Part1 Developing Your Characters and Plot

1

Brainstorm to find an interesting character or plot. The spark from your story might come from a character you think would be interesting, an interesting place, or a concept for a plot. Write down your thoughts or make a mind map to help you generate ideas. Then, pick 1 to develop into a story. Here are some inspirations you might use for a story:[1]

• Your life experiences

• A story you heard

• A family story

• A “what if” scenario

• A news story

• A dream

• An interesting person you saw

• Photographs

• Art

2

Develop your characters by making character sheets. Characters are the most essential element of your story. Your reader should relate to your characters, and your characters should be driving your story. Make profiles for your characters by writing their name, personal details, description, traits, habits, desires, and most interesting quirks. Provide as much detail as you can.[2]

• Do the sheet for your protagonist first. Then, make character sheets for your other main characters, like the antagonist. Characters are considered main characters if they play a major role in the story, such as influencing your main character or affecting the plot.

• Figure out what your characters want or what their motivation is. Then, base your plot around your character either getting what they want or being denied it.[3]

• You can create your own character sheets or find templates online.

3

Choose a setting for your story. The setting is when and where your story takes place. Your setting should influence your story in some way, so pick a setting that adds to your plot. Consider how this setting would impact your characters and their relationships.[4]

• For example, a story about a girl who wants to become a doctor would go much differently if it were told in the 1920s instead of 2019. The character would need to overcome additional obstacles, like sexism, due to the setting. However, you might use this setting if your theme is perseverance because it allows you to show your character pursuing her dreams against societal norms.

• As another example, setting a story about camping deep in an unfamiliar forest will create a different mood than putting it in the main character's backyard. The forest setting might focus on the character surviving in nature, while the backyard setting may focus on the character's family relationships.

Warning: When you pick your setting, be careful about choosing a time period or place that's unfamiliar to you. It's easy to get details wrong, and your reader may catch your errors.

4

Create an outline for your plot. Making a plot outline will help you know what to write next. Additionally, it helps you fill in any plot holes before you begin. Use your brainstorming exercise and character sheets to plot out your story. Here are some ways you can make your outline:[5]

• Create a plot diagram consisting of an exposition, inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.

• Make a traditional outline with the main points being individual scenes.

• Summarize each plot and turn it into a bullet list.

5

Choose a first person or third person point-of-view (POV). POV can change the entire perspective of the story, so choose wisely. Choose 1st person POV to get really close to the story. Use 3rd person limited POV if you want to focus on 1 character but want enough distance from the story to add your own interpretations to events. As another option, pick 3rd person omniscient if you want to share everything that’s happening in the story.[6]

• 1st person POV - A single character tells the story from their perspective. Because the story is the truth according to this 1 character, their account of events could be unreliable. For instance, “I tiptoed across the floor, hoping not to disturb him.”

• 3rd person limited - A narrator recounts the events of the story but limits the perspective to 1 character. When using this POV, you can’t provide the thoughts or feelings of other characters, but you can add your interpretation of the setting or events. For example, “She tiptoed across the floor, her entire body tense as she fought to stay quiet.”

• 3rd person omniscient - An all-seeing narrator tells everything that happens in the story, including the thoughts and actions of each character. As an example, “As she tiptoed across the room, he pretended to be asleep. She thought her quiet steps weren’t disturbing him, but she was wrong. Beneath the covers, he clenched his fists.”