How to Plan Your Entire Story in 7 Days Direct Answers What is a one-sentence story premise? A one-sentence premise acts as the ultimate pitch and hook for your story. It should present the core conflict in a way that immediately spikes curiosity and highlights what makes your angle unique. To create a strong premise, focus on these steps: - Draft five different versions of your premise to test different angles. - Emphasize the unique twist that separates your idea from existing stories. - Choose the version that makes you the most excited to write. How do you build a main character? Building a main character requires establishing their basic traits, their ultimate goal, and the internal flaws holding them back. These flaws create conflict even when there is no villain present. When defining your protagonist, focus on these core elements: - Determine their name, age, appearance, and core personality traits. - Identify what they want more than anything else in the world. - Define internal obstacles like being impulsive or desperate for validation. - Note their emotional starting point, such as being naive or broken. How should you approach world building for a new story? World building establishes the setting of your story, but you should only develop elements that are directly relevant to your plot. The goal is to know your world well enough that you do not have to make things up randomly. Break your world building into these specific categories: - Map out the geography to know where locations are in relation to each other. - Define the political structure and who holds power. - Outline major historical events that shaped the current world. - Establish local cultures, traditions, and beliefs. - Create unique flora and fauna if your story involves exploration. What are the core components of a power system? A power system gives structure to the combat or supernatural abilities in your world. Your system needs strict rules and limitations because fights become boring if there is no cost to using abilities. To create a balanced power system, define these core components: - Determine the source of the power and how characters acquire it. - Establish the physical or mental cost required to use abilities. - Define the limitations and restrictions that create tension during fights. - Create variety in how the power can be applied or categorized. - Set core principles that govern the system and never change. Establish Your Core Premise Imagine the one-sentence premise as the ultimate pitch. If you had only one sentence to get people interested in your story, it needs to be the most compelling idea you can formulate. When people hear this premise, it should immediately spike their curiosity and present the core conflict. It should capture what makes your story different from everything else out there. Write down five different versions of your premise to test different angles. Pick the one that makes you most excited to write, as this will keep your story focused when motivation drops. Define Your Protagonist and Main Cast Start with the basics of your protagonist, including their name, age, appearance, and personality. Determine what they want more than anything else in the world. The most important element to establish is their internal flaw. Identify if they are impulsive, desperate for validation, or too hesitant to face their enemies. These flaws make characters human and create conflict. Your protagonist cannot carry the story alone, so list out the key relationships they need. Identify five to 10 characters who will play significant roles as friends, mentors, rivals, or enemies. You do not need full backstories yet. You just need to know who they are in relation to your main character and why they matter to the plot. Each person in your cast should serve a different purpose to create variety. Build Your World and Power System Start your world building with geography by drawing a rough map to know where things are in relation to each other. Next, think about the political structure and outline who holds power. Consider the history, culture, and creatures that shape your setting. The key is to only develop what is relevant to your plot so world building serves your story instead of replacing it. If your story features combat or supernatural elements, you must establish a power system. Define the source of this power, whether it is something people are born with or train to unlock. Determine the cost and limitations of using these abilities to maintain tension. Write down the core principles that govern your power system, and ensure these rules remain consistent throughout the story. Create a Compelling Villain and Supporting Antagonists Every story needs opposition, so define your main villain's goal and motivation. The best villains genuinely believe they are right, even if the audience heavily disagrees with their methods. Ask yourself what your villain is willing to do to achieve their goal and what lines they will cross. Consider their personal relationship to the protagonist, as personal stakes make conflicts hit much harder. Villains rarely work alone. List out three to seven significant supporters who help them achieve their goals. Write down their roles, power levels, and specific motivations for following the main villain. Outline the Inciting Incident and Ending The inciting incident is the specific event that kicks off the entire story. It should create a problem that cannot be ignored and push your protagonist out of their comfort zone. Before this moment, you must establish what the protagonist was doing and what their normal world looked like. Once the inciting incident happens, everything about their life becomes different. Finally, you must know the general direction of your ending. Decide if your protagonist achieves their goal, what happens to the villain, and how the world changes. Having an ending in mind prevents you from wandering aimlessly and acts as a north star. Answer all of these fundamental questions, and you will have the building blocks needed to plot your story.