In the series finale of the globally acclaimed television series, ‘Game of Thrones’, the throne to rule the entire world was handed over to a physically challenged boy. He had surpassed all other candidates for the position of the throne, and was crowned as the king, neither because he possessed superior strength, nor because he had an extraordinary intellect; it was simply because no one was a better storyteller than the boy. The boy who had an unparalleled oratory skill of storytelling which made the listeners unite against all wrongdoings and stand together in unison for the growth and betterment of the empire.
And not only in the world of fiction, be it an important presentation, or a documentary, or an article of a prestigious organization – in every domain, it is a matter of crucial significance to attract the curiosity of viewers and listeners and keep them engaged. This is where the art of storytelling comes in where content shall be short, gripping and rest assured, the audience shall be staying to the edge of their seats, fascinated by the presenter (aka storyteller). Without further beating around the bush, let’s take a look at the crucial points below to be kept in mind for a gripping storyline:
Short story goes very well with fewer characters:
As a writer, it becomes a great challenge to introduce a large number of characters, make them engaging and interesting to the readers or listeners, without further lengthening the plot. Hence, in case of writing a compact, yet entertaining story, it is better to stick to a lesser number of characters, giving its creator the freedom to write proper development for the fictional cast, so the readers can relate with them, and stay engaged with the happenings as the story moves forward.
Know your theme and your audience:
Genre and age group: Two highly important factors that a writer should keep in mind whenever he faces two queries:
- What story am I going to write?
- Whom am I writing this story for?
The way the plot of a romantic story shall be different from a supernatural one, in a similar way, the format of a story that is meant to be written for children HAS TO BE different from a story written for the grown-ups. Since our reading taste evolves and changes with our maturity, it is best to keep in mind the demands of the target audience, and in no time the story shall become an unforgettable treat for its readers.
Mix your ingredients wisely!
The preparation of a good story bears a lot of resemblance with that of a good cuisine; don’t be in a hurry to serve quickly, take your time, make sure to mix the ingredients properly, take care to follow the recipe, add a touch of love and sprinkle a generous topping of emotions in it, and voila! You have created your masterpiece which shall keep you immortal in the hearts of your readers, through your writing.
