Current Tip Struggle History Begin with the End Story Problems Situations and Stories Using Verbs With Feeling Description Choosing Topics Getting Started

July 2006: Story Problems

Last time I talked about the difference between a situation and a story. A situation is simply a problem without any resolution, without any growth or change for the character who has the problem. When a character begins to struggle to solve his problem—whether he succeeds or not—you have material for a story.

Before anyone can start writing any story, some basic planning is essential. I’m not talking about creating a story outline, though some writers do work that way. Many writers, however, perhaps most, find it important not to lock themselves in too firmly to the step-by-step progression of a plot before they begin writing. Most of us like to keep an element of surprise for ourselves as well as for our readers. That doesn’t mean, though, that most of us begin writing without any idea of where we want to go. I begin with a number of elements in mind, the most important of which is my main character, someone who has a problem.

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