story v. narrative

[stephenspower]

I've been struggling lately with have a story, a series of events undertaken by characters, but no good ideas of how to craft them into a narrative. I imagine it's the problem biographers and magazine writers must often have: give some big event or life, how do I make it small and approachable? To put in the terms I've used before, I've got an idea for a War of the Ring, but to get started I need a hole in the ground with a hobbit. Do other people have this problem? And, if so, what are some of your strategies for turning stories into narratives?

 

[T.Allen.Smith]

A quote I like, which applies:

"Don't write about man; write about a man."
-E.B. White

White is saying that to write about events, or large happenings, they are best told through the eyes of an individual.

Create a character, or characters, who experience the events. Your reader can then live the same experience through their perceptions.

 

[Penpilot]

Yep. What T.A.S. said.

Story is told through the eyes of those who experienced it. Their struggles and the reader's connection with these characters is what makes the story. It's what separates it from a text book.

You have a series of events undertaken by some characters. Now you have to discover why these events are important to the character's and why they really-really want to do them. You need good personal reasons to drive the characters into these events. Wanting to do good for the world isn't a good reason to do something. Wanting to slay a dragon to win the love of a princess is a good reason.

 

[aliens]

I have a similar problem. I have my story mapped out and know the overall plot. I have my main characters and am pretty aware of what they are like in terms of motives and personality. I'm having a problem with where to begin.
Starting a story is always so intimidating to me. I've been procrastinating by writing myths and the history of the world. World building that most likely no one will ever even see, but I feel that it may add some good detail throughout the story as I incorporate these ideas.

 

[FatCat]

Try writing a summation of the character arch. It'll boil down what sentiment you are trying to express in a simple way.

Let's say you have a ranger elf. You fleshed him out, have his history, how he holds his bow taught for two seconds before releasing, what-not. Now, how do you turn him away from the King of the chessboard (his character) to a pawn (narrative). What are his weaknesses, and how does he deal with them? In what way can you express his weakness while overcoming them? It seems like a simple process, but balancing your character's credibility and how it serves the over-all story are extremely difficult.

If the character is strong, but you continually portray him/her to be weak, you've failed. However, if you're character is strong because you showed how him/her overcame hardship, you've got it. Substitute weak for a more complex emotional trait and that's, as I see it, the gist of it.

 

[ThinkerX]

Also, start small. The hobbit started with one hobbit, stepped up to a party (introducing the reader to dwarves), and from there turned into a one step at a time type journey, introducing other races (trolls, elves, goblins) along the way.

So...start with one character, and almost immediately throw that character a curve ball: something unexpected and highly unlikely. Have the character contrast this event with his or her normal routine. Then expand outward from there. Say, somebody brings the MC something from a distant kingdom: 'Wow, I haven't seen one of those in years!' Followed by 'Well, its a troubled part of the world lately.' Word by word, step by step, the world gets bigger, and the scale of the crisis becomes clearer.

 

[Jabrosky]

I agree with the "start small" approach of focusing on one character and their experience.

I don't know about the OP specifically, but I think we fantasy writers tend to fixate on Big Events (especially wars) in part because we're so often interested in history. If you read most history books that aren't biographical accounts of particular individuals, they focus on Big Events and other large-scale developments (e.g. economic trends, climate change, or international politics). This can be useful for inspiring story settings, but unless your protagonist is politically important in their world, it's not so conducive to developing character arcs. For the purposes of most storytelling, the Big Events simply provide the stage's background.

 

[skip.knox]

I sympathize. If you will indulge me talking about my own work...

In the 4th century, Rome is invaded, but not by barbarians. Goblins, by the tens of thousands. They overwhelm one defense after another, but one legion survives and saves the Empire. That legion is commanded by a man who hates the Army but who finds himself on the front lines despite his best efforts.

So. Where do we start? I started in Constantinople, just before he is assigned to the legion. I started on the frontier, on his way to the legion. I started on his first day with the legion. I started at his first engagement with goblin outrunners. I have a starting point I've stuck with for quite a while, but I still fuss around with it from time to time. The stuff before has become back story while the later starts are simply part of the narrative now.

I have another story where I knew the start right from the start because I had the opening line. That was unusual. The previous example is more typical of how my story writing develops.

All of which is a long-winded way of saying beginnings can be tricky. I think maybe after I've written a dozen complete stories, then maybe I'll start to get a feel for it, but honestly I doubt it. The one sure piece of advice is this: start writing. Keep writing. You can always choose Chapter 1 during the edits!

 

[Terry Greer]

It doesn't really matter where you begin - just start and worry about it later.
worrying about this can become almost a block to writing - and the only answer is to start. You'll have to rewrite again anyway eventually - and you can fix it up then when things are clearer.

Everyone's story has elements outside their control that started before their 'story' started. even if you start at your protagonist's actual birth it's likely that their parents situation and the history of the location they live is also important.

Just pick a good vivid scene in your mind and begin there.

 

[Butterfly]

Start writing. You will likely see the whole thing a lot clearer maybe several thousand words in. Wherever you begin the story you will discover a better beginning as you work through the writing. It will change as you discover more about the events you have already planned. Maybe even your plan will change drastically as you travel further into writing the book. Mine did. I've had around half a dozen different starts, different characters opening, different events, a different location even, until I found the right opening to use.

 

[Gurkhal]

I'm not sure I got it all what you were asking for but I'll say this. Start with the character and place the character at the center of events. That should allow you for the character to take in things, and by extension for your readers, to take in things at a good pace and way.

 

[Helen]

a series of events

what are some of your strategies for turning stories into narratives?

I think you have to ask yourself what the point of leading the audience through that series of events is.

And it comes down to the meaning behind the story, the lessons to be learned, what you want to say by telling that story.

That's definitely part of the equation of turning a series of events into a narrative.