Understanding the Fundamentals
When I review the epoch of this blog, I have spoken almost ad nauseam to one the most critical pieces of storytelling, characterization. It is clearly evident; I view the proper treatment of characters as one of the most important aspects of the content creation experience. Yet, no one single element of storytelling is more important than the other. The synergy of these elements will bring your story across the finish line and, hopefully, will leave the reader craving more of your creative style.
Admittedly, what I just mentioned should be considered a no-brainer but, unfortunately, it is not. When you consider the numerous, half-baked attempts at reimagining or revisioning iconic content and see them fall flat on their face in spite of the fact their original creators had already done all the hard work, it does make you wonder; has anyone of them taken or paid attention in their introductory, creative writing class?
Aside from the obvious, what do I mean by understanding the fundamentals? In my assessment these pour the foundation and form the framework for any endeavor or vocation, which, to a certain extent, is what life is based upon. These are your go-to principles, serving to guide and provide clarity in the absence of clearly defined rulesets. In my roundabout way, I am saying, these fundamentals should be adhered to even when they are stretched to their creative limits. My only suggestion is to not push it because content consumers will notice and hold you accountable.
In pretty much everything we humans touch, settling on a succinct and concreate set of criteria as to what the primary elements of storytelling really are is a road filled with convolution and the occasional contradiction, however, four primary components did come up consistently in my research: plot, character, setting, and theme. The remaining elements range anywhere from what composes the narrative arc, the three basics, the five P’s, or what are the 7 main elements of a short story. No matter the genre and overall message you want to convey, one thing is certain; if you cannot grasp the fundamentals of what it means to create memorable and compelling content, it may be time for you to consider another area of focus better suited for your specific set of skills.
Although I will not be touching on the various types of narrative structures, given it could very rightly be a standalone post, having a grasp of where your content lies does fit into this fundamental structure. The Author Learning Center article in the References section is a good place to start in understanding the narrative arc. There is a section speaking specifically to the types of character development arcs, I found interesting and, dare I say, some in the content creation industry should read and take to heart.
My initial intent was to walk you through the four primary fundamentals, then add to them but I opted for a more hands-on learning experience. The articles at the end of this post speak well to plot, characterization, setting, and theme, so I would suggest taking the time to peruse at your leisure should the desire strike you. In my observation, their definitions are not cerebral by any stretch of the imagination, nor should they be. Employing them effectively in your writing to mold and convey your story’s purpose is definitely a cerebral exercise.
What I would like to briefly highlight are two fundamentals, I feel are not discussed often enough or not at all; foreshadow and cause and effect. As standalone elements, they can be very nuanced or border on the obvious but, like the aforementioned plot, characterization, setting, and theme, weaving them amongst their counterparts to form a coherent storytelling experience requires practice and patience.
In the Wikipedia article, foreshadowing is considered a narrative tool the storyteller can use to provide hints of what is to come later in the story, either at the beginning, through character interaction, plot events, or changes in setting. I have seen foreshadow used so effectively, I forced myself out of pure curiosity and respect for the craft, to review the entirety of a story to determine where and when this artful fundamental was planted.
No matter which version you watch or if you chose to read it, the masterfully crafted novel by Frank Herbert, Dune implements foreshadow through a variety of methods with the primary delivery tool of choice being character interactions, where mood and inner dialogue point to Paul Atreides becoming more than what can be seen on the surface. Through his prophetic dreams and enduring greater pain than any female who has ever been subject to a potentially deadly test with a poisoned needle, the gom jabbar, held to his neck, the use of foreshow in this story alone is so smooth, you will not even recognize it. The challenge is to not overdo it less you give away too many details and expose critical plot points prematurely.
One of my favorite points of dialogue in the 1984 movie adaptation of Dune, directed by David Lynch is when Paul, with his back to the door, identified three characters: Thufir, Dr. Yueh, and Gurney coming down the hall. Thufir exclaims in a rather admonishing tone, “Those sounds could be imitated!” Paul, with a cocky smile on his faces, turns to face the three men and mentions, “I’d know the difference.” Thufir’s inner dialogue informs the audience, “Yes, perhaps he would at that.”
