Whether you are an aspiring writer or a seasoned author, the Iko Editorial aims to provide you with valuable insights and techniques to take your storytelling to new heights. 

The skill that writers have that has you screaming internally, or externally, with every line or page comes down to some of my favourite things, things we are still learning about every day. What makes certain stories so enthralling, transporting us to distant lands or inner realms of emotion? It all lies in the plot, characters, and setting - the carefully woven threads that bind players in a story, conflicts, and resolutions.

What even is Plot?

The plot, in the context of storytelling and literature, refers to the sequence of events that make up the narrative structure of a book, movie, play, or any other form of storytelling. How do you arrange the events actions and conflicts that make up your story?

Plotting typically consists of several key components, from the beginning of your story to its resolution, which provides closure to the story and may offer insights or reflections on the events that occurred, but whatever your idea is, and no matter the length of your story, one simple way to structure it is popularly called a Fitchean curve - storytelling by way of episodic events that gradually build up to a grand climactic crisis. Many writers already implement this subconsciously, as it helps to keep pace, and minor mishaps or episodes help keep readers engaged as the story progresses toward its climax.

• Rising Action: a series of increasingly troubling crises. As your story progresses, things such as context-developing events should be embedded within these actions as the plot winds up to the climax.

• Climax: the climax is often a large crisis. Depending on your story this event may mean devastation or redemption for your characters. The crisis will lead to…

• Falling Action: Writers often aim to resolve plot points here, and resolve the story in some way.

There are so many ways to go about this and it is not all cut and dried - have your story feature multiple points of view with their rising actions that head for one central climax, or multiple. Subvert tropes, reimagine storylines, and do whatever you need to make your plot compelling and interesting.

Well-developed and relatable characters

Characters drive stories; the things happening in stories are happening to people. Making your characters full - from your main characters to your secondary characters, makes your story, your world, more tangible and believable. Here are some tips; 

• Write a main character with clear goals and motivations. By crafting distinct and personal goals for your main character, rooted in their perspectives and aspirations, you can pave the way for captivating conflict that demands further development and exploration.

• Give that character a memorable introduction through appearance, dialogue, and action, which will in turn give the story a solid beginning. A young Locke Lamora (The Gentleman Bastard sequence) has a whole region quarantined and burned wrongly. Eniola Salami (King of Boys) momentarily leaves a party in her honor to torture and kill a former associate. Darrow of Lykos (The Red Rising saga) risks his life diving in the mines of terraforming Mars to show what kind of person he was and captivates readers immediately. Memorable character introductions are a good strength for a story to have.

• Interesting characters tend to care, deeply. They usually have world views that need challenging, or changing. From loyal Woody (Toy Story) to Eren Yaeger (Shingeki no Kyojin) to Rin (The Poppy War trilogy), characters with a deep passion for things; the kid who plays with them, or the survival of their people - often make for great storytelling; readers will care because they care.

• Antagonism is anything that stands between your protagonist and their goal. From a character, an object, or a concept, to even the protagonist themselves, solid antagonism is the perfect driving factor for your main character. For your characters, the best opinions come from experience, often painful. Who better to provide the wahala than a solid antagonist with flaws, a varying point of view, and eccentricity? Remember; your character is as good as his villain. 

Obstacles also help with character development (remember rising action?); Marlin’s biggest obstacle to finding Nemo is the ocean, and the conditions around being a second daughter in famine-stricken, Mongol-ruled China make Zhu’s Destiny a distant dream in She Who Became the Sun. Obstacles provide conflict, and an opportunity to add depth to your characters.

• Use supporting characters to enhance your narrative. Employ them in a subplot to further the narrative. Whether they’re in flashbacks to provide the main character’s backstory, or the members of your character's crew, or their family members, or the cabbage man, every character should bring something different to your story.

On the characters within your story - What matters to them? Their thoughts on love, friendship, death, freedom, and happiness? What drives these beliefs? Build on these values and personal histories to amplify the impact of the events unfolding in your story on your characters, lending them even more significance. Have fun with these concepts and watch your story bloom.

Thank you for reading, and thank you for writing.

Albert Nkereuwem, Editorial Manager @ Iko Africa