Pixar's 22 Storytelling Rules Every Writer Should Know (Part 1)

Pixar's Storytelling Secrets: 22 Rules That'll Transform Your Writing

Ever wonder why Pixar movies like Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Inside Out, and Coco consistently tug at our heartstrings? Sure, the animation is stunning, but the real magic lies in their storytelling. Back in 2011, Emma Coats, a former Pixar story artist, shared 22 storytelling principles she learned at the studio on Twitter.

These 22 rules aren't just for animation—they're gold for anyone crafting stories, whether you're writing novels, screenplays, web series, comics, or even video game narratives. Let's break down each principle and see how you can apply them to your own creative work.

Part One: Building Your Story's Foundation (Rules 1-7)

1. We admire characters for trying, not for succeeding

"You admire a character for trying more than for their successes."

Woody from Toy Story isn't beloved because he's Andy's favorite toy—he's beloved because he struggles with jealousy, makes mistakes, and ultimately fights to save his friend despite his flaws. Audiences connect with characters who stumble and get back up, not perfect heroes who breeze through every challenge.

This applies to any genre. In progression fantasy or LitRPG stories, if your protagonist just steamrolls every obstacle with their cheat abilities, readers will lose interest fast. Look at stories like The Beginning After The End—readers love Arthur not because he's overpowered, but because he faces genuine moral dilemmas and painful losses.

Your takeaway: Spend more page time on your character's failures, struggles, and the messy process of getting back up than on their victories.

2. Write what's interesting to your audience, not just what's fun for you

"You gotta keep in mind what's interesting to you as an audience, not what's fun to do as a writer. They can be very different."

Many new writers confuse "the story I want to tell" with "the story readers want to read." You might find your magic system's intricate details fascinating, but spending 30 pages explaining mana circulation will bore most readers to tears.

Pixar gets this. Finding Nemo doesn't lecture about marine biology—it focuses on a father's desperate search for his son. When building your fantasy world or sci-fi setting, ask yourself: "Does my reader actually need this information right now, or am I just showing off my worldbuilding?"

Your takeaway: Constantly ask yourself what your readers genuinely want to know at each moment in your story, and what will make them keep turning pages.

3. Theme emerges at the end—then you rewrite

"Trying for theme is important, but you won't see what the story is actually about until you're at the very end of it. Now rewrite."

The theme you plan at the start often differs from what your story actually becomes. As you write, characters come alive and take unexpected turns.

For serialized web fiction, this is tricky since you're publishing as you go. But at minimum, when you finish a major arc, reread from the beginning. Ask yourself: "What is this story really about?" Then lean into that theme going forward. For traditional novels or screenplays, this is why revision is non-negotiable.

Your takeaway: Your first draft is for discovery. Your second draft is where you make everything actually mean something.

4. Every story follows this structure

"Once upon a time there was ___. Every day, ___. One day ___. Because of that, ___. Because of that, ___. Until finally ___."

Every Pixar film follows this template. And it works at every level—the overall story, individual episodes, single chapters, even individual scenes.

Example from Toy Story:

• Once upon a time, Woody was Andy's favorite toy

• Every day, he led the other toys peacefully

• One day, Buzz Lightyear arrived

• Because of that, Woody became jealous and made a terrible mistake

• Because of that, they both ended up in danger

• Until finally, they became true friends

For web novels:

• Ordinary life (mundane existence)

• Inciting incident (regression/transmigration/awakening)

• First choice (protagonist acts differently)

• Consequence (things change)

• Escalation (bigger changes ripple out)

• Resolution

Your takeaway: Test your plot against this structure. If you can't fill in these blanks, your story might lack clear causality.

5. Simplify. Cut. Combine. Focus.

"Simplify. Focus. Combine characters. Hop over detours. You'll feel like you're losing valuable stuff but it sets you free."

Beginning writers try to cram everything in: 20 characters, 10 subplots, an encyclopedia's worth of worldbuilding. The result? A scattered, confusing mess.

Pixar ruthlessly simplifies. Inside Out represents emotions with just five characters: Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, and Fear. Imagine if they'd tried to include 20 different emotions—the movie would've collapsed under its own weight.

Your takeaway: Kill your darlings. Merge redundant characters. Cut subplots that don't serve the main story. Less is more powerful.

6. Challenge your characters with their polar opposite

"What is your character good at, comfortable with? Throw the polar opposite at them. Challenge them. How do they deal?"

Remy in Ratatouille loves cooking. His biggest problem? He's a rat, and rats are banned from kitchens. This contradiction creates drama. If Remy were human, it'd just be another chef's journey story—boring.

Take a master swordsman and throw them into a magic-only arena. Give a ruthless assassin a child to protect. Force an introvert to lead. Solo Leveling's Sung Jinwoo started as the weakest E-rank hunter—that contrast with his eventual power is what made his rise so satisfying.

