Three Essential Plot Elements of a Fiction Story

Fiction Writers Must Include Three Things for a Quality Tale

When a fiction writer sits down to start writing a novel or short story, there are several things that they have to decide. The writer must come up with the characters, the setting, and the plot. Perhaps that most important one in creating a riveting story is the plot. 

The plot is the structure of the story. It is what happens and in what order. It is cause and effect. And without one, a fiction writer doesn’t have a novel or short story. They have just a bunch of words on a page. 

The plot has three needed elements to create a quality fiction story: theme, questions, and conflict. 

Plot Element # 1 - Theme

The theme of your fiction story or novel is the message that it imparts. I’m not talking about some deep philosophical meaning, although it could be that, depending on your story. The theme of a story makes a statement about society or behaviors. It can be anything from “good guys always win” to “it pays to lie and cheat.” 

Every fiction story must have a theme. Whether it is overt or hidden is up to the fiction writer. 

Plot Element # 2 - Questions

In the course of a fiction story, the reader must be inspired to ask questions about the story or the characters. If the reader is wondering what will happen next, or how the characters will solve a particular dilemma, they will be intrigued and continue reading. 

Fiction writers must give their readers a reason to read the book. In order to catch the reader’s attention on the first page, a question must arise early, and they must continue throughout the story until they are all answered at the end. 

Plot Element # 3 - Conflict

Conflict, defined simply, is the problems or obstacles that arise within your fiction story’s plot. 

Many young fiction writers believe that a story is simply a series of events and descriptions. This is not true. Not only does that not fulfill the other two needs of a quality fiction plot, if there is no conflict, there will be no interest.