1. What are the pieces of a story – and how do they all fit together?
Story Elements
What are the pieces of a story – and how do they all fit together?

2. Plot (definition)
Plot is the organized pattern or sequence of events that make up a story. Every plot is made up of a series of incidents that are related to one another.

3. Setting The timeframe and place in which the story takes place.
Think about the book you’re reading right now…what’s the setting?

4. Characters
Every story obviously needs characters…but they’re not always people!
The characters can be people, animals, or creatures.

5. Types of Characters Main/Major: The main people/animals the action is centered around Minor: Less important characters in the story
Good guys = protagonists
Bad guys = antagonists

6. Conflict
There’s always some kind of problem in the story…problem = conflict.
Can be Internal or External
There are different kinds…
Man vs. man
Man vs. nature
Man vs. self
Man vs. society
External
Internal

7. Theme What does it all mean? What’s the moral of the story?
What are we supposed to get out of it?
Often found in the resolution to the problem

8. Plot Diagram 3 4 2 1 5

9. 1. Exposition Builds a background for the story
Includes and introduction of the characters, setting, and conflict

10. 2. Rising Action
This part of the story begins to develop the main conflict. A building of interest or suspense occurs.
Several smaller conflicts may happen along the way as the reader learns more about the characters

11. 3. Climax
This is the turning point of the story. Usually the main character comes face to face with a conflict. The main character will change in some way.

12. 4. Falling Action All loose ends of the plot are tied up.
Wraps-up storyline with events & characters

13. 5. Resolution/Denouement
The story comes to a reasonable ending
The conflict is resolved
Often the theme is present

14. Putting It All Together
The turning point of the story
Causes change in action & characters
Events that occur BEFORE the climax
Events AFTER the climax
Characters
Setting
Conflict (problem)
Explains how characters & action end-up
Often includes “theme”

15. Foreshadowing
When you get a hint about what’s coming next…that’s foreshadowing.
Example –
When you hear the creepy music in a scary movie, you know something bad is going to happen.
When a book/movie starts at the end of the story first, then backtracks.

16. Point of View Who is telling the story? 1st person
Told from the eyes of the narrator.
“I…”
2nd Person
Told to YOU, the reader-Usually used in informational writing and how-to guides, not short stories
“Look inside the box and take out part A….”
3rd person
Told from the eyes of someone else.
“He…, She…, They…”

17. Point of View Continued
Omniscient
When the storyteller knows everything about all the characters, isn’t somebody specific, but tells the story like looking over it with a helicopter. In third person omniscient, the narrator knows all the thoughts and feelings of all the characters in the story. When writing in third person omniscient, the author will move from character to character, allowing the events to be interpreted by several different voices, but always maintaining an omniscient - or godlike - distance.
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