![]() ![]() What impact might misguided motivations have on your character - and how can this be used to create tension?.What motivates your characters, and how might these motivations be challenged in the course of your story?.Who in your cast of characters do you want your readers to sympathize with most - and how might subverting this create tension in your story arc?.Who are your antagonists and how will their development impact on the narrative and your protagonists?.Who are your protagonists and how might they grow or diminish to create tension.To get the most out of the 5 Ws, you need to ask yourself a set of questions that will guide the way that your plot develops: Build Your Story Arc with the ‘5 Ws’Įvery writer should be familiar with the 5 Ws - Who, What, Where, When and Why - but you may not have realized how much power they can wield when you’re building your story arc. It doesn’t have to be a complete resolution (although some readers prefer that), but there does need to be some kind of resolution.Įxpert Advice on Creating a Powerful Story Arc 1. Finally, the end provides a resolution.The middle builds the tension and increases the emotional investment from the reader. ![]() The beginning sets the scene and introduces the characters and theme of the novel.When these ingredients are used effectively, you have a powerful story arc that keeps your readers hooked - which is what every author (should) want.Īs far back as Aristotle (4th Century BCE), the great writers have understood that the formula for an effective story arc involves a beginning, a middle and an end. If you consult a dictionary for a definition of a story arc, you’ll see something like this: “(in a novel, play or movie) the development or resolution of the narrative or principal theme” (Oxford English Dictionary).Īs something that develops and then resolves, the story arc has a shape to it - and the things that give it its shape are rising and falling emotion and tension, and character development. Without it, you have a story that meanders around, getting nowhere, and it doesn’t matter how beautiful your prose is - without a story arc, you’ll leave your readers woefully dissatisfied. Your story arc is what gives your novel structure and makes it satisfying for your readers. Authors are often divided over the issue of whether to plan out a whole novel in detail or just start writing - but one thing that all writers agree on is the need for a powerful story arc. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |