This document discusses how to fix a broken story by focusing on the key elements of character, plot, opening, and ending. It emphasizes that characters should be well-developed and have clear wants and goals that motivate the story. The opening should hook readers with action or an interesting problem. The plot should create complications that challenge the character and keep readers engaged. Finally, the ending must make sense based on the events of the story and not rely on predictable cliches.

1. Presented by
© Jeni Mawter
www.literaturelive.net

2. What is a story?
Story = what characters do (action)
+ in a place (setting)
+ at some time (event).

3. What must a story have?
A character (s)
A plot

4. A broken story

5. How is this story broken?
Think about …
1) character
2) opening
3) action or plot
4) ending

6. Characters can be people or animals.
What story has a character like this?

7. Other Types of Characters
Anthropomorphic Mythological

8. Other Types of Characters
Science Fiction Fantasy

9. We have to care about characters
 Characters have human thoughts, wants and
feelings.
 What character don’t you care about? Why?

10. Characters must want something
What might these characters want?

11. Characters go on a journey
 Characters change through the course of the
story.
 Does the character have to change? Yes!
Change means:
 Emotional
 Psychological
 Physical
 Intellectual

12. Plot
Plot is the action of the story.
Things happen.
Things must go wrong.

13. Plot continued …
What complications can arise?

14. Stories have beginnings,
middles and endings
 Beginnings must hook the reader.
 Middles cannot be boring.
 Endings cannot be predictable.

15. How can we fix character?
Character Profile
 Name:
 Age: What does the
 Family:
 Friends: character want
 Personality:
 Likes and the most?
dislikes:
 Fears:
 Secret:

16. How can we fix the opening?
 Start with action or a problem.
 Unusual or interesting.
 No clichés or expected openings.

17. Opening Sentence
Hook your reader.
Write an interesting opening sentence.

18. How can we fix the plot?
 What does the character want?
 What is stopping him/her from getting it?
See ‘What if?’ in Activity Pack

19. How can we fix the ending?
The ending must make
sense with the story.
No clichés.

20. Summary: To fix a broken story
Character
- Care?
- Want something?
Opening
- Hook?
- Start with action or problem?

21. Summary: To fix a broken story
Plot
- Boring?
- What stops the character?
Ending
- Clichéd or predictable?
- Not relevant to the story.

22. Questions
www.literaturelive.net