Building Blocks Of Storytelling

PLOTThe plot is the events or actions that drive stories. It describes the “what” of your tale. The plot lets the reader know what’s happening, describes the problems that characters are trying to solve, and gives the details on how they attempt to solve them. Elements of PlotTo keep your reader engaged and interested, your story should include these plot elements: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. Let’s explore each one.ExpositionExposition gives the reader the background information they need to jump right into a story’s world. This is often found towards the beginning of a story. Exposition can be given in a variety of ways. Some examples include: FlashbacksCharacter dialogueLetters from the pastSetting or character descriptionsPoint of View (aka POV, such as the narrator or main character’s thoughts)Rising ActionThe rising action is the moments in a story that lead up to the climax — choices the main characters have made and the events happening that are at odds with your characters’ goals. This is where a story builds and the readers begin