. 

Below you can also find a new video interview with John where he discusses how he came up with the 10 Questions, what makes them effective, as well as more detailed findings from his research into story structure.