From the course: Writing: The Craft of Story
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Story check: What is a story?
From the course: Writing: The Craft of Story
Story check: What is a story?
- Now that we've established the definition of a story, here are some quick questions you can ask yourself when you begin to write, or rewrite, your own story. These questions will help you make sure your story stays on track. First, what happens? What will actually happen in the external story? What events have to occur in order to force your protagonist to confront and overcome the thing that's holding her back? Remember, it's something she's probably spent her whole life avoiding, so the plot must really put the screws to her, urging her ever forward. Second, who does the plot affect? It's a good idea to double-check that you actually have a clear protagonist. Remember, that's the person in pursuit of a difficult goal. You'd be shocked, I mean really shocked, at how often writers overlook this. Third, what is your protagonist's goal? All stories revolve around an immediate and unavoidable problem that the protagonist has no choice but…
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