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Apr 10, 2022 · Learn the basic elements of a story, such as characters, setting, theme, tone, point of view, conflict, and plot. Find out how to use these elements to create engaging and well-developed stories in any genre.
- Setting. The first of the story elements is the story setting. All stories have a setting. The setting includes the time and place in which the story will be taking place.
- Characters. The next of the elements of a story is the characters. Of course, characters are one of the most important elements of a novel or short story.
- Conflict. Nobody wants to read a novel or short story without conflict – so you’ll find every story will have some sort of conflict. What would be the point?
- Theme. The next of the story elements is theme. The theme is the author’s central argument or big idea they want to convey. Themes are often associated with a ‘moral of a story’ or an analogy (a hidden meaning in the text).
- Theme. Before you can work out what’s driving your characters or your plot, it helps to know what’s driving you to write this story in the first place.
- Characters. Your characters give your story the depth it needs to keep readers wanting more — they are, quite literally, the life force of your story.
- Setting. The setting is the world in which your story will take place — this includes the broader locations and time, as well as more specific details like your characters’ school or workplace.
- Plot. Now we’re getting to the main event — the plot, aka the things that actually happen in your story. In almost all genres (the exception being literary fiction), as your story progresses, the stakes for your protagonist escalate and lead to an inevitable climax.
- Characters. Characters are the most familiar element in stories. Every story has at least one main character. Stories can also have multiple secondary characters, such as supporting characters and villain/s.
- Setting. Settings in stories refer to three things: Location, Time Period and Mood. The easiest element to understand is location. Location is the physical place/s the story takes part in mostly.
- Plot. The plot explains what a story is about from beginning to end. It can contain multiple scenes and events. In its simplest form, a plot has a beginning, middle and end.
- Conflict. A story is not a story without conflict. Conflict is also a key part of a story’s plot (see section above). The purpose of conflict in stories is to challenge your characters and push them to their limits.
- Characters. Your characters are the people who make the story happen — or to whom the story happens. Depending on the length of your story, those can include the following but must have at least the first of them.
- Setting. The setting of a story deals with the where and when — the places your characters go, the era in which the story happens, the time of the year, the times of a day, and so on.
- Plot. In 1863, German playwright and novelist Gustave Freytag wrote Die Technik des Dramas in defense of the 5-act dramatic structure. His study gave us what we call Freytag’s Pyramid, which breaks down the plot of a story into five key elements
- Conflict. Conflict in a story is so important to its success, it deserves its own place on the list of foundational elements. Without conflict, you might as well write about your favorite character eating nachos and watching paint dry.
Dec 11, 2023 · Learn the 8 elements of a story, from basic to advanced, with definitions, examples, and tips. Find out how to use setting, character, plot, conflict, theme, point-of-view, tone, and style to create compelling stories.
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Learn what are the essential elements of a story, such as protagonist, antagonist, setting, perspective, and more. See examples from classic and modern literature and how to use them in your own writing.
