1. Plot The plot serves as the backbone of any story, making it a crucial story element in your writing journey. It consists of a series of events that unfold in a specific sequence, and each event must be connected—one leading naturally to the next. Think of the plot as the thread that weaves your narrative together; without it, your story would simply be a collection of unrelated happenings.
Plot Structures There are many different methods to structure a plot. Below are just a few examples:
Three Act Structure The three act structure is a popular plot structure that is often used in movies and television. It is made up of the following parts:
Act One: The SetupAct Two: The ConfrontationAct Three: The ResolutionWhile many stories do not strictly adhere to this structure, it can be a useful tool for writers to keep in mind when plotting their story.
Hero's Journey The 12 steps of the Hero's Journey conceptualized by Christopher Vogler
One of the most popular methods is the Hero's Journey, which was first outlined by Joseph Campbell. Christopher Vogler's version of the Hero's Journey consists of twelve parts:
The Ordinary World The Call to Adventure Refusal of the Call Meeting the Mentor Crossing the Threshold Tests, Allies, and Enemies Approach to the Inmost Cave The Ordeal Reward (Seizing the Sword) The Road Back Resurrection Return with the Elixir Freytag's Pyramid
Another popular method is Freytag's Pyramid, which was created by German writer Gustav Freytag. It consists of five parts:
Exposition Rising Action Climax Falling Action Resolution – the story's conflict is resolved.Character Arcs One of the most important aspects of a story is how a character changes in a character arc . Characters can undergo positive arcs, negative arcs, or flat arcs.
Positive Character Arc Negative Character Arc – The main character starts out as being good or sympathetic but becomes worse throughout the story.Flat Character Arc – The main character does not undergo any significant change throughout the story. They instead affect change within the supporting characters.Plot Points Scenes are individual moments that make up a plot. Every scene needs to move the story's plot forward. Below are a list of plot points and scenes that are found in many narratives:
Hook first scene in a story and is what grabs the reader's attention. It sets up the story's conflict and introduces the story's main characters.Prologue Inciting Incident Midpoint – The midpoint is a turning point in the story where the main character starts to take action to resolve the story's conflict.Climax suspenseful moment where the main character's efforts to resolve the story's conflict come to a head.Resolution – The resolution is the story's conclusion where the story's conflict is resolved.Epilogue 2. Character Characters are the story's driving force and are the one story element essential to making a story come to life. They can be human, animal, or even objects that possess human-like qualities. Every character serves a purpose to move the plot forward and should be developed with depth and complexity.
Characterization Characterization is the process of creating a character. To build a character with depth, they need to have the following:
Personality – A personality is a set of characteristics that makes up a character's identity.Appearance – A character's appearance can affect how they are perceived by other characters and the story's audience. This can be conveyed through character descriptions and mannerisms .Backstory Motivation Goals – Every character should have a goal, or something they are striving to achieve. A character's goal drives their story forward.Flaws Voice – A character's voice is how they speak and think. It should be unique to them and remain consistent throughout the story.Character Types The many different character types found in stories have specific roles and attributes that provide depth to the story. Each character in a story can have one or more of the roles below:
Protagonist Antagonist Secondary Characters – Secondary characters are the story's supporting cast. They help further the story's plot and provide assistance to the story's main characters.Anti-Hero Archetypes Static and Dynamic Characters – Static characters are those who do not change throughout the story. Dynamic characters are those who undergo some sort of change or growth.3. Setting The story's setting is the time and place where the story takes place. The story setting can have a significant impact on the story itself. It can affect the story's mood, tone, and atmosphere. It can also provide context for the story's events.
The three aspects to consider in a setting are:
Physical Location – Is your story set in a small town? A big city? In the country? On a planet far, far away?Time – Will your story take place in the present day? The past? The future? A specific year? A specific season?Environment – Is it set in an office building? A school? A forest? Underwater?4. Genre The story's genre is the category it fits into. There are many different genres of stories, each with their own set of conventions. Identifying the story's genre can help to determine what elements are necessary for the story and what elements your audience expects.
5. Dialogue Dialogue is the conversation between the story's characters. It can be used to further the story's plot, develop the story's characters, and create tension.
6. Theme A story's theme is the underlying message or moral of the story. It is what the story is trying to say about a particular subject.
7. Tone The story's tone is the overall feeling or mood of the story. It can be used to create a specific atmosphere within the story.
8. Point of View The story's point of view is the perspective from which the story is being told. Below are different perspectives a story can be told through:
First-Person Point of View In first-person point of view , the story is told through one character's perspective who is directly involved in the story's events.
Second-Person Point of View In second-person point of view, he story is told through a character's perspective who is not directly involved in the story's events.
Third-Person Point of View In third-person point of view , the story is also told from an omniscient perspective, meaning that the storyteller knows everything about all of the story's characters. There are two types of the third-person perspective:
Third-person Omniscient – the narrator has total access to all characters' thoughts and emotions.Third-person Limited Omniscient – only gives insight into a single character's mind.Bonus: Narrative Techniques These techniques are not essential story elements, but they are helpful in making your story richer and more compelling.
Plot Devices Plot devices are devices that are used to add intrigue to a story's plot. Here are a few examples:
Flashbacks Macguffins – an object that is central to the story's plot and the character's goal to obtain.Chekhov's Gun Cliffhanger – an ending that leaves the reader wanting more.Foreshadowing Exposition Red Herring Literary Devices Literary devices are devices that are used to add depth and richness to a story. Here are a few examples:
Personification Metaphor – a comparison between two dissimilar things.Simile – a comparison between two similar things.Symbolism – the use of symbols to represent ideas or concepts.Allegory – a story in which the characters and events represent abstract ideas.Irony – the use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning.Designing Principle A designing principle is a creative writing technique used to dictate the internal logic of how a story is told. The designing principle is the foundation for aspects of your story like the tone, plot structure, theme line, storyworld, and character arcs.
