Story Outlining¶

Every story has a beginning, a middle, and an end. You want all main points and points in between to be delicious to the reader, whether those points are a salty or sweet kind of delicious.

Story Structure: 7 Narrative Structures All Writers Should Know

How to Start a Story¶

There are a million ways to start your story, but at the end of the day, you want to be mindful of what your story's beginning needs to do for the plot, the characters, and the reader.

Once you know what the beginning needs to accomplish, you can easily brainstorm the best way for the start of your story to fulfill its purpose.

Remember the Beginning's Purpose¶

When writing the beginning of a story, remember what you are trying to accomplish.

Maybe you need to introduce certain characters and who they fundamentally are. Maybe you need to introduce a fantasy world and a magic system that will play a big role in the overarching story. Maybe you want to hook your reader's attention with something really interesting and will keep them reading more.

Or maybe the beginning of your tale needs to somehow do all three of these things.

Take a moment to jot down a list of the things you want the start of your story to accomplish for the story and the reader. Then expand upon that list to brainstorm ways a narrative, scene, or dialogue might accomplish those things.

Introductions¶

Start your story with a series of introductions. Introduce the reader to the most important parts of your story and the things they need to know off the bat.

For example, you might introduce them to your fearless hero with a scene showing your hero saving a friend from some bullies. Now we know who our hero clearly is and the kind of person they are.

Think about the main things you want to introduce to the reader first and then brainstorm the type of scene that will best introduce those elements to the reader in a "showing not telling" kind of way.

Origin Story¶

If your story has important background information then you can start with the origin story of the world or a main character. You could also do this in a prologue before the main timeline of the story starts in chapter one. But you can also start your first chapter by outlining the important origins of something.

Flashes, Dreams, and Memories¶

You can also start your book out with an important flashback into the past, a flash forward into the future, in the lucid landscape of a foreboding dream, or with the reminiscing of a key memory.

This can be a great way to "time travel" with the reader without actually stepping foot narratively out of your character's present timeline.

If your character or world has a key memory or premonition that is important to the plot later down the road, this could also be a great way to convey that information from the start.

Mid-Action, In Medias Res¶

Also known as in medias res, starting in the middle of the action can be a great way to get your audience hooked right away and keep impatient readers from bouncing out after the first page.

I personally love medias res because as a reader, you're immediately seeing the most exciting parts of the story up front. This can be a great early sneak peek into the depths of excitement the book has to offer overall.

Many manhwas have started implementing a type of medias res flash forward at the start of their stories to help promote the story and hook readers with insight into what all the story eventually has to offer.

So remember that you can combine some of these ideas for how to start a story to create an interesting combination all your own.

Ask a Question¶

By starting with a question you can immediately give your book an inquisitive tone. This can also be an effective way to quickly establish the theme of your tale.

Themes are important questions the story intends to help readers think more deeply about.

You might not have a certain or complete answer to life's biggest questions as a humble writer, but you can certainly bring to light all the many variables involved in universal questions for a reader to stew over as they consume your work.

Posing a thoughtful question that relates to a character's journey and struggles can be a great way to start your story off with some very strong theme work.

Symbolism¶

Another great way to start your story off with some strong theme work is to introduce your theme's symbolism from the start.

We all remember high school English when we'd read great works of literature and talk at length about why the curtains were red or the complex symbolism in the letter A.

Symbolism can be a magic all your own so long as you make the symbols clear enough for the reader to glean some kind of understanding from it.

For example, maybe a meadow full of flowers will represent the innocence of your main character. Maybe meadows come into play later in the story when a battlefield reminds the main character of a more sinister version of her meadow back home. And maybe after all her battles are won, she finds her meadow still intact upon her return.

Introduce your own symbolism at the start of your story and call back to it throughout to help drive home the theme.

Narration, Description, Dialogue¶

There are, in many ways, three components to writing stories: narration, description, and dialogue.

Narration is the prose that dictates what is going on to the reader in a way that hopefully facilitates the "reader's trance" as they stop noticing the act of reading and get lost in the world you are creating. You can start your story with narration to introduce the storyteller, their voice, and the tone or mood of the writing.

Description is the adjective-filled sibling of narration. Descriptive writing is how you set the scene or paint a picture for the reader. It's how you describe what characters look like, what they're wearing, what the room looks like, or what the mood of a specific scene feels like. You can start your story with description to help introduce characters, settings, or the atmosphere of a starting scene.

Dialogue is the words spoken by the characters, usually written inside quotation marks. It's how you convey to the reader what is said out loud in a story by the characters. You can start your story with dialogue to introduce characters, how they speak, their relationships with one another, and interpersonal struggles or conflicts between the people in your story.

Plot Structure¶

My Plot Structure¶

Beginning (stasis)¶

Hook (starting hook, grab reader's attention)
Introductions (the world, the characters)
Set Up (set the foundation for the action to rise)

Now is the time for introductions.

Here you are establishing the investment the reader will later feel in the story, the characters, and what happens to them.

