How to Write a Good Story - All Elements

Symbolism

This is one of the most important aspects within a story. I know I mentioned it earlier, but this just needs another mention.

Symbolism is a meaning we associate with everything that exists. One of the most dominant example, is how we know that on road, red lights symbolize stop and green mean accelerate.

Symbolism is made by: using a symbol/item for a specific meaning and association we give to something/something.

It is made by: symbols, items, creatures, setting, clothing and non-verbal communication.

Symbols - even the alphabet is made up of signs that gives us meanings, as we are taught the meaning of each letter (in this case, the sound each stands for). After learning and learning, we automatically know the sound of each letter, without thinking about it anymore. Another example is the exit sign; the running man on the green screen. We automatically recognise the symbol, which denotes an emergency exit.

Nouns - nouns have symbolism depending on their properties, usage, and when they are used or seen. They can build character's traits, setting and atmosphere.

Let's use a gun for an example, its properties and usage are that it can shoot a bullet which can kill. This makes a gun symbolize power and danger. Whoever has the gun, has its power, and can be potentially dangerous as well as feel protected by it. Due to their properties, they are most often used in crimes, wars and gun fights. This can make a gun foreshadow that a crime will be convicted or a fight breakout soon. And it also hooks as it adds suspense as the stakes are high (death) and the audience wants to see the outcome (get answers for their questions).

Many horrors and thrillers use guns, therefore this can build both the atmosphere in the scene and the genre. It hugely depends on how you present it. For example, in a comedy, guns would come lightly. In horror, drama and thriller, guns would come more seriously.

Another example would be a guitar. Its properties and usage is that you can play it, so it will give off pleasing sound. This makes a guitar symbolize happiness, music and entertainment. Whoever plays the guitar, is talented, dedicated and is powerful as he can put a smile on peoples' faces. Power is made because musicians are heard at concerts and from their tracks, and musicians play their instruments that make people dance and smile. Any instrument takes much dedication and time to master, this makes its specific symbolism.

Creatures/groups - this is the specific symbolism associated with a race or a group. It is better known as 'stereotype'. For example, in fantasy, dwarves are associated with crafting, smithing and intelligence. This is because most dwarves are great smiths. Another example is how youth is portrayed in bad light, as violent individuals. A lot of young people are violent, but not everyone. This makes it a general image for the whole youth as violent.

Stereotypes are made by a large part of a given group to behave in a given way. This image is made by the group's actions and behaviour.

Setting - setting can represent a mood, geographical location or foreshadow an event. This can be done by either the weather, location or lighting.

Mood. For example, there is a dark and isolated desert, in which it rains. Inside it, you can see a character wandering around, with a frown on his face. The location of a desert symbolizes loneliness because of how most deserts are. The rain symbolizes teardrops, which in turn indicates the loneliness and sadness of the character. The darkness feels empty and draining as there is nothing inside it and you cannot see anything while being in it. To conclude, the three elements create a picture that the character is lonely and sad, without telling this directly.

Geographical location depends on how each part location on Earth differ. For example, a very populated city with massive skyscrapers could indicate New York, London or any other giant city. A desert could indicate the theme of a western. Every setting has a different feeling to it, which makes a different mood for the story.

Clothing - the clothing shows the era, geographical location, subculture and tell us something about the character. For example, suit represents formality and being smart.

Clothing can show the subculture, such as punk, hip hoper, hippy etc. Each subculture/group has a potential representation, as I said before.

It can show geographical location as there are different clothing styles in different regions of world. Such as western, far east and Africa.

Each era had a specific clothing style. For example, you can clearly see a Victorian clothing style which builds the era of the story for the audience and shows us something about the audience (depending how its subculture is represented as).

Non-verbal communication - it is all the movement and gestures we make to communicate. For example, a smile can denote that we like something/someone or that we are happy. Raised brows that we are shocked or surprised. Lowered brows that we are angry. It is important to remember that a gesture or body movement can have more than one of meanings, so a series of gestures together carry a better meaning.

Using non-verbal communication in writing is necessary. These are the symbols with a meaning, and as humans, we can spot their meaning so you, the writer, do not have to state everything. Such as, 'William is happy'. This is a poor description, we cannot even see 'happiness'. 'William smiled' is better, it both makes a mental image in our head, but also smile denotes happiness. There are many more body movement and gestures that can suggest happiness that you can use together with smile.

Non-verbal communication shows subject's reaction to a specific character, opinion, event, idea or situation. It shows the reaction of the character, so we can see the character's opinion on a matter, relationship to another character or the character's state of mind.