Dan’s Writing Blog

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All creative writers are bound to an invisible law of journalism. There is nothing new about a story structure; only the plot is new. These things are laid in stone. But after this lesson, you will see that story structure is far more than the initial breakdown:

· Exposition – the beginning, what the story is about

· Conflict – conflict with man vs. man, man vs. nature, or man vs. internal conflict

· Climax

· Resolution

If you Google “story structure,” you will find variations of the story structure. You may see conclusion, conflict, plot, or conclusion, climax, theme. The basic answer is the same, regardless of how it is worded. All of these things are necessary to the story line.

But you must expound on the following things, no matter what kind of story you are writing:

· Point of View

· Plot

· Theme

· Setting

· Characterization

· Dialog

· Action

· Writing style

· Genre

If you want to transfer your reader from their sofa or chair to the scene in your mind, you must use settings. This can be anything from an open window with a curtain blowing in the breeze to a murder scene in progress. The best idea is to open midway of an action scene. This manipulation will hook your reader quicker than any other.

Most writers don’t know the difference between plot and theme. Plot usually refers to the main, climactic scene. But theme = the not so easily seen driving force and motivation. Flopping curtains will only be part of the setting, but it will lead to the larger picture, the plot. Each time an event occurs, ask yourself questions: “Why is the window open? How did the window get opened? Such questions lead to the theme. Answer these questions: who, what, where, when, why, how. If you answer these questions, you will find the theme that is driving the story.

How the reader sees the story will be told through the point of view. The reader will see the story through your eyes if you use first person point of view (I went to the store… ). The reader will see through the character’s eyes in third person point of view, (He went to the shop… ). The whims of editors turn; while most newbs like to write in first person, third person will sell best. If you want to sell, you must follow what the editors are buying.

A few words on the above: Characterization – concentrate on attitudes, quirks, failures, and descriptions. If you use accent in dialog, don’t make it the main character. Settings: use scenes that directly involve the plot or theme.