Fictional stories create wonder and excitement in readers of all ages, among other things. In a fictional story, anything is possible. The world is your oyster, as they say, but what is a fiction story?
A fiction story is an entirely made-up story that creatively narrates events from the author’s imagination. The fiction genre could mean a number of things, whether it is a novel, a short story, or a novella. In this article, we will answer the question, “What is a fiction story?” by exploring its elements.
Exploring the Elements
To summarize, there are five elements to create a fiction story. It doesn’t matter how you present your novel, whether it’s written or narrated; these elements are at the heart of every fictional story.
So, what are the elements of fiction stories? Let’s explore.
Plot
A story without a plot is doomed to begin with. By creating the book’s plot, you will define the sequence of events that play out in the book, and you will create characters to participate in the story.
You can create a good plot in a number of ways. Below are a few plot elements that you should consider for your fictional story. These plot elements make for an interesting read that keeps readers engaged.
- Exposition
- Setting or character descriptions
- Point of View (aka POV, such as the narrator or main character’s thoughts)
- Rising Action
- Climax
- Falling Action
- Resolution
Setting
The second element of a fictional story is the setting. Where does your story take place? When does the story occur? The story setting will define how your story comes out. A novel set in ancient times involving castles is vastly different from the story in a futuristic city akin to cyberpunk. Dive into the world of fiction and create anything your mind wants, whether it’s creatures, language, or more, but be sure to stick to the facts of the era or time you are writing about.
The universe you build has to be immersive enough to engage the readers. Tolkien’s books not only have a great plot but also have a great setting. The world-building and story setting in his books still serve as an inspiration to many authors today.
Characters
The third element of a fiction story is the characters. You could have as many characters as you want, but make sure they all serve a purpose. Create relatable characters so readers can form an attachment with them.
Aside from your main protagonist, the antagonist and side characters will also play a crucial role in the plot. So many great stories are successful because of the strong side characters.
Point of view
The fourth element of the fictional story you need to consider is the point of view. This will define how your story is written. There are three different points of view that you need to consider:
- First-Person Point of View
- Second-Person Point of View
- Third-Person Point of View
Conflict
The fifth and final element of the fictional story is “conflict.” This defines the major obstacle the main character attempts to overcome in their story. The conflict can come in various shapes and sizes. Below are the different types of conflicts that you should consider when writing your fictional story:
- Character vs. Self
This is the conflict where your main character has to overcome an inner obstacle, such as doubt, fear, or anger.
- Character vs. Character
This sort of conflict has your character going head-to-head with another character. This is the antagonist of the fiction story who will serve as the major obstacle in the protagonist’s path.
- Character vs. Nature
Next, we have the main character encounter the force of nature. This could be anything from a natural disaster to a story of survival. A common example of character vs nature stories is post-apocalyptic novels.
- Character vs. Society
Here, the characters are at odds with the society. This could mean a righteous story that challenges societal preconceptions. Consider The Handmaid’s Tale an example of this type of conflict story.
This conflict type is not restricted to young adult novels only; kids can also benefit from it. An example of this would be Mama n’ Me by April Pierre. In this beautifully illustrated children’s book, a mother teaches her child to accept her uniqueness and not conform to societal standards. This book highlights how we can create an inclusive society by appreciating individuals for who they are.
Grab your copy today.
Conclusion
So, by now, you should know the answer to the question, “What is a fiction story?” In summary, these are the elements you need to remember:
- Plot
- Exposition
- Setting or character descriptions
- Point of View (aka POV, such as the narrator or main character’s thoughts)
- Rising Action
- Climax
- Falling Action
- Resolution
- Setting
- Characters
- Protagonist
- Antagonist
- Point of view
- First-Person Point of View
- Second-Person Point of View
- Third-Person Point of View
- Conflict
- Character vs Self
- Character vs. Character
- Character vs Nature
- Character vs Society
Incorporating these five elements into your story is important because they will help you define a theme in the book. Moreover, it will serve as the key to finding your direction. Some authors also like to use this to define a structure and flow to their stories. We hope these will help you write your fictional story and bring it to life for all to read.
