The nitty-gritty of developing story is the process of taking your story idea from a seed to a polished narrative. This is when you start to think about the big picture — how your plot will unfold and how your characters’ journeys will be structured. It’s also the time to start looking at inconsistencies, tightening prose, and refining character arcs. This process can be exhausting, but balancing macro edits (like plot and character) with micro edits (like grammar and style) is an essential part of the writing process.
During this stage, it’s important to identify your main character’s goal(s) and the central conflict that will drive the story forward. You can then use these factors to build the structure of your narrative. For example, if your protagonist wants to save their partner but isn’t brave enough, you can build out a series of progressive complications that culminate in a heart-stopping cliffhanger.
It’s also a good idea to develop the world where your story will be set, including its geography, cultures, and religions. This will help you to visualize the locations where your scenes will take place and provide a deeper sense of realism.
Once you have a clear outline of your story, it’s time to start drafting! Using Scrite’s Structure feature, you can select from one of our template structures to make this process as smooth as possible. You can even use a custom template, or create your own, to suit your individual needs.
About the Author
