A big challenge many writers face is keeping their story focused on one single driving point,.
Without a central unifying point, readers get lost, confused, frustrated, and bored. They stop reading.
So what’s your point?
In today’s episode, I’ll share 5 quick questions to help you get clear and focused on what’s driving your story. The focal point from which all the story events revolve.
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Episode at a glance:
[02:23] What readers want
Readers are always looking for patterns so they can make sense of the story. We want to inhabit your character’s world and experiences. When we can’t navigate that experience, when you don’t give us a clear path to follow, we abandon the story.
[03:53] Story as a web
A spider web is an architectural masterpiece.. There’s a frame, and then strands move outward from a center point. That’s how great stories are orchestrated. There’s a single focal point. And then all the strands of your story spin out of that central idea.
[04:51] Question 1: Why does this story matter to you?
What about the story draws you in? This is your personal impetus for starting the story in the first place. What was the initial inspiration? Why have you taken the story as far as you have? Tap into that internal combustion from which your story has sprung. This is what gives your story meaning.
[06:32] Question 2: What does your character want and why?
What does your character want? And why is this meaningful to him? Often, writers know what their main character wants, but not why it matters. Other writers only have an abstract idea of what their character wants. The desire has to be tangible and measurable. Otherwise, how will we know whether he achieves it or not?
[10:07] Question 3: What does your character have to believe?
Your main character encounters obstacles along the way to getting what he or she wants. But the biggest obstacle is within. What your character believes no longer serves her. Everything that happens on the plot level will force her to reevaluate what she believes is true.
[11:37] Question 4: What’s the essential question this story asks?
Every story revolves around a central question. This the question you’re seeking answers to through your characters. It’s implicit in the story and urges the reader all the way to the end.
[16:03] Question 5: What’t the takeaway?
What do you want your readers to feel, think, or believe when they finish your story? A takeaway could be “the fear of loss can cause us to deny ourselves love.” Another takeaway could be “you never know how much time you have with someone, so make sure you love them fully.” The takeaway really comes out of your protagonist’s inner struggle. The external events will trigger that struggle and ultimately make the point.
Links Mentioned In This Episode
Atonement by Ian McEwan
Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
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