6 Elements Of A Competing Narrative
#1 Setting 🌄
The setting is the time and location in which your story takes place. Settings can be very specific, but can also be more broad and descriptive. A good, well-established setting creates an intended mood and provides the backdrop and environment for your story.
Example 1: July 21st, 1865 – Springfield, Missouri – Town Square – 6pm.
Example 2: A tired little cottage on a lonely night.
#2 Characters 👫
Central Characters
These characters are vital to the development of the story. The plot revolves around them.
Protagonist
The protagonist is the main character of a story. He or she has a clear goal to accomplish or a conflict to overcome. Although protagonists don’t always need to be admirable, they must command an emotional involvement from the audience.
Antagonist
Antagonists oppose protagonists, standing between them and their ultimate goals. The antagonist can be presented in the form of any person, place, thing, or situation that represents a tremendous obstacle to the protagonist.
#3 Plot 🎨
The plot is the sequence of events that connect the audience to the protagonist and their ultimate goal.
Example: A group of climbers plan to escort paying clients to the summit of Mt. Everest. There is always a clear goal. In this case, it’s to get the paying clients safely up the mountain and return them to base camp unharmed.
#4 Conflict ⚔️
The conflict is what drives the story. It’s what creates tension and builds suspense, which are the elements that make a story interesting. If there’s no conflict, not only will the audience not care, but there also won’t be any compelling story to tell.
Example 1: “We climbed Mt. Everest without issue.” Without some sort of conflict, there’s no story. It’s just a statement. As an audience member, I think, “Oh, cool. Sounds like fun. Did you take any photos?”
#5 Theme 📖
The theme is what the story is really about. It’s the main idea or underlying meaning. Often, it’s the storyteller’s personal opinion on the subject matter. A story may have both a major theme, or minor themes.
Major Theme: An idea that is intertwined and repeated throughout the whole narrative.
Minor Theme: An idea that appears more subtly, and doesn’t necessarily repeat.
#6 Narrative Arc 😏
A strong story plot has a narrative arc that has four required elements of its own.
Setup
The world in which the protagonist exists prior to the journey. The setup usually ends with the conflict being revealed.
Rising Tension
The series of obstacles the protagonist must overcome. Each obstacle is usually more difficult and with higher stakes than the previous one.
Climax
The point of highest tension, and the major decisive turning point for the protagonist.
Resolution
The conflict’s conclusion. This is where the protagonist finally overcomes the conflict, learns to accept it, or is ultimately defeated by it. Regardless, this is where the journey ends.