The beginning should introduce the themes, motifs, lessons, and purposes the book is going to later delve into more deeply.

The beginning should introduce the characters and the world to bring the reader into the loop of the universe they are in.

The beginning should make promises about: - The genre and subgenres (the type of book this is) - What kind of ending you can expect - What kind of emotions you can expect to feel

How are the characters now?

Are there new things in the middle or end of the book that should introduced in the beginning? Is there anything in the middle or end that seem to come out of left field that should be foreshadowed in the beginning?

Middle (change)¶

Rising Action (adventures and conflicts begin)
Minor Conflicts (first obstacles, smaller enemies)
Climax (major conflict, boss fight)

Now is the time to have many decisions before you and many things to think about and many emotions to feel.

Here you are delving deeper into the themes, motifs, lessons, and purposes of the book.

What will make the characters change?

In the middle of the book, everything should reach its turning point, the characters' development and the plot.

End (new stasis)¶

Falling Action (success or failure)
Resolution (a new stasis, growth and learning)
Continuation (ending hook, hook readers to keep reading)

Now is the time to make decisions and come to conclusions about how we think and feel.

Here you are reintroducing the new status quo, overviewing all that has changed, and introducing all the new questions, thoughts, fears, doubts the new stasis gives the main characters.

How has the main character changed? How has their world changed?

In the end of the book, things should come to conclusions, promises made to the reader should be met, some amount of answers and closure should be given even if you are also setting up a hook for the reader to keep reading the next book.

Three Act Structure¶

ACT 1 - Set Up¶

Exposition
Inciting Incident
Plot Point 1

ACT 2 - Confrontation¶

Rising Action
Midpoint
Plot Point 2

ACT 3 - Resolution¶

Preclimax
Climax
Denouement (dust settles, all made clear, strands of the plot drawn together)

8-Point Arc Structure¶

Story Arc Structure¶

How to Write Conflict¶

Every story needs some riveting conflict. The pain, the struggle, the unknown is what keeps the story going and keeps your readers interested in what's going to happen next and how the problems will be resolved.

Person vs Self¶

Person vs self, or man vs self, is a type of internal conflict between the main character and their own self.

An example of this type of conflict might be if the main character is internally conflicted about their feelings for someone or a decision they made.

This conflict might be shown to the reader through dialogue the main character has with people they trust or through narrating the main character's warring thoughts.

Person vs Person¶

Person vs person, or man vs man, is a type of exterior conflict between two people.

An example of this type of conflict might be if the main character has an antagonist working against them or a friend they are having a fight with.

This conflict might be shown to the reader through descriptions of the actions these two characters take and their argumentative dialogue with each other.

Person vs Society¶

Person vs society, or man vs society, is a type of exterior conflict between the main character and their society or community.

An example of this type of conflict might be if the main character goes against their family's traditions or goes against a social norm.

This conflict might be shown to the reader through the internal conflict the main character experiences as they decide to go against society in some way and the societal consequences they experience as a result.

Person vs Nature¶

Person vs nature, or man vs nature, is a type of exterior conflict between the main character and the forces of nature.

An example of this type of conflict might be if the main character is stranded on an island and has to learn to survive.

This conflict might be shown to the reader through personifying nature, nature-related symbolism, or lots of descriptive language around nature and events that happen to the main character.

Person vs Machine (Technology)¶

Person vs machine, or man vs machine, is a type of conflict between the main character and machines, robots, computers, or technology.

An example of this type of conflict might be if the main character lives in a society that created robots that turn against humankind.

This conflict might be shown to the reader through extensive world building.

Person vs Fate¶

Person vs fate, or man vs fate, is a type of conflict between the main character and their destiny or fate.

An example of this type of conflict might be if a main character is destined through a prophecy to overthrow their friend and take over the throne one day.

This conflict might be shown to the reader through internal struggles, narrated thoughts, and whatever parts of society might be pressuring this destiny or fate onto the main character.

Person vs Supernatural¶

Person vs supernatural, or man vs supernatural, is a type of conflict between the main character and supernatural or magical forces.

An example of this type of conflict might be if the main character is cursed by an all powerful god and must seek a way to break the magic placed on them.

This conflict might be shown to the reader through events and interpersonal struggles between the main character and entities that are supernatural, magical, or powerful in some kind of fantastical way.

Major and Minor Conflicts¶

Whatever kind of conflicts your story includes, don't forget to include both major and minor conflicts throughout the story.

Major conflicts are big problems connected to major plot points in the story. They are usually the main problem for your characters to overcome.

Minor conflicts are small problems and obstacles scattered throughout the rest of the story. They often show the ongoing journey your characters go through on their way to solve the major conflict.

Both types of conflicts are important to keep your reader interested from chapter to chapter and in the book as a whole.

How to End a Story¶

There are also many things to consider in order to create a good ending to a story. The ending needs to be satisfying in some way and involve some matter of resolution. Even story endings that aren't happy need to have something to leave the reader with, be it something to think about or feel.

