Secrets for Telling A Great Story

1.  WHO, WHEN, AND WHERE?

        Begin in the middle of the action

        Introduce characters

        Show, don’t tell.

2.  EVENTS LEADING UP TO A PROBLEM 

        Sequence of important events

       Add details to enhance story development

3.  THE PROBLEM is introduced.   

       Conflict is the essence of drama.  The more difficult the problem (or villain) is, 

        the more successful your story will be.  Don’t make things easy for your protagonist. 

4.  MINOR PROBLEMS are introduced. 

        The goal of the protagonist is established but new problems have arisen

        to make that goal harder to reach.

5.  RESOLUTION – how to end the story

        The protagonist must solve the problem in a satisfactory way.  

          The protagonist must solve the problem.  The reader will feel cheated

           if the problem is solved by parents, police, weather, or a lucky turn of events.