Imaginative Storytelling Components
In the world of literature, crafting a successful piece of fiction can be a challenging yet rewarding endeavour. ARHuelsenbeck, a former elementary general music teacher and current blogger at ARHtistic License, shares her insights on the creative process, particularly in writing a commercially successful YA mystical fantasy novel.
The foundation of any good story lies in its elements: plot, setting, character, point of view, and conflict. For action adventure novels and thrillers, as well as some mysteries, the plot often takes centre stage. It is the action that starts at the beginning, continues through the middle, and wraps up at the end.
The setting, where and when the story happens, provides the backdrop for the characters' actions. Characters are the people doing the action, and they can be influenced by internal and external conflicts. Internal conflict is a problem or need within a character, such as an addiction or wanting the object of her desire to notice her. External conflict, on the other hand, involves a problem which exists outside of a character, such as a problem with another character or an institution, or a dangerous situation, like wartime or an avalanche.
Point of view is the perspective of the person narrating the story or scene. It can be first person, where the story is being told by a character using his own words and voice, or third person, which can be the viewpoint of a person removed from the story, the invisible author, or an omniscient narrator, all-knowing like God. Contemporary fiction favours an objective third person view point, where the narrator tells only what is observable.
A story's theme is a universal truth that it illustrates, such as Believe in yourself or Love makes the world go round. Every chapter of a story should reflect the theme, even subtly, to maintain continuity. Symbols, items that stand for something else, such as a ring standing for power or an heirloom teacup representing love of family, can be used to reinforce the theme.
ARHuelsenbeck encourages writers to choose a symbol that relates to the story's theme and be sure to refer to it several times in the story. She is currently writing a YA mystical fantasy and a Bible study guide, and submitting a poetry chapbook, with mystery and MG drafts waiting in the wings.
For those interested in following ARHuelsenbeck's creative journey, her artwork, photography, and quilts can be viewed on her Twitter and Instagram accounts. Her blog, ARHtistic License, is a treasure trove of insights into the arts and the creative process.
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