The Writing Elements Mix – Is There a Right Balance?
By Karen Cioffi
Writing can be thought of as a recipe, a handful of plot, a quarter
cup of setting, a half cup of dialogue, and a half cup of action and
forward movement. Then you also need to add just the right amount of
theme, character, setting, and style. Stir it all together and bake for
several months (might be longer, depending on your oven), and that’s it.
Ah, if it were only that simple.
Today, there are a number of rules to writing that didn’t plague writers years ago
when the world was slower and people actually had time to sit and read
at a leisurely pace. Writers had the luxury of setting scenes in detail
and didn’t have to worry about ‘telling’ too much.
Now, publishers want your story to begin with a BAM. Grab the reader
right away or you’ll lose her. And, it’s important that setting and
telling are limited. In addition, don’t forget to magically weave
backstory for your characters seamlessly into the mix.
So, what is the right balance of writing elements that will create a successful story?
Well, there really isn’t a pat formula. Each story will call for its
own particular amounts of elements, and each publisher will have her own
set of rules that the author must adhere to. But there are certain
basics that all stories must contain.
The five basic elements of a story are:
Plot: The arrangement of circumstances and/or events in the story, including
conflicts and resolution.
Character: Without the main character and supporting
characters the plot is useless. It is the character’s struggle to
overcome the conflicts or obstacles in his path that gives the plot
life.
Setting: This element includes the physical backdrop of the story, the time period and location.
Atmosphere or Tone: The mood, including the setting,
characters and their clothing, weather, and other elements within the
story, determines the tone of the story.
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