Questions to Ask Yourself: - Does the ending have a satisfying resolution to the story's main conflict? - Does the ending's resolution feel earned? Has the plot naturally led to this outcome or does the ending feel forced or out of nowhere? - Has the story's promises to the reader been fulfilled? Has the reader's expectations been met? Has the story delivered on the present themes, foreshadowing, and expectations set up earlier? - How have the characters changed? How have they grown? What have the characters learned or failed to learn? - What emotions do you want the ending to evoke in the reader? Should they feel sad, happy, thoughtful, or compelled to keep reading if there's a next book? - And finally, what kind of ending do you want your story to have?

Happy Ending¶

The goal is accomplished and things are better now. Happy endings are probably the most common type of story ending because they are the easiest to provide those satisfying elements the reader needs to enjoy having read your story all the way through.

An example of a happy ending is in The Lord of the Rings when the ring is successfully destroyed, the war is over, and everyone is able to go home and find happiness and peace in the Shire.

Tragic Ending¶

The goal fails and things are worse now. Tragic endings are a little less common than happy endings since it is more difficult to make a satisfying tragic ending. But this is possible if you understand the purposes behind a tragic ending—to leave the reader with thoughts, feelings, and questions to ponder.

A classic example of a tragic ending is Romeo and Juliet when the two young lovers don't end up together and their families don't resolve their feuding. But we still love to read Romeo and Juliet because humans also love to feel melancholy and sad sometimes as we ponder things like lost love and the very real damage of pointless fighting.

Twist Endings¶

In a twist ending, a shocking revelation or surprising plot twist takes place at the last minute. This might be a surprise for the reader, for the characters, or both.

Twist endings are great for book series that need to implement a hook at the ending of each installment to keep their readers interested in a multi-part story.

But twist endings can also work in a stand-alone book when done right. For example, a twist ending could be a fantastic surprise to a reader who was expecting something else, leaving the reader surprised and pondersome about the story's overall point.

Cliffhangers¶

The goal remains unaccomplished, leaving readers in suspense, or in the middle of events.

Cliffhanger endings are also great for books in a series as it has that "I gotta keep reading!" factor to it. For example, you could have book 1 end with the main character's love interest getting kidnapped by the main villain, leaving readers hungry for book 2 to come out ASAP so they can find out what happens next and how the main character will come to the rescue.

Open Ended¶

In an open-ended ending, not all the story's conflicts are resolved, if any. The main conflict might be resolved, but a new conflict, or a minor conflict, is still left open. Or the main conflict itself might not be resolved and leave the reader with something to ponder or the desire to read the next book.

This type of ending leaves questions unanswered, leaves the reader needing to read book 2, or leaves the end of the story open to interpretation.

Closed Ending¶

In a closed ending, or a resolved ending, all the story's conflicts are resolved. This means there are no questions left unanswered, incomplete character arcs, or last-minute cliffhangers. All the major and minor conflicts are neatly concluded, villains defeated, and character growth complete. Things aren't left to interpretation, but rather, the story is neatly and clearly wrapped up.

This type of story ending is very common, especially in a standalone book that doesn't plan on having any sequels.

Genre-Specific Endings¶

There might also be an expected type of ending for you book depending on the genre you are writing in. For example, if you're writing a romance novel, then your readers will expect the two main characters to overcome the obstacles of their love and get together in the end. If this doesn't happen, you set your romance readers up to feel jilted and disappointed by the end of their reading journey.

Likewise, if you're writing a fantasy novel, there is often some great challenge, quest, or conflict that needs to be resolved, like a war between two kingdoms or bringing magic back into the hands of the people. Whatever your main fantasy conflict might be, if it doesn't get resolved in any way by the end of your story, then you're setting your readers up for ultimate disappointment.

This is why it's helpful to be an avid reader of the genres you like to write in. That way you can become personally familiar with the reader's expected journey from start to finish in that genre and better know how to facilitate a similar journey in your own story.

How to Tackle Endings in a Book Series¶

If you're writing a book series rather than a single stand-alone book, then you technically have several endings to tackle. You'll have the ending of each book and then the final ending of the story overall (the ending of the last book).

In a multi-book scenario, you'll still want the endings of each book to be satisfying in some way. But since the overall story isn't over yet, the main conflict may remain unresolved in each of these endings. The endings to each book will also most likely include "keep reading" elements like cliffhangers or twists that will compel the reader to need to grab the next book to see what happens next!

To tackle endings in a book series, you essentially want to brainstorm several compelling endings for each book that also retain a "keep reading" element of some kind to hook the reader into picking up the next installment.

The Importance of a Satisfying Ending¶

Whatever type of book you're writing, the foundational element to any ending you need to have is that it needs to be satisfying in some way.

Keep in mind, this doesn't mean the ending has to be happy, it just means the ending has to satisfy the reader in some way. This could be by posing an interesting message or universal question for the reader to ponder after finishing your book. This could also be a gripping cliffhanger that makes the reader existed to keep reading the next installment in your series.

However your book ends, there should be some kind of satisfying element that leaves the reader feeling fulfilled and glad to have read your story all the way through.