WRITING HELP. TIPS

⋆ questions when creating a scene

( QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF WHEN CREATING A SCENE! )

when you're writing a story, there's obviously some things you need to know. here's a list of important questions to ask yourself as you write, divided into several sections: what, who, when/where, why, and how.

WHAT:

the first question you should ask is "what is my story?". i recommend keeping this answer as short as possible–one sentence is all you should need.

other what questions:
- what is the protagonist's goal?
- what is the antagonist's goal?
- what is the purpose/moral of the story?
- what are the ultimate consequences?

WHO:

you've heard it once, or maybe a million times: character is key. make sure you know all of your characters better than the back of your hand.

who questions:
- who is the story about?
- who affects the main character?
- who is trying to stop the protagonist?
- who is trying to stop the antagonist?
- who are allies?
- who are enemies?
- who 'wins'?

WHEN/WHERE:

when doesn't seem as important to plot, but the reality is, it changes everything. make sure you know your whens just as well as you know everything else. i've combined this section with where as well.

when questions:
- when does the story take place?
- where does the story take place?
- where is the character at in their life?
- when is the deadline?
- when is there a change?
- where is there a change?

WHY:

why is the motivation behind each and every character. it is essential in a sorry worth reading. if your character has no motivation, then the story is shallow and unimportant. take some risks!

why questions:
- why is the antagonist 'evil'?
- why is my protagonist against him?
- why does anyone keep fighting?
- why do they care?

HOW:

how is the story itself. it's the characters' journey throughout, and without the how, you have nothing.

how questions:
- how does the character get out of this situation?
- how did they get into this situation?
- how do they get from this point to this point?
- how do they change throughout the story?

there are many, many more questions you should ask yourself–these are merely the bare essentials. asking questions is important in making a plot, so question everything!

( source tumblr )

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i was unsure whether or not i should've put this chapter in writing block or book help. i'll just put it in book help oh well.

i hope this helped!