Some people get so focused on leaving a great first impression that they seem to forget how to act like a decent human being.
Character outlining is a very important part of novel writing preparation. The more you know about your characters, the easier it is to plan and outline what happens to them, and how they act, react…
Never ignore a person who loves you and cares for you because one day you may realise you've lost the moon while counting the stars!
A Redditor recently turned to the AITA community to get some perspective on having inherited 2 kids from his late dad.
"How do you kick a ceiling by accident?!"
Uber Driver Helps Woman Escape The Clutches Of A Creepy Nice Guy - The internet has generated a huge amount of laughs from cats and FAILS. And we all out of cats.
TweetPin3EmailShare Everybody loves a good villain, but every writer knows that creating a good villain is one of the more difficult things to do. Regardless of whether you want a... Read more »
They aren't fact-checked, but they ARE entertaining as hell.
Language Arts Classroom Poster. Created by The Writing Doctor. Visit "The Write Prescription" dot com.
copyright 2008 by Gary L. Pullman The four primary elements of fiction are plot, character, setting, and theme. Associated with most of these is a cluster of related components: plot is divisible into exposition, inciting moment, rising action, turning point, falling action, moment of final suspense, and (depending upon whether the narrative is a comedy or a tragedy) resolution or catastrophe. Of course, all plots are also derived from, and developed upon, conflict. Likewise, setting is not merely a matter of a specific time and place, but it also entails the particular cultural milieu that exists in this particular time and place. Victorian London, for example, is quite different than nineteenth-century Tombstone, Arizona. Similarly, character involves motivation, various personality traits, and, usually, interrelationships among several fictional persons. Only theme is simple, rather than complex, having no subordinate constituents. Since any of these four elements is a potential starting point for a story, a writer may generate an idea for a story by considering plot, character, setting, or theme. Some writers, among them both C. S. Lewis and Stephen King, have been inspired by mental images of characters in specific situations or settings. C. S. Lewis specified the image of a fawn, or satyr, carrying an armload of parcels, as the mental picture that launched The Chronicles of Narnia, and Storm of the Century, King says, began with his imagining a strange man incarcerated in a jail cell. The placement of a character in a particular situation or setting is not a story, of course, but it is (possibly) the beginning of a story that could start by considering an interesting character. It is the starting point from which a series of questions can begin to be asked. The choice of a protagonist or an antagonist can also suggest, or even determine, the story’s counterpart as well. Once William Peter Blatty decided upon a demon—maybe Satan himself—as his story’s antagonist, an exorcist became the most logical choice of a protagonist. (Although The Exorcist is said to be based upon a true story, Blatty, as an author of fiction was free to select a character other than a priest as his protagonist, had he wished to do so; fact does not determine fiction, even when the latter is based upon the former.) Dean Koontz says he begins many of his stories by involving a character in a bizarre situation that compels him or her to react to the incidents that ensue therefrom. Many of Jesus’ parables begin as answers to his disciples’ questions concerning the meaning of the law or of right conduct in regard to particular situations. They are stories told, in other words, to impart wisdom. Their purpose is not primarily to entertain, but to instruct. Therefore, they originate as a means for expressing, in concrete terms, abstract ideas or values. They are theme-driven. The Parable of the Prodigal Son illustrates the meaning of forgiveness. The Parable of the Good Samaritan shows the meaning of loving one’s neighbor. The Parable of the Mustard Seed shows the meaning of faith. Horror stories, as cautionary tales, also often drive home a theme. Beowulf teaches the destructive and deadly effects of intertribal vengeance. The Shining shows the terrible consequences of self-absorption, self-indulgence, and child and spousal abuse. Cujo is not only about a rabid dog, but also about the devastating effects of adultery upon one’s marriage and family. Sometimes, a setting will suggest a story. It is no accident that many horror stories take place in isolated environments, total institutions, or confining spaces. What other monster but the strange troglodytes could have inhabited the cavern into which, as if into Satan’s maw, the female spelunkers enter in