Improve your methods of storytelling.

Spark words are very important when you are brainstorming for new ideas. So far, the word, "family" has generated many new ideas. 

This time, I want to show you a technique called the camp fire technique. This method will help your story grow organically.

I am sure you know this: to create a camp fire, you need sticks, bigger pieces of wood, logs, matches and you get fire and smoke. Then you have warmth. Maybe the fire is used to cook fried eggs or a meal of some sort. Afterwards, the group may have a sing-song round the camp fire.

Now, each item in the camp fire represents a component used in storytelling. 

For example, the sticks represent the main characters.

The bigger pieces of wood represent other characters in the story.

The matches represent the theme of the story.

The fire is the drama within the story.

The fried eggs or sing-song represent the minor characters or sub-plots or themes or inner thoughts that add to the drama.

The smoke is the outcome of the story.

Maybe this will help you craft something special. Maybe the components will help you structure your story? Maybe you can grow organically, with the recurring themes cropping up in the character's life?



Give it a go. To start yourself off, create a character that is an office bully by day but by night, is a lonely alcoholic who yearns for female companionship.

What goes through his mind? What is his life path? How ambitious is he? Why is he a bully? Is this because he follows orders and is happy to pick up a pay check at the end of the month? What's his place of residence like?

I think that office bullies need horse-whipping for many reasons, although they make good story characters. And good characters are the preserve of any organic story. They allow the story to grow. And that's what you want from any story. Can't say much more than that.