• How to form your story’s basic structure
In every story, something happens. These events form the structure of your tale. Plot, then, is the drama and action through which characters come to life.
• Start your story with solid narrative hook
One sign of a good opener is that it makes the reader want to continue with the story. Using a fishing metaphor, a good opener “hooks” the reader.
• Unfold action to develop a stronger story
Most stories unfold in the same way: The main character encounters a problem, he attempts in various ways to overcome the problem, and ultimately he succeeds.
• Add ‘big scenes’ to give story some oomph
Ever read a story before bed and find it so gripping that you stay up far later than you should just to find out what is going to happen? If so, you’ve been a “victim” of narrative drive.
• Basic guidelines for your story’s rising action
When developing the rising action section of your story, there a few simple guidelines to follow. Ensuring these guidelines aren’t violated will help keep the story moving forward and increase the dramatic tension.
• Consider using counterplotting in your novel
One solid plotting strategy for a long novel – though it also will work in a novella or a long short story – is to split the main characters into two groups and alternate the focus of scenes or chapters between them. The two groups then reunite at the story’s climax. This technique is called counterplotting.
• Write your story’s penultimate scene
In every story, there comes a turning point or an ultimate moment in which the situation has become so intolerable that the main character must take a decisive step and emerge victorious. This scene is known as the climax.
• Descend the mountain with falling action
Though your story may have reached its climax, the tale isn’t over yet. The author also should briefly describe the effects that the climax has on the characters. This section of the story is known as the “falling action.” It’s what happens to the main character as he descends the mountain that he has spent the entire story climbing.
• Make final words of your story count
After the story’s falling action comes another brief section that wraps up the story. This conclusion is known as the denouement (pronounced “day-noo-mon”).
______________________
My name is Rob Bignell. I’m an affordable, professional editor who runs Inventing Reality Editing Service, which meets the manuscript needs of writers both new and published. I also offer a variety of self-publishing services. During the past 15 years, I’ve helped more than 400 novelists and nonfiction authors obtain their publishing dreams at reasonable prices. I’m also the author of the Storytelling 101 writing guidebooks, four nonfiction hiking guidebook series, and the literary novel Windmill. Several of my short stories in the literary and science fiction genres also have been published.
Check out some of my guidebooks for plotting your story:
Discover more from Inventing Reality Editing Service
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.