Steve Wang: Writing about Story Telling

By: Steve Wang

What makes a good story? I think this is a very interesting topic because only the best authors can allow readers to really care about the characters and it's story. There are many parts to telling a good story but for the essay, I will only write about three different points.

According to Pixar's 22 rules of storytelling on this Pixar’s 22 Rules of Storytelling (Aerogramme, 2013) article, it is important to like a character more for more than their success. One good example is Tony Stark who is Iron Man. People like the character more than his success. Some people like him for his cool suit or funny personality. Another example is Sherlock Holmes. I admire him for his intelligence and I also think the books about him are really well written. It makes you feel nervous or excited at some parts. If the character is written well enough it might change you. When I read this when I was younger, I tried more to do my work because I did not want to look like some idiot compared to Sherlock Holmes like a few of the characters in the story.

Another important point is, hope over detours and skip unnecessary parts. A good example is Harry Potter. Most of the time, it does not have many unnecessary parts. In the story, most things are only introduced if they are going to be used. One story I did not enjoy so much was Lord of the Rings because I felt like they introduced a lot of places that they were just passing by and it got a little boring at some parts. When they did that I felt like they introduced a lot of unnecessary things that were unimportant to the story. Another good example is the movie The Martian. It only talks about the parts that are important to the story. They do not just have random science facts stuffed into it.

One other example from the list is, the stakes. What would happen if the main character failed. To put things into perspective, what would happen to London if Sherlock Holmes failed. Crime would be rampant in that city and the mafia would be running it. Another good example would be Avengers. If they had not succeeded Half of the world's population would have still been dead. The stakes were high for the heros in both of the stories. Also, having stakes would also allow us to understand the hero's motives which will help add depth to the character.

In conclusion, I think the character, the plot and the stakes are a few of the most important things to keep in mind when telling a story. When we write a story we should all keep these points in mind. Do you agree with my opinions?

Pixar’s 22 Rules of Storytelling. (2013, March 7). Aerogramme Studio. https://www.aerogrammestudio.com/2013/03/07/pixars-22-rules-of-storytelling/

Blake, C. (2011, September 5). What Makes a Main Character? | A New Fiction Writers Forum. A New Fiction Writers Forum. https://cgblake.wordpress.com/2011/09/05/what-makes-a-main-character/

What makes a good story? I think this is a very interesting topic because only the best authors can allow readers to really care about the characters and it's story. There are many parts to telling a good story but for the essay, I will only write about three different points.

According to Pixar's 22 rules of storytelling on this Pixar’s 22 Rules of Storytelling (Aerogramme, 2013) article, it is important to like a character more for more than their success. One good example is Tony Stark who is Iron Man. People like the character more than his success. Some people like him for his cool suit or funny personality. Another example is Sherlock Holmes. I admire him for his intelligence and I also think the books about him are really well written. It makes you feel nervous or excited at some parts. If the character is written well enough it might change you. When I read this when I was younger, I tried more to do my work because I did not want to look like some idiot compared to Sherlock Holmes like a few of the characters in the story.

Another important point is, hope over detours and skip unnecessary parts. A good example is Harry Potter. Most of the time, it does not have many unnecessary parts. In the story, most things are only introduced if they are going to be used. One story I did not enjoy so much was Lord of the Rings because I felt like they introduced a lot of places that they were just passing by and it got a little boring at some parts. When they did that I felt like they introduced a lot of unnecessary things that were unimportant to the story. Another good example is the movie The Martian. It only talks about the parts that are important to the story. They do not just have random science facts stuffed into it.

One other example from the list is, the stakes. What would happen if the main character failed. To put things into perspective, what would happen to London if Sherlock Holmes failed. Crime would be rampant in that city and the mafia would be running it. Another good example would be Avengers. If they had not succeeded Half of the world's population would have still been dead. The stakes were high for the heros in both of the stories. Also, having stakes would also allow us to understand the hero's motives which will help add depth to the character.

In conclusion, I think the character, the plot and the stakes are a few of the most important things to keep in mind when telling a story. When we write a story we should all keep these points in mind. Do you agree with my opinions?

Pixar’s 22 Rules of Storytelling. (2013, March 7). Aerogramme Studio. https://www.aerogrammestudio.com/2013/03/07/pixars-22-rules-of-storytelling/

Blake, C. (2011, September 5). What Makes a Main Character? | A New Fiction Writers Forum. A New Fiction Writers Forum. https://cgblake.wordpress.com/2011/09/05/what-makes-a-main-character/