The use of inner dialogue to convey messaging surrounding the true, perhaps fantastical, potential of a character or specific plot points, is merely one method to deliver the appropriate level of nuance in your story. I have used it sporadically in my own story, The Cradle of Destiny, to convey, if nothing else, where my characters true perspectives originate. Again, the challenge lies in not overdoing one particular approach. Although I loved the use of inner dialogue in the 1984 movie, I am thankful they kept it under control otherwise viewers would have grown tired very quickly of characters whispering to themselves.
In this writers opinion, the use of cause and effect, which I will abbreviate as CE for the sake of this writing, should be effortless and require little effort to implement effectively. It is both a facet of storytelling and one clearly evident in our day-to-day lives. If you do “A” then “B” will happen as a result. If you punch someone in the face, do not be surprised when law enforcement shows up at your doorstep. Surprisingly, it is an element many people appear to forget about the most.
Taken directly from one of the resources listed at the end of this post, it is important for the novelist to quell the uncertainty in his/her readers, by showing a direct cause-effect relationship. Such a framework can be used to educate readers, present order, reverse behaviors, and speculate on unknown subject areas. Talk about food for thought.
My March 2023 post titled, Doing It Right: The Last of Us, spoke specifically to a variety of writing elements used to create a masterful story, whose hard-hitting messages lead to a Last of Us Part Two, the sequel to the award-winning video game and generated the critically acclaimed HBO series of the same name with performances by Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Anna Torv, and Nick Offerman to name just a few. If there was ever a clearer example of how cause and effect wraps up all your masterfully placed storytelling elements in one tidy little Christmas bow, it is The Last of Us.
Although the games have been out in circulation for some time now with a recently released remaster of Part 2 with better graphics and different play modes, I will not speak to specific pieces just in case some of you may not have played the sequel, yours truly being one of them but not for long.
From the first time you meet the main characters of Joel and Ellie, travel with them through trials and tribulations, while they come to a better understanding of one another, you will clearly see where some of their actions will come back to exact a price on them later. In the sequel to the first game, CE is not only used very well but does drive home a couple main themes. One of the most notable, in my opinion, is what happens when we do not recognize when it is time to let go and the toll it takes on your soul.
Aside from simply being a wonderful story to follow and watch thoughtfully created characters evolve beyond their rough-edged exteriors, The Last of Us provides relevance to our own lives and serves to remind us, fictional settings resemble reality more than what we care to admit. This is when you know the people behind creating such a well-done story, truly get it and can balance their own passions with proper storytelling dynamics.
Even if you are not a video gaming enthusiast, I would recommend finding any one of the wonderful YouTube content creators whose focus is playing these types of games and publishing what are called, playthroughs highlighting their own thoughts on the game, while they play it from beginning to end. Not only does it create memorable and often humorous moments while they work with gaming mechanics, it provides an opportunity for the viewer to experience the story even though playing video games may not be their cup of tea. Some of the YouTubers I frequently watch are Christopherodd, theRadBrad, and FightinCowboy.
Whether you are a writer, reader or a sprinkling of both, taking time to understand these fundamentals will assist in setting realistic expectations when creating or consuming content. The best thing is it will help you recognize when a truly wonderful story is staring directly at you.
As always, I wish for you to be safe, be well, and continuously strive to build your mind on a foundation of compassion and unconditional love. By doing so, you will influence others to do the same and help make the universe a much better place to live by helping change one mind at a time for the better.
Be safe and be well.
References
Be Memorable: 7 Elements of Storytelling to Master
https://www.skillshare.com/en/blog/be-memorable-7-elements-of-storytelling-to-master/
Dune (Novel) Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dune_(novel)
How to Structure a Story: The Fundamentals of Narrative
Foreshadowing Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreshadowing
The Role of Cause and Effect in Novel Writing
https://www.universalclass.com/articles/writing/the-role-of-cause-and-effect-in-novel-writing.htm
Storytelling 101: The 6 Elements of Every Complete Narrative
https://blog.pond5.com/6477-storytelling-101-the-6-elements-of-every-complete-narrative/
What Are the Key Elements of a Story?
