Workshop: An Introduction to Writing for Children and Young Adults
“Every story can benefit from its author holding back enough so
that the reader remains eager to find out what’s going to happen.” Barbara Seuling
The action, tension, questions and stakes
need to increase throughout the plot—even when the story line is a simple one.
For example, in a linear sequence the main
character keeps moving forward until she gets what she wants, says Marion Dane
Bauer in What’s Your Story. And she
will be in a very different place at the end than at the beginning.
In a circular version, by the end, the main
character has literally returned to his beginning, but now the story’s
resolution centers on how he repairs the connection with his father.
Aristotle is known for developing charts of
rising action High Points with each chapter scene pushing the boundaries higher
until the story reaches its climax. Each chapter in a sense contains the same
issues—goal/conflict all gathering towards the over-arching story line umbrella.
Fairy Tales and Folk Tales are often
delivered in three stages with each one becoming more distressful.
Look at each event through the main character’s
eyes. How will it change him? If a scene can be taken out without it altering
what follows—it doesn’t belong in the story.
Action Steps:
1.
Make
a list of possible scenes that explore your character’s main desire.
2.
Now
rank them according to obstacles.
3.
Next
by emotional ones.
4.
Now
put them into the two tiers and see where any holes are. Fill them in.
Share: Which scene choices were the most
difficult to make tense?
Read deep, marcy
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