Everywhere I go I run into children and adults who want to create stories. Well, if you'd like to create stories too, here are simple some story-telling writing tips to get you started:

Character

Every story needs a main character. Characters can be anything - people (adults or children), animals, bugs, aliens, etc. Take your main character and give him or her a goal. They must want something, want to accomplish something or have some internal need that must be met.

Obstacle

Now, here's the fun part. Take that goal and throw obstacles in the way of it happening. Essentially what you're doing is getting that character in trouble… then getting him in deeper trouble and deeper trouble… The obstacles can be in the form of events or a bad guy (called an antagonist).

Solution

Then provide a solution to the problem and a happy ending. Happy endings always sell more books or movie tickets than sad endings so always go for the happy ending!

Short Cut

The process can be summed up even simpler. Someone once said that in every good story what you must do is get your main character up a tree, then throw rocks at him, and then get him down. This also means every story must have a beginning, middle and an end.

Follow these simple formulas and rules and you will be on your way to some terrific story telling!