Developing story is the process of expanding an initial story idea into a fully-developed narrative you’re ready to write. Some writers, known as plotters, like to complete extensive pre-writing tasks before putting pen to paper, while others, or pantsers, prefer to discover their stories as they write. Many fall somewhere in between.
Identify your key characters and their central conflict. This is a critical part of character development and will ensure your characters are believable and engaging to readers.
Develop the central characters’ goals and motivations. These are the key ingredients for a story’s conflict and will be explored throughout your characters’ journey.
Establish the rules of your fictional world – whether they be technological, cultural, or societal. It’s important to establish these details before you begin writing, so your readers will feel immersed in your story’s world.
Create an inciting incident to launch the story and map out progressive complications that lead to your climax. These can include obstacles and challenges, subplots, or a crisis that raises the stakes for your protagonist.
Develop your characters’ arcs to show their growth or change throughout the narrative. This is a key element of storytelling that will resonate with viewers on a deeper level and help your story stand out from the crowd. You should also hone your setting and establish the location in which your story takes place. This will save you time rewriting scenes later on in the process.
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