The Basics
Let’s Get Back to the Basics
Okay to all those aspiring writers out there, here are some of the basics of writing. I know this may sound a little dated, but keep in mind, without the basics fully understood one cannot progress in writing. The basics help establish you in the world of writing. One would actually be surprised to know that some that have never taken a writing class may have talent, but poor setting description can take a reader out of a book quite quickly. It can actually ruin their experience to the point they never look at your work again. Knowing the basics is just part of the process of being accepted as an author.
Plot
Plot is one of the ones that is quite simple to understand. It literally is the series of the events that happens in a story, in some kind of order. It does not necessarily have to be in chronological order, but it still needs to be an order that is understandable. The plot takes the reader through all the interesting points, it figuratively connects the dots, and it leads the reader from beginning to end. Plot is constructed of five main parts: the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. As long as the novel or short story follows this design it is considered coherent and complete.
Setting
Setting is another factor that most people tend to over look or at least not establish well. It is the time and place the story is happening. This could be something as simple as giving a city and a year to something as complicated as weather and buildings descriptions. The amount of detail that is contained in a setting can be anything from something very minute to something that is very broad. The more alive, or realistic, one makes the setting, the more intense the reading can become. A good setting “sets” the mood of the piece. It can also affect the tone, mood, and quality.
Characters
Characters are another major basic aspect of writing. Without characters, there are no people, objects, animals, etc. to move the story along. Here the more realistic the characters are the more believable the experience is. Characters are literally the beings that the author is manipulating to move the story along, to hopefully reach a better understanding of their situation than they did at first. Protagonist, antagonist, static, flat, are all types of characters. The point of a good character is to create someone that is believable, relatable, and understandable, whether or not they are “good” or “evil.”
In conclusion without these simple aspects of writing, a story falls flat. In many instances without these, it would not even be called a complete work. The amount of time put into developing these three aspects may vary, with some aspects being more important than others, however being aware of how much attention that is applied to these can enhance your writing simply because you are aware. Happy writing!