Your takeaway: Design challenges that attack your protagonist's weaknesses, not their strengths.

7. Know your ending before you figure out the middle

"Come up with your ending before you figure out your middle. Seriously. Endings are hard, get yours working up front."

Too many writers think "I'll figure it out as I go." Then around chapter 50, they hit a wall, go on hiatus, or force a terrible ending.

Pixar always knows the ending first. Up started with "Carl reaches Paradise Falls," then they worked backward to figure out how he'd get there.

For web serial writers, at minimum know where your current arc ends. Ideally, know your final ending too. When you know where you're going, you can plant foreshadowing and avoid narrative dead ends.

Your takeaway: If you don't know where you're sailing, any wind will take you there—and readers can tell when you're lost.

Part Two: The Writer's Mindset (Rules 8-14)

8. Finish your story, even if it's imperfect

"Finish your story, let go even if it isn't perfect. In an ideal world you have both, but move on. Do better next time."

Perfectionism kills more stories than bad writing ever will. Many aspiring authors revise chapter one ten times, then burn out and quit.

A completed 80% quality story beats an unfinished masterpiece every time. Your first work is practice. You can't learn what works until you've written "The End" at least once.

Your takeaway: Done is better than perfect. Finish the draft, then worry about making it good.

9. When stuck, list what WON'T happen next

"When you're stuck, make a list of what WOULDN'T happen next. Lots of times the material to get you unstuck will show up."

Can't figure out your next plot beat? Write down everything that absolutely won't happen: "The protagonist suddenly dies," "The love interest turns evil," "It was all a dream."

Weirdly, this reverse brainstorming often sparks ideas. One of those "impossible" scenarios usually morphs into "wait, what if I tweaked that slightly...?"

Your takeaway: When blocked, move your hands even if you're writing garbage. Motion creates momentum.

10. Dissect stories you love

"Pull apart the stories you like. What you like in them is a part of you; you've got to recognize it before you can use it."

Pick ten novels, films, or shows you love and analyze them. Why did this scene give you chills? What makes this character compelling? Why did that twist hit so hard?

If you love The Stormlight Archive, dig into why. Is it the character redemption arcs? The intricate magic system? The exploration of mental health? Those elements reveal your strengths as a writer.

Also analyze stories you hate. "Why didn't this work?" teaches you what to avoid.

Your takeaway: Your taste is a compass pointing toward your unique voice.

11. Put it on paper or it doesn't exist

"Putting it on paper lets you start fixing it. If it stays in your head, a perfect idea, you'll never share it with anyone."

"I have this amazing idea but I haven't written it yet" is creative purgatory. Ideas in your head always seem flawless. Written ideas reveal their flaws—which means you can fix them.

Write chapter one. Scribble an outline. Use a writing tool like Novella to structure your thoughts. Just get something tangible out of your brain.

Your takeaway: A bad first draft beats a perfect idea in your head every time. You can't edit a blank page.

12. Throw out your first idea. And your second. And third.

"Discount the 1st thing that comes to mind. And the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th – get the obvious out of the way. Surprise yourself."

"Time traveler uses future knowledge to get rich"—too obvious. "Person reincarnates into a novel they read"—been done to death.

Your first idea is usually cliché because everyone thinks of it. Push deeper. Pixar's early concept for Coco was "American boy visits Mexico." Generic, right? Multiple revisions later, it became "Boy enters the Land of the Dead to understand his family's past."

Your takeaway: If an idea doesn't surprise you, it won't surprise your readers.

13. Give characters strong opinions

"Give your characters opinions. Passive/malleable might seem likable to you as you write, but it's poison to the audience."

The most frustrating protagonist is one who constantly waffles: "I don't know what to do... is this right...?" while never making decisions.

Give your characters clear values and convictions. They can be wrong—that's what character growth is for. Kim Dokja from Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint has a clear belief: "The story must continue." That belief drives every choice he makes.

Your takeaway: Even flawed convictions are better than wishy-washy indecision. Let your characters be wrong sometimes.

14. Why MUST you tell this story?

"Why must you tell THIS story? What's the belief burning within you that your story feeds off of? That's the heart of it."

Writing for money or popularity is fine, but you need at least one story that you're burning to tell. That passion is what carries you through the hard middle when motivation fades.

Every Pixar film contains personal experience. Up emerged from the director's grief over losing his father. Inside Out came from watching his daughter navigate adolescence.

What story are you desperate to tell? Maybe it's about overcoming trauma, or finding belonging, or questioning authority. That emotional core is what transforms competent writing into something that resonates.

Your takeaway: Trend-chasing is smart, but inject your genuine passion into it. Readers can feel the difference between formula and conviction.

To be continued...

We'll cover the remaining rules with more practical applications in the next post!