A fiction writing train: What If?
This storytelling train comes from my e book Story Drills: Fiction Writing Workout routines, which takes you thru the fundamentals of storytelling by masking a variety of ideas and storytelling strategies. This fiction train is known as “What If?”
What If?
“What if?” is a helpful immediate at any stage in story growth. We are able to use this query as a narrative starter for an preliminary concept, after which we are able to proceed to make use of it for plot growth, characterization, and extra.
What if the bones of a fire-breathing, flying dinosaur have been found buried inside a mountain? What if a political strategist was being blackmailed by somebody inside their very own occasion? What if scientists found a liveable planet outdoors of our photo voltaic system? What if a lonely, older widower fell in love along with his married neighbor? What if a sidekick in a narrative turned out to be working for the antagonist? What for those who selected a random second in your story—some extent the place a personality makes a selection—and let the character select a distinct path?
“What if?” is a robust instrument that you should use all through the story writing course of, particularly if you’re caught. You may write lists of what-if questions and reply them with fast sentences to get concepts for the place you could possibly steer a narrative.
Examine:
Make a listing of ten tales that you simply’ve learn. For every one, provide you with a “what if?” query that would have impressed your entire story. Then select one of many tales out of your record, and provide you with ten “what if?” questions that would have led to varied character traits, actions, occasions, and conditions that happen all through the story.
Observe:
Make a listing of ten what-if eventualities that would kind the premise for a narrative. Then select one, and construct on it with a minimum of eight extra what-if questions.
Questions:
What if the central plot of your story works higher as a subplot? What if a personality isn’t who they look like? What for those who flip the ending of your story to the alternative end result? What in case your characters make completely different decisions or have completely different targets? What if the protagonist’s targets align with the antagonist’s targets—who or what turns into the brand new antagonist?
