Developing story is the process of expanding a single idea into a full-blown narrative with characters, conflict and setting. This is the pre-writing phase of storytelling and is an essential skill for any writer, whether they are an outlining plotter or a “pantser” who prefers to discover their stories through the writing process. While getting an idea is a matter of inspiration, cracking that idea into something fully formed and compelling takes time, patience, and perspiration.
The best story ideas come from character, and developing these characters is at the heart of the pre-writing process. This includes defining their goals, motivations and obstacles, as well as creating secondary characters that serve to complicate the key players’ paths. A good story has believable characters that readers can connect with. This is especially important in a fictional world, such as a fantasy or futuristic setting, where the reader must suspend their disbelief.
Once you’ve established your key characters, it’s time to look at the world they inhabit, including the geographic location and historical context of the setting, as well as the societal rules and cultures that drive its inhabitants. In a speculative fiction setting, it is also important to develop the technology, magic, and fantastical elements that contribute to the setting.
Once you’ve defined your setting, key character, and core conflict, it is time to identify the literary theme that will run throughout the story. Ideally, this will emerge naturally from the events of your character arcs and plot.
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