Writing Exercise #6: What Is Your Story Problem?

Shannon Dittemore is the author of the Angel Eyes trilogy. She has an overactive imagination and a passion for truth. Her lifelong journey to combine the two is responsible for a stint at Portland Bible College, performances with local theater companies, and a love of all things literary. When she isn’t writing, she spends her days with her husband, Matt, imagining things unseen and chasing their two children around their home in Northern California. To connect with Shan, check out her website, FB, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest.

Both of my kids are voracious readers. We're at this fun stage where the twelve year old is forcing his favorites into the hands of the eight year old. I love watching the two of them share and compare notes. I can't do it without a big, fat smile on my face.

It wasn't always smooth sailing though. When my youngest advanced to chapter books, it was a bit of a shock to her young mind. Unlike many of the more educational books she'd enjoyed as new reader, chapter books made her heart race. It was the angst. The problems bombarding the heroes. The seemingly unsolvable dilemmas. It was almost too much for her.

I can't tell you how many times I had to wipe her tears and ask her to close the book so we could talk. So we could find perspective. Again and again I reminded her, "Every hero has a dilemma. It's not a story if there isn't a problem to be solved."

Today, when she climbed into the car after school, she asked me about my day. When I told her I spent it writing, she said, "You've been writing that book for a long time, Mom. What's it about?"

I stumbled for an explanation--as I always do when asked that question--and I said something brilliant like, "Oh, it's hard to explain, baby."

And she said, "Well, just tell me the problem then. What's the problem in your story?"

And I smiled. Isn't she a clever little thing? Using my own words against me.

So, today, I ask you.

Here are a few things to consider:

Who is your hero?
How would you explain your hero so an eight year old could understand? You want to keep it simple, but consider that things like setting and vocation may help you define what makes your character unique.

My answer: My hero is a truck driver named Sylvi who lives and works on a mountainous island that celebrates two seasons: a wet winter and a frozen one.

What happened? 
To properly explain your story problem, you must be able to pinpoint exactly what happened to force your hero into action. We call this the Inciting Incident and YES, your story must have one.

My answer: Sylvi's best friend was kidnapped by smugglers.

What does your hero want?
Because of what happened, your hero has a want or need. And that desire is going to propel him or her forward.

My answer: Sylvi wants her best friend safe at home.

What's standing in your hero's way?
The truth is, if you've answered the first three questions, you have a pretty good start on your story's problem. To adequately explain it though, we should ask ourselves a few more questions.

What obstacles prevent your hero from reaching what he or she wants? There must be obstacles. There must be blockades standing in your hero's way. Hint: These hurdles make up the bulk of your plot.

My answer: In order to get to her best friend, Sylvi has to truck a thawing ice road that will take her through mountains thick with the magic of Winter and rife with corrupt law dogs and angry rebels.

What happens if your hero fails?
We call this 'the stakes' and the stakes should be high. As high as you can possibly make them. What happens to your hero, to those he or she loves, to the world at large--what happens if your hero fails?

My answer: If she fails, Sylvi will likely lose her rig, her only source of freedom, while her best friend will suffer and die. 

A note here: The stakes in my story are continually rising and they aren't as clear cut as my hero believes. But for the sake of this exercise, stick to what your hero is aware of at the outset. Getting caught up in rising tension and subsequent storylines, will not help you define your story's problem.

BUT! In five simple questions, questions you can easily answer, you're able to hone in on your story problem. What's left is to condense it into something simple and easily shared.

There are many reasons for creating a pitch you can share, but first and foremost this exercise is for you. So many writers have no idea what their story is about. Knowing your story problem will help you write your story and it is the first step toward reaching a satisfying conclusion for your reader. It's as simple as asking yourself a few questions and then taking the time to rearrange the answers into something that makes sense.

The next time my eight year old asks me what my story's about, this is what I'll say:

Sylvi Quine, a rig driver on the enchanted, but frozen island of Layce, finds out her best friend has been abducted by smugglers and taken to a rebel camp at the very end of the Shiv Road. To get her friend back, Sylvi will have to risk her life and her rig to truck a mysterious haul through the mountains, across a rapidly thawing highway rife with corrupt law dogs and angry rebels, and she'll have to make her delivery before the road melts clean away. Failure means the loss of her rig, her freedom and the life of the only friend she's ever had.

It's a little long. Not quite as snappy as a one-sentence summary, but it conveys my story's problem clearly and simply.

Now, it's your turn! In the comments section below, PUH-LEASE share your story problem with us. Maybe get out a pencil and paper and answer the five questions above and then drop your cursor in a comment box below and give us a paragraph that tells us your story's primary problem. I can't wait to see what you're all writing about!

And remember, when you participate in our exercises, you're automatically entered into a drawing where winners have the opportunity to submit a question for our next Go Teen Writers LIVE video panel. We'll have another one for you very soon. Details here.

Now, write! Tell us what your story's all about.