# Two Essays, One Book – Memory Card #62 👋🏻 I started reading *Story* by Robert McKee yesterday. Not to be hyperbolic out of the gate, but *Story* is coming off to me like a [sacred Jedi text](https://youtu.be/f0tPf5ZyFd0?si=lW3SaQQB0IXSxSWD). I am asking myself "how have I even dared to think about storytelling critically without fully understanding how stories are or should be made?" 😅 I think I'll be extending my library's copy and read the whole thing. Joking aside, McKee put things I know in my gut into words on a page and that is powerful. I can see how this would help me dissect and analyze works, while also improving my own writing. I'm gonna just go out on a limb and echo the recommendations I have flagged over the years—read *Story* if you are interested in the craft. Now, I went in to read Chapter 5 "Structure and Character" for my essay on *God of War: Ragnarök*, but I find myself digging up nuggets for that essay and my *Memento/The Last of Us Part II* project. > "Structure and character are interlocked...If you change one, you change the other. **If you change the event design, you have also changed character**..." I mean, come on, if that isn't *perfect* for my *Memento/The Last of Us Part II* idea and recutting a story into chronological order, I don't know what quote will be. Until next time... > [!email]+ Memory Card Newsletter > This letter is one block from the newsletter **[Memory Card](https://buttondown.com/MaxFrequency)** by [Max Roberts](https://www.maxfrequency.net/about). Thoughts? Send *me* an email at [email protected]. > > Max is the writer and producer behind [Max Frequency](https://www.maxfrequency.net), a place where he cultivates and curates curiosity—both for himself and for others—by delighting in the details and growing greatness from small beginnings. > > He's written a [[Chasing the Stick - The History of Naughty Dog during the PS4 Era|rich history and dive on the making of Naughty Dog's The Last of Us Part II]], celebrated the [[MFP23 - “A Passion for Smash” – Celebrating 15 Years of Super Smash Bros. Brawl with Peter Spezia|15th anniversary of Super Smash Bros. Brawl with the voice behind its hype]], and examined how [Zelda "stole" Fortnite's best mechanic](https://youtu.be/kc2l_9Fdpek). > > **Memory Card** is a real-ish time, raw, drip feed newsletter of his creative process for telling these stories. It’s *how* The Thing™ gets made. You can sign up below. (Look down) > > It's all powered by [Max Frequency](https://www.maxfrequency.net) and [patrons](https://www.patreon.com/maxfrequency). > > Wanna see The Thing™? [Check it out on YouTube](https://youtube.com/MaxRobertsEssays). Read it on [The Blog](https://www.maxfrequency.net). > <iframe scrolling="no" style="width:100%!important;height:220px;border:1px #ccc solid !important" src="https://buttondown.com/MaxFrequency?as_embed=true"></iframe>