Story elements are the pieces that make up every fiction story. They allow writers to structure the who, what, when, where, how, and why of our stories. For this workshop, we will focus on the following story elements: theme, setting, plot, and conflict. In the next Wondrous Writers workshop, we will explore characterization, another very important story element. 

Theme

The theme of a story is the moral or message that the author is trying to convey to the readers. Some stories, such as fairytales or fables, have very strong themes. Other stories have weaker or more hidden themes. Though, when writing fiction, you should always consider: What message do I want my readers to walk away from this story with? What do I want them to think about after reading my story? 

Keep in mind that, usually, the author does not clearly state the theme in the story. Instead, it is shown through the actions of the characters or through what the characters learn themselves in the course of the story. So, when writing, consider: how can my character's actions or thoughts convey a moral or message? 

Setting

Setting is one of the most basic elements of a story, yet it is vital to bring your story to life! Simply put, setting is the place where a story takes place. A story can, and long-form stories often do, have multiple settings. So, how do you effectively write all of the different settings of your story? Here are some tips: 

1. Give your settings names. Are there settings in your story that your characters often return to? Name them! A specific character's house, a favorite coffee shop, or a local park can all have unique names. This way, you only have to give an in-depth description of the setting the first time that your character inhabits it; then, during the other times your character enters this space, you can simply name it and your readers will remember what it looks and feels like. 
2. Use sensory details. Sensory details are details in a story that evoke your readers' senses. For example, describing how something smells or looks are both uses of sensory details. Having strong and specific sensory details tied to a setting, such as a chill in the air or a musty smell, will pull the readers deep into the story, allowing them to experience the setting with the character. Also, these specific sensory details are the things that your readers will think about when returning to the setting later on. 

3. Express your character's feelings about the setting. How does your character feel when they enter a specific setting? What memories are tied to it? Emotional ties to different settings are equally as important to sensory details, since the reader will also remember the dread, joy, or fear that a character felt when they return to that setting. Depending on your story, it may be helpful to include settings that make your character feel comfortable as well as settings that make them feel uncomfortable. Contrast is a powerful tool! 

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Plot

Plot is the sequence of events that happens in a story. 

Time Structure: Writers need to have a grasp on how their story is unfolding in time. The simplest, most foolproof way is to start the story at the beginning and move forward in time. With this approach, events drive events and the logic and momentum of the story are clear. A more challenging method is the flash back, which begins at a point in time, then goes back to the past to expand the story, and later rejoins the Chapter One event. Time structures can become highly intricate, weaving between the present, past events, memories, and the future, but this approach requires practice – and patience – and can be confusing for the reader. Sometimes, simpler is better – a straight time line.

Exposition: Setting up the world and characters of a story. At this stage, you should consider: Who is your main character? What are the conditions of the world they live in and how do they feel about it? Who are your characters' friends and enemies? What is their main goal or desire? 

Rising Action: Building the suspense of the story leading up to the climax. At this stage, you should consider: What small riffs could you put between characters or between your main character and their goals? What small setbacks could you put in your characters' way? 

Climax: The most intense part of your story with the biggest conflict. At this stage, you should consider: What would be the hardest thing for your character to overcome? What is the biggest twist you could throw your character's way to make them readjust? 

Falling Action: Solving the problem/resolving the conflict from the climax. At this stage, you should consider: How will your characters solve the problem that arose in the climax? How will they have to rethink their prior plans or adjust their morals to solve the problem? How will their life begin to shift or slow after the problem has been solved? 

Resolution: The golden rule of the resolution is that your main character should think, feel, or act differently at the end of the story than they did at the beginning. A major example of this would be a villain who turned to the good side or a hero who turned to the bad side. But, in most stories, this change isn't as extreme. It can be something much more simple, such as characters conquering their biggest fear from the beginning of the story or being more confident or proud of themselves if they had low self-esteem in the beginning of the story. Your character's change will be entirely dependent on your story, but when writing, you should consider: How will the events of my story change my main character? 

Another piece of the resolution is tying up loose ends. Did you have a subplot or small riff between characters that didn't quite get wrapped up? You can add small scenes to wrap things like this up in the resolution. For interpersonal conflict, a good rule of thumb is: if you can't wrap it up in a single conversation, it needs to be wrapped up before the resolution. But, going into the resolution, you may want to consider: are there any small plot pieces that need to be wrapped up? Is there anything my characters need closure on? 

Lastly, when writing for a series, some authors choose to include cliffhangers in the resolution. These keep readers engaged and get them excited for the next book in the series. Some common ways that cliffhangers are implemented are by only somewhat resolving a conflict in the resolution or by introducing a brand new conflict in the resolution, typically as the final moment of the story. 

Conflict

Conflict is often defined as a struggle between opposing forces. This builds tension between characters and raises the stakes of the story, which is what makes the story interesting. Sometimes, writers think that there only needs to be one conflict in their story – the big moment in the climax. But, for a story to be interesting throughout, you also need small moments of conflict scattered throughout it. Maybe two characters have a small argument that puts a riff in the morality of the team. This small conflict would cause the characters to rethink their plans and perhaps make small adjustments to their mission – this is much more interesting to the reader than if their mission were to go perfectly smoothly. Another perk of adding small conflicts throughout your story, and especially in your rising action, is it keeps the readers wondering when the climax will arise. All of these small moments have the potential to snowball into the climax, so having multiple small conflicts leading up to the climax keeps readers engaged. 

Submissions!

I hope you've enjoyed this workshop! If you would like feedback on your writing, "Respond to the Challenge" below by submitting a short story based on the elements of this workshop. Suggested length: 1,000-1,500 words. 

Questions to consider:

1. If you could convey one moral, message, or lesson in a story, what would it be? 

2. Is the setting a real place or imaginary? What does it look and feel like for your main character? What other sensory details can you include? 

 3. What are a few things that will happen at each beat of your story: Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, Resolution.

 4. What are some small pieces of conflict that you will add throughout your story? This could be between characters, between the characters and the world, or the main character's internal conflict. 

Is there anything you have questions about? Feel free to message me: alexbregy_ywpintern 

– Alex Bregy, YWP Intern