Questions to Ask Yourself Before Writing a Story
- What is the story’s genre?
- What is the core idea of my story?
- What is the end message?
- Are there any moral messages?
- What do I want to convey to my audience?
- What do I want my audience to feel while reading this?
- Where does the story take place (setting)?
- Time period (past, present, future, time traveling)
- Real or made-up place?
- If real, what details do I need for the country/city in which the story will take place?
- If imaginary, create all the necessary details and take inspiration from a real place.
- Who is the main protagonist?
- Who is the main antagonist?
- What is the central conflict? What idea will my story focus on?
- If the story is inspired by a real-life event, what information do I need to collect?
- How accurate will my plot be with respect to the event?
- Take into consideration the emotions of people involved in real events.
- What will it take the protagonist to succeed in the end? Will the protagonist succeed in the end?
- What are the challenges the main character will face in their journey?
- How can I start the story so that the audience will be hooked and want to read more?
- What is the turning point in the story? Will there be twists and turns?
- What is the big climax? How will it be revealed?
- How will the story end after the main conflict is resolved? What will happen to the protag and antag in the end?
- What supporting characters do I need? How many do I need?
- Will there be a minor but pivotal character(s) that will help push the plot along?