The A-Z of Great Storytelling
Everything you need to know.
On the surface level, storytelling is simply the narration of a series of events.
As the writer or storyteller, your goal is to create an experience that draws the reader into your world, immerses them in the story, and leaves them thinking or feeling certain emotions long after they’ve finished listening or reading.
Sounds easy enough, yeah?
Well, it’s not as difficult as many people think.
As humans we’re wired to love stories; we can’t do without them.
The key to writing a great story is simply tweaking the little things to make your writing more emotionally appealing and easier to understand.
Here’s your A-Z guide to telling unforgettable stories.
A – Atmosphere
Every scene in your story must be layered with a strong sense of atmosphere.
By using vivid, sensory descriptions, you can create a mood that draws your readers into the depth of the world you’ve built.
Whether you’re aiming for a vibe that’s eerie, joyful, or tense, the right atmosphere will always add realism to your story.
B – Backstory
This is very essential for characters.
Every character needs a past that has shaped them into who they are.
You can share bits of their backstory to add depth to their person, but be careful not to overload your narrative or add irrelevant information.
Reveal details gradually to keep your characters intriguing and your readers curious.
C – Conflict
Conflict is the struggle between two opposing forces, and it’s the heart of every story.
It can be internal, external, or both.
This striving between two sides keeps the tension high and gives your characters something to fight for.
It’s hard for a story to have any telling value without a defined and interesting conflict.
D – Dialogue
Dialogue is said to be “good” when it reveals characters, builds relationships, and moves the plot forward.
Conversations between your characters should sound natural and always serve a purpose.
Dialogue is best used to show emotions and conflicts; however, don’t resort to lengthy explanations that will overwhelm the reader.
Sometimes, the actions should speak louder than the words.
E – Emotion
A great story will always evoke strong emotions.
Whether it’s joy, sorrow, anger, or fear, your story must touch your reader’s heart and make them feel something.
Proper use of sensory details makes emotions come alive on the pages of a story.
F – Foreshadowing
This is the simplest way to build suspense and keep your readers anticipating what comes next.
You can sprinkle subtle clues here and there about a happening that’s to come, whether it’s good or bad.
Feel free to use foreshadowing to build excitement or dread in the minds of your readers, but remember that the eventual payoff must be as satisfying as the anticipation you’ve built.
You don’t want to disappoint your readers negatively.
I wrote an article on how to do this properly.
G – Genre
You need to know your genre inside out.
You must understand its conventions, its nuances, and the little things that make its most popular stories so good.
You’re not doing this so that you can write a story that sounds like every other story, but so you can find new stories to tell by bending or breaking these genre “rules.”
Your readers will enjoy reading a story in their favourite genre that is completely different from what they’ve read before but still feels familiar to them.
The best (maybe the only) way to do this properly is by reading and reading a lot of these stories.
H – Hook
You can choose to start with a devastating death, shocking news, or even start at the end of the story.
Either way, your opening line or scene or page must grab the attention of your reader immediately.
You need to give them a reason to keep reading.
Plenty readers don’t mind slow-burn beginnings, but you still need to make a strong first impression in their minds.
There’s so many other stories they could be reading; your hook is your chance to tell them why they should spend their time reading yours.
I – Internal Struggle
As humans, we battle daily with doubts, fears, and concerns, many of them unspoken.
The characters in your story should also live that way.
Dive into their inner conflicts and let your readers relate to or share in their struggle.
J – Journey
A story is a journey for both the characters and the readers.
Before you begin writing, you should map out a clear path for how the characters develop and how the plot progresses.
Even if you don’t write it down, which I’d advise you to, have a clear direction in mind.
Each stage of the story should lead a progress in the journey, no matter how small.
Pacing is important here too; you don’t want to move too fast and overwhelm your readers or move too slow and underwhelm them.
K – Key Moments
Every story has “iconic” moments.
Pivotal scenes, twists, or events that define the narrative and leave an impression in the mind of the reader.
These moments in your story must be emotionally charged and should serve as a transition to the next stage in the story’s journey.
This means that every “key moment” must either move the plot forward or mark a distinct phase in the development of a particular character.
L – Layers
Great stories operate on multiple levels.
They are never one-directional.
You can create layers through interesting subplots or through the use of subtext, symbolism, and recurring themes.
Your goal is to encourage your reader to “look beyond the surface” and pay attention to all parts of the story.
