Storytelling Elements: Time, Narrative Structure, Scene, Dialogue, POV, Tense Time Story (what): A narrative of events arranged in their time-sequence Plot (how): A narrative of events with an emphasis on causality, or how they relate to and influence one another in sequence Theme (why): Whereas the plot is what events happen in the story (in the text), the theme is what is really happening (in the subtext). It is an underlying thread holding all the ideas (given through story events) together. Account of the way time moves, from past to present to future Chronology: Flashback: The sudden intrusion of past events in the middle of a description of a current action Flash forward: Cutting to the future In medias res: To begin in is to begin the middle of in the midst of medias res “in things”—or the main action. Exposition/backstory: The history leading up to the present moment Rising action: The escalation of complication of the central conflict Climax: The point of maximum dramatic attention and the turning point in the narrative Resolution/denouement: The falling action or the working out of complications is in a is is in a plot, we - E. M. Forster “If it story, we say ‘and then?’ If ask ‘why?’”
Storytelling Elements: Time, Narrative Structure, Scene, Dialogue, POV, Tense Time Story (what): A narrative of events arranged in their time-sequence Plot (how): A narrative of events with an emphasis on causality, or how they relate to and influence one another in sequence Theme (why): Whereas the plot is what events happen in the story (in the text), the theme is what is really happening (in the subtext). It is an underlying thread holding all the ideas (given through story events) together. Chronology: Account of the way time moves, from past to present to future Flashback: The sudden intrusion of past events in the middle of a description of a current action Flash forward: Cutting to the future In medias res: To begin in medias res is to begin “in the middle of things”—or in the midst of the main action. Exposition/backstory: The history leading up to the present moment Rising action: The escalation of complication of the central conflict Climax: The point of maximum dramatic attention and the turning point in the narrative Resolution/denouement: The falling action or the working out of complications “If it is in a story, we say ‘and then?’ If is is in a plot, we ask ‘why?’” - E. M. Forster
story-structure.docx