Before you can run off and make a video, you must first have a story. Short stories are the hard to write. You have to introduce characters, create conflict, develop characters, resolve conflict inside of a short period of time. Nothing can help you to write a good short story better than reading some good short stories. Choose some classics, and pay attention to how the authors develop their characters, write dialogue, and structure plots.
Gather ideas for your story. Inspiration can strike at any time. Most of the time, you’ll just think of small snippets of information like a catastrophic event around which you can build a plot around. If you have trouble finding inspiration, brainstorm with your group or look to family and friends for inspiration. To write a story you need to decide on the topic you want to write about.
Develop your Time-line
You don’t have to write your short story in order. If you have an idea for a great conclusion, write it down. Move backward or forward from your starting idea that may or may not be the beginning of the story. Ask yourself “What happens next?” or “What happened before this?” The main events of a short story should occur in a relatively short period of time and you typically won’t be able to effectively develop more than one plot. Make sure you are able to set the story in a place your audience can find believable.
Know your characters
Make sure that you have essential characters ie: The hero, the villain, the helpers for the hero and villain. use two or three main characters. For a story to be believable, the characters have to be believable and realistic. It can be a difficult task to create real characters that are interesting and realistic. Make sure your characters personalities are not perfect. Every character needs to have some flaws, some problems, some imperfections, some insecurities.
Organize your thoughts
After you have prepared the basic elements of your story, draw a time-line to help you decide what happens when. Stories have at least two timelines. There is the order in which the events occurred, and then there is the order in which you reveal them, these timelines don’t have to be the same. If something is running through your head write it down and expand it. Feel free to borrow a classic idea and put your own twist on the plot – everyone does it. Start with the 5-Act Structure.
- Introduction – Introduces characters, setting, time, etc.
- Initiating Action – The point of a story that starts the rising action
- Rising Action – Events leading up to the climax/turning point
- Climax – The most intense point of the story/the turning point of the story
- Falling Action – your story begins to conclude
- Resolution/Conclusion – a satisfying ending to the story in which the central conflict is resolved – or not
Start writing
Is there a song or type of music that gets you connected to the emotions and events you want to convey through your writing? Try playing some during or before you start writing. The first page of any writing should grab attention and leave him/her wanting more. A quick start is especially important in short stories because you don’t have much room to tell your story. Don’t bother with long introductions of the characters or descriptions of the setting, get right to the plot, and reveal details about the characters and setting as you go. Think carefully about all the elements of a story, for example main character, setting, time period, genre, supporting characters, enemies and conflict, and plot.
Revise and edit
When you’ve finished the story, go back through it and correct mistakes, as well as logical errors. Make sure the story flows and the characters and their problems are introduced and resolved appropriately. Get some second opinions. Send your revised and edited story to a trusted friend for suggestions. Carefully consider constructive criticism. Thank your reviewers for reading your story, consider everything they tell you and don’t argue with them or try to explain what you were trying to say.
You are now ready to move on to the Screen Play.
[...] How to write a story [...]