The Descent? What better foe could beachgoers encounter in the finny deep than the gargantuan white shark with which Peter Benchley confronts his readers in Jaws? Likewise, the rain forest in which Special Forces soldiers first encounter the camouflaged extraterrestrial in Predator fairly cries out for such a monster as its antagonist. Edgar Allan Poe’s essay, "The Philosophy of Composition," is the quintessential document, perhaps, alongside Aristotle’s Poetics, for the point of view that it is the plot that matters more than other elements (a point not always conceded by other authorities). Poe argued that a writer should commence not at the beginning of his or her story but, on the contrary, with its end, working backward in determining the sequence of actions and other details that will best lead, inevitably, toward the narrative’s climactic finale, using his own narrative poem The Raven as an example of the process. Many writers share Aristotle’s and Poe’s respect for plotting, so much so that they find themselves at a loss to put pen to paper (or, more commonly, finger to keyboard) until they have plotted the whole tale, from “A” to “Z.” (Others, such as Mark Twain, write the same way that the Who’s “Pinball Wizard” plays his game, blindly, as it were, purely “by inspiration.”) The fact that a writer can generate a story from any of the four primary elements of fiction quadruples his or her opportunities for inspiration. It does more than this, however: it also provides the writer with a way of considering, and deciding, which element he or she wants to emphasize. The author must consider whether the story highlights an individual’s actions in the face of fate (plot); personal limitations, abilities, and will (character); the effects of time, place, and culture on the understanding and development of character and the limitations imposed upon one by his or her environment (setting); or the lesson that the main character learns as a result of his or her experience, as recounted in the story (theme). The choice that the writer makes at this initial point will affect the story as a whole and how the reader understands the tale. In this sense, four possible stories confront the writer, and he or she must choose which of the four to tell. For horror story writers, Poe suggests a solution to this dilemma: pick the element that will best sustain and heighten fear and trembling. After all, that’s what horror is all about.
Looking for short story ideas that will help you get published? Check out this list of over 100 story ideas to help you write great stories.
By Christine Frazier of Better Novel Project. By Christian Frazier of Better Novel Project.
What is story conflict? Read examples from novels that show how to use different conflicts in a story to heighten tension and suspense.
Looking for short story ideas that will help you get published? Check out this list of over 100 story ideas to help you write great stories.
Memes are the best medicine.
37 Funny AF Memes For The Slightly Downtrodden - Funny memes that "GET IT" and want you to too. Get the latest funniest memes and keep up what is going on in the meme-o-sphere.
Like isn't always sunshine and rainbows.
Let's talk about the elements of story. What specific elements do succesful stories have in common? And, what elements do you want in your story?
Structuring your story can frighten some writers and confuse others, but it doesn't have to be so - here is a simple way to look at story structure.
Mountain pose can be done at a moment when you want to feel steady and grounded. When teaching the Mountain pose, we like to align and ground ourselves in this pose. It is an active pose that helps improve posture, balance, and calm focus
50+ storytelling ideas for kids. You'll find story starters, activities, tips, and more!
Boost your kids' creativity and promote imagination and adventure with these creative writing story starters. Students will love the chance to get creative!
I started eating so casually while smiling and complimenting the food and mentioning to Shaun how warm and comfortable his lap was now and then. The table went awkwardly silent.
If you’re an avid reader like we are, odds are you have spent a moment or two dreaming of writing a book of your own. Together, let’s build a community where we can help one another ach…
A collection of short and scary stories you probably don't want to read right before bed.
TweetPin1EmailShare Once you have a really great backstory for your character, you’ll probably feel like drawing a lot of attention to it from the get-go. After all, you worked so... Read more »
Looking for short story ideas that will help you get published? Check out this list of over 100 story ideas to help you write great stories.
Leanna Russell talked about her recent large-scale project Fantasy Scene: modeling & texturing approaches, background creation, lighting, and mood.
