Don’t know how to create a story? This exercise will take you through the process step by step.
Before we start you need to know exactly what a story is.
In the interests of keeping it simple a story is what happens to a character. Think about it…
THE STORY
By way of example, this is the story of what happened to a character I just made up.
I called her Sadie. Sadie is unfairly treated by her boss and comes home from work to a row with her boyfriend.
She wakes up the next morning after a really bad dream and decides to leave everything and go on a one-woman boat trip around the world.
She discovers hidden talents along the way before returning home and starting a brand new career as a wilderness survival guru.
THE PLOT
A plot is how it happens: Sadie sneaks along to the local harbor, and steals a boat. The boat’s owner chases her. She escapes from him and is attacked by pirates.
She survives by shooting them with a harpoon gun left by the owner. She loses all her food which falls overboard during a hurricane and she has to learn to catch fish using her old tights etc. etc.
EXERCISE TO CREATE YOUR STORY
Remember – an idea not written is worth the paper it was written on. We all have ideas but not everyone can turn them into a story.
So the exercise below is designed to help you get your story started. Think of the exercises as the warm up routines you might do before you play a sport. Ready?
YOUR CHARACTERS
Before you create your story you are going to create ten characters. It sounds a lot but it is not difficult if you simply relax and follow the process I outline on this and the other pages. You will find out how to create your characters here.
YOUR PLOT
Next you are going to invent your plot. Remember that as I said above, a plot is how the story happens. Plot provides the mechanics of the story. You can find out how to create a plot here.
Good luck and remember…
‘You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.’
Jack London
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