A story can be seen as answering six essential questions: Who, What, Where, When Why, and How?
Who concerns the characters.
What defines the current situation, problem or dilemma.
Where describes the setting.
When is the second part of the setting, time and period in history, either current, or some time in the past, or future.
Why addresses the motivating stimuli of the major, and supporting characters’ personalities, their back-stories or history. This along with the dilemma shapes how they will respond to the current facts of the story.
Thus the how becomes the story itself.
We answer the how by showing the protagonist and supporting cast responding in tug-of-war fashion to the current set of stimuli as defined by wants, needs and desires of the protagonist.
The major character and the supporting characters seeking to achieve their goals according to their yearnings and needs grounded in their personalities further energize the battle swirling at the center of the plot.
Preparation for a story is essentially answering the first 5 questions listed above with a focus on how the answers once integrated shape the dialogue and behavior depicted by characters when addressing the question of why?
In this way, a novel is much like a thesis.
It offers up a question that is rooted in the dilemma a protagonist faces. And then sets out to answer, prove or disprove the hypothesis offered up as shown in the body of the story, most particularly the middle or the story.
The questions who, what, where, and when are answered in the early pages of a novel, often the opening paragraphs. This settles the reader and allows her or him to get situated and ready for the ride.
Why is addressed towards the end of the beginning. This segues into what is at stake. More importantly it addresses why the reader should care.
What is at stake points to what about this story hooks the reader. Where can readers identify with the protagonist? It highlights the point of relevancy.
Once these points are established all that remains is answering the question of how, which the body of the story ultimately addresses.
How do you answer the six questions of who, what, where, when, why and how concerning your story?
What are some of your discoveries when answering the questions?