M – Mystery
You don’t have to be writing a mystery story for your story to be mysterious.
The key is to keep your readers intrigued by weaving in elements of mystery.
Elements such as foreshadowing, symbolism, suspense, etc.
You never want to reveal everything all at once.
You should leave questions to linger so that your audience feels compelled to keep reading your story in search of answers or out of curiosity on how things end.
N – Narrative Structure
There are tonnes of storytelling styles you can implement for your story, depending on the plot that you have in mind.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with different narrative structures to find the ones that you enjoy using the most.
Whether it’s a linear progression, non-linear flashbacks, or multiple viewpoints, there’s always an interesting way to tell a story.
O – Origins
Every great story has a beginning.
This is the foundation that shapes its world and characters.
Rather than immediately launching into action, you can take a moment to explore where your story comes from.
What are the roots of your characters’ conflicts and ambitions?
By weaving in the origins of your narrative, you give your readers a deeper connection and a richer context for the journey ahead.
You can also do this in the course of your story, unravelling the origins as the plot progresses.
P – Perspective
“Whose eyes would this story be best viewed from?”
Telling your story from the right perspective can be a game changer, and there are multiple options from which you can choose from.
First-person can offer intimacy between the readers and the characters, while third-person can provide a broader view of the entire story.
Whatever perspective you choose should enhance the reader’s connection with your characters and events and immerse them into the story.
Q – Questions
Let your story pose important questions, both for the plot and for life in general.
What is the meaning behind these events?
What led to the downfall of this character?
What lessons from this tale can I apply to my life?
These questions engage your readers and encourage them to think deeply.
R – Relatability
The best way to make your story interesting is by making your characters and plot relatable to your readers.
Readers love seeing themselves in stories, even in stories with fantastical settings and supernatural themes.
Human emotions and challenges resonate with all audiences.
We want to see your characters struggle, love, and grow, just like we do.
S – Stakes
This is very similar to conflict.
Your story needs stakes that matter.
What does your character stand to lose or gain?
Why do their actions matter?
Why should your reader be excited or worried about the events of your plot?
When the stakes are high, every decision feels more urgent, and every passing second matters.
This is how you get the reader to invest in your story.
T – Theme
Every great story has a central theme (or two or three or four).
The theme is a deeper message that ties everything together.
It could be love, redemption, the struggle for acceptance, etc.
Having strong themes gives your story purpose and resonance.
U – Unpredictability
Surprise your readers.
Break their hearts.
Kill their favourite characters.
Let the good guy they’ve loved all along turn out to be evil.
Turn the whole plot upside down in their faces.
However, while you do this, avoid clichés and predictable plot twists.
Don’t use overflogged or overused archetypes.
Your overall aim is to constantly keep your audience on their toes.
V – Villains
A compelling villain will always elevate your story.
Think of Thanos from the Marvel Universe or Joffrey from Game of Thrones.
Villians we love to hate or love to love.
It’s advisable that you don’t make your villains to be mere “obstacles” to your main characters.
Give them their own depth, motivation, and individual persona.
Even if their role is to make the conflict more engaging by opposing the protagonist, they should also have their own depth and personality.
The truth is some readers always love to root for the villian.
W – World-building
The world that your story takes place in and that your characters live in must be rich and immersive.
Depending on the story you’re writing and on the style you’re using, you might not always need to describe every single detail of the world, but you still have to give your reader a feel for the setting in which the story is occuring.
Paint a picture in their minds through simple or detailed descriptions.
X – X-Factor
This is that special something that makes your story stand out from similar stories.
The truth is that there are barely any “original” stories or ideas left.
Therefore, it falls to you to let your individuality shine through every story you write.
What are the unique insights or angles you can bring to a story?
Find them and let them thrive on every page.
Y – Yearning
What do your characters want?
Your readers need to know the true desires of the characters in your story.
Their goals, dreams, and deepest longings are the drivers of the plot.
When your reader understands what your characters are yearning for and why, they attach an emotional investment in seeing them reach the outcome (or miss out on it).
Z – Zeal
Finally, the true fuel of storytelling is passion.
You need to love doing it.
You need to love the process, as difficult as it gets.
Write with zeal, and let your enthusiasm for the subject jump off the page.
When you’re excited about your story, your readers will be too.
READ NEXT -
Let me know your thoughts below. Thanks for reading!