Communication

What do you want to be sure to include in every story you write? What are the essential ingredients that help make a story coherent and compelling? According to storytelling experts, readers want two things: an emotional impact and a truth about life. If you want to satisfy these desires, the experts agree that your story needs three basic elements: a realistic and relatable protagonist, a goal that’s blocked by obstacles, and a big-picture theme. Continue reading to find out what the experts have to say about each of these basic elements of a story.

What does it mean to “write what you know”? Do you make the most of serendipity? Before you can sit down and write a story, you have to figure out what to write about. Coming up with story ideas can be hard. But, ideas are out there; you just need to know where they can be found and be sure to notice them. We’ve collected tips from several storytelling experts on how to find story ideas. Read on to get advice from Rob Biesenbach, Stephen King, and Elizabeth Gilbert.

Do you have a great idea for a story and wonder how to actually get something down on paper? Where should your mindset be? Should you map out the plot first? When you’re ready to write the first draft of your story, you’ll likely benefit from the wisdom of some experts in the field. We’ve put together some advice from Stephen King, Elizabeth Gilbert, Robert McKee, and others on the drafting mindset and specific drafting strategies. Continue reading to learn how to start writing a story.

Is a story outline the right strategy for you? What tactic makes it easier for you to “kill your darlings” when it’s time? What trait might you need to overcome to complete the last step in the writing process? We’ve drawn on the advice of several storytelling experts to distill the story-writing process into six steps. You’ll get advice on how to find story ideas, get into the right mindset, write a first draft, take a break, revise your story, and share your finished story with others. Keep reading to learn the steps in writing a story with insights from

If you have a beginning, a middle, and an end, do you have a story? Is that all there is to story structure? Story-writing experts generally agree that effective stories loosely follow the same pattern. This is called story structure, and most everyone knows that the basic story structure is beginning-middle-end. But, it’s not quite that simple. Read more to get advice from Rob Biesenbach and Robert McKee on how to leverage the basic story structure for the greatest impact.

What difference can symbolism make in a story? When and how is it appropriate and functional? Each story should have a protagonist with a goal, obstacles to the protagonist’s goal, and a theme. But, above and beyond those basic elements, you should infuse complexity into a story to make it more compelling and interesting. Symbolism is one way to do this. Keep reading to get advice from Stephen King and Thomas C. Foster on how and when to use symbolism in a story.