How to Write a Stronger Story: Four Simple Tips
Strong stories are not only about what happens. They are also about what changes, what matters and how clearly each part contributes to the whole. Learning how to write a stronger story is imperative to engaging your readers and making your work memorable.
These four practical story-writing tips can help you create more focused, purposeful fiction and make the editing process easier.
1. Understand the difference between an anecdote and a story
One of the biggest breakthroughs for writers is understanding the difference between an anecdote and a story.
An anecdote tells us something happened.
A story tells us something changed.
For example:
“I went to the beach with my grandmother. We ate ice cream, paddled in the sea and laughed all afternoon.”
That is an anecdote.
Now ask:
What changed?
Perhaps the main character arrives dreading a day at the beach with their grandmother, who has always seemed distant. During the day, the grandmother begins talking about her childhood growing up by the sea, revealing a side of herself the main character has never seen before.
By the end of the day, their relationship has changed.
When planning your next story, ask:
What changes between the beginning and the end?
If the answer is “nothing”, you may have an anecdote rather than a story. When considering how to write a stronger story, make sure you’ve addressed this first question.
2. Trust your reader
One of the biggest temptations when writing fiction is to explain everything.
We worry that readers will not understand a character’s emotions or recognise the significance of a particular moment. So we explain it – and then explain it again.
But readers are clever.
If you have shown that a character is avoiding eye contact and giving one-word answers, you probably do not also need to tell us that they feel uncomfortable.
For example:
Ben stared at the floor and answered every question with a shrug. He felt uncomfortable.
The final sentence is probably unnecessary. The character’s behaviour has already shown us how he feels.
One of the pleasures of reading is making connections and drawing conclusions. If we explain everything, we take that pleasure away.
3. Try cutting your first paragraph
Many first drafts begin with what is often called ‘throat clearing’.
Before we reach the story itself, we spend a paragraph – or sometimes a page – setting the scene, explaining the background or working our way towards the important moment.
But readers do not necessarily need that kind of introduction. They arrive ready for the story to begin.
When you have finished your first draft, try deleting the opening paragraph and see what happens.
Sometimes you will decide that the paragraph is necessary and put it back. Very often, though, you will discover that the story starts a little later than you first thought.
4. Give every scene a purpose4. Give every scene a purpose
Every scene in your story should earn its place.
A scene might:
- develop a character
- create or increase conflict
- reveal new information
- deepen or damage a relationship
- raise a question
- force a decision
- change something, however subtly
If you can remove a scene without affecting the story, ask yourself whether it really needs to be there.
Frequently asked questions about writing stronger stories
What makes an anecdote different from a story?
An anecdote describes something that happened. A story usually contains change.
Does every story need a dramatic transformation?
No. The change can be subtle. A character might understand someone differently, make a small decision or recognise something they had previously avoided.
How do I know where my story should begin?
Begin as close as possible to the moment when something changes, becomes difficult or demands the character’s attention. You can often introduce background information later.
Want to develop your story-writing skills?
Browse Alight Writing Academy’s online creative writing courses for practical guidance, structured exercises and personalised tutor feedback.
Our courses are designed to help you develop ideas, create convincing characters and shape complete stories of your own.
About the author
Dr Christina Clover is an award-winning published author, creative writing lecturer and editor with a PhD in Creative Writing. She teaches fiction through Alight Writing Academy’s online creative writing courses.