This will be the first of many craft analyses. Craft is essentially the art or, if you prefer, the science of creative writing. Every writer, whether or not she is aware of it, uses the principles of craft to create story.
We shall begin with the most basic question any writer can pose. What is a story?
Story = (external + internal) problem + desire + change
This formula provides a basis for understanding what a story is. It cannot fit every story exactly, but no formula can.
Problem refers to the main character’s issues that will be addressed in the story (they are usually internal and external problems). Desire refers to what the main character wants. Change refers to the main character’s change, usually the resolution of the internal problem. Did you catch all that? It’s okay if you didn’t because I will go into each of these topics in depth in future craft analyses. For now it is just important that you develop a familiarization with these components of story.
A story can be reduced to two parts: internal and external. The internal story is what is going on inside the mind of the main character, while the external story is what is going on outside of it. External story can be something as simple as a visit to a bank or as complex as a young woman’s first year of boarding school.
Desire is what the main character wants. What is it that is driving the character to take action? In The Lord of the Rings, Frodo is driven to destroy the one ring. Desires can be simple or many-layered, depending on the character that owns them.
Change is the reason we enjoy the story. The main character’s change is what lingers after the resolution of the plot. Again, change can be a simple thing, or it can be many-layered. Change must, above all, feel earned.