Developing story is all about building the momentum that keeps your readers engaged throughout a narrative. The process involves a mix of elements that create suspense, tension, and a satisfying conclusion.
Starting with an idea, find or create a hot spot that will drive your protagonist to act. This can be anything from an inherent conflict to a situation that will threaten their safety or challenge their belief systems. Then, build in a series of progressive complications that will lead to your character’s defining moment—the climax. At this point, you will have distilled all the trials into one moment that proves your protagonist has risen up to meet the challenges they faced, for better or worse.
Finally, show your reader how the climax has impacted their character. This can be as simple as showing their immediate reaction (shock, relief, devastation), or it can involve a deeper internal reflection. For example, Aragorn must face his own doubts about being king before he can rise to the occasion and become the hero he’s destined to be in Lord of the Rings.
You may have already used a similar approach for writing your own stories, or perhaps you’re a journalist who writes about developing news events as they unfold. Developing stories differ from standard news reports in that you need to provide real-time updates, engage your audience with continuous coverage, and rework the narrative as new details emerge. In both cases, there are some core principles that can help you develop a great story.