Are you writing a story? Here are some tips for planning.
Learn how to give your story a beginning, middle and end.
NARRATOR
How to create a story structure.
Every story needs a plot – an exciting series of events. Most stories follow a simple structure that is called ‘the story mountain’, but obviously all stories don’t have to have a mountain in them. The foot of the mountain is your opening, where you introduce your hero and start setting the scene.
Ah, a knight! A perfect character for your story.
Your next stage takes you up the story mountain. It’s called the ‘build up’. Here you build up the main body of the story. A plot will always be engaging if you add in a conflict, a fight, or a mystery to solve!
It seems that the evil wizard in the castle on the other side of the mountain has kidnapped the heir to the throne. What a rascal!
Our knight must do something about this!
Now you’re at the top of the mountain where the story… (clears throat) …peaks, and our characters encounter a major problem, obstacle or dilemma.
A dragon! I would consider that a fairly big obstacle. And the evil wizard has an army as well? Goodness me. How is the knight ever going to get past them? Is our knight going to be roasted alive like a metal kebab? This is the most thrilling part of the story. Be sure to keep your readers in suspense.
Next, we need a resolution. How does your character deal with the dilemma? This is the point at which your character has to solve or resolve a problem to reach their goal. It’s a good idea to try and make your resolution unusual and original.
Well, I didn’t see that coming! Serves your right, you weasel!
At the bottom of the mountain is the ending and conclusion of your story, with everything resolved. Just because it’s the end, doesn’t mean you can’t be creative. You could add an unexpected twist!
Your story needs to engage the audience with an exciting plot and keep them engaged from the opening, through the build up, problem and resolution, right up to the ending on the final page, and beyond.
Now, I think I’ll have a wild boar and cabbage special sandwich, but on brown bread or white…
Oh… black it is!
The plot is what will happen in your story.
The story mountain
- Opening - Start your story with an interesting main character and decide where the story is going to take place.
- Build up - What is going to happen in your story? Add in some problems or a mystery to solve.
- Problem - Pick what the main problem or obstacle will be - like a dragon or an evil wizard!
- Resolution - How does your character deal with the problem? How will they solve it?
- Ending - What happens to your character? You could add an unexpected twist!
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