Write Your Novel
Step by Step


By Melanie Anne Phillips
Creator of StoryWeaver

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For Story

Structure


Story Structure

Library


Videos on

Structure



For Story

Development


Writing

Tips

Library


Articles on Writing






Read the Science Fiction Thriller

From the founder of Storymind

Man Made follows a mysterious force as it sweeps around the globe erasing anything man made - from buildings, vehicles, and technology to medicines, clothing, and dental work.

Governments stagger under the panic, religions are at a loss for an explanation, scientists strive for any means to stop or divert the phenomenon, and the world’s population from families to individuals struggle to prepare for The Event, which will drive humanity back beyond the stone age.

The Event is coming.

Are you prepared?

Copyright Melanie Anne Phillips


Storymind

Free Writing Resources

~ Step 68 ~



Requirements


The easiest way to reveal your goal’s requirements is to come right out and say it, such as "You must recover the five holy stones of the idol to seal the dimensional rift."  Of course, there are more interesting indirect ways as well.


The nature of each next requirement might be provided only after the current requirement is met.  This works like game where each clue that is found indicates the location of the next clue until the final destination is reached.


Sometimes, the requirements appear arbitrary until enough of them are met and then a pattern begins to emerge, indicating all that still remain to be completed.


No matter how you reveal your requirements, make sure your readers are ultimately clear on exactly what is required of your characters or your story will seem arbitrary.


Once you have revealed the requirements, however, they still need to be met.  This will likely involve some effort on the part of your characters.  The more difficulty the characters have - the more obstacles in their way - the more dramatic tension builds in your readers.  To take advantage of this, try making each Requirement a miniature Goal, with its own sub-requirements.


Now, describe how you will reveal what the requirements are, then list as many different scenarios as you can in which each requirement comes into play and is met, especially in conjunction with other story points.