Discovering the Impact of Discouragement on Your Story

People enjoy reading a variety of genres, such as historical, romantic, and crime. But nothing hits the right spot like a tragic story, one of disappointment and regret coupled with pain. Even the most positive stories use hardship and discouragement when looking to add a twist to the plot. 

After all, a story that only focuses on love, happiness, and good moments might as well be a fairytale. But even fairytales have highs, lows, joys, and hardships. These elements make the perfect story.

A story about a discouraging event—be it the writer’s own or someone else's experience—can help readers reflect on their own lives, become more empathetic, and see all the things that they can be grateful for. Discouraging stories awaken the humanity in us. So, if you are a writer, don’t be afraid to add real “day-to-day” living into your story.

And remember: As you write about your characters’ moments of discouragement, show—don’t tell—readers about your characters’ resilience. Let your readers see how your characters overcome their discouragement and triumphant over their adversities.

Resilience is birthed in the most difficult of situations. So, the takeaway from a discouraging story is the art of being resilient in the face of adversity. Achieving this goal requires writing an interesting story that allows readers to see how they can learn and grow from discouraging moments.

Keep in mind that every discouraging story should have a plot twist of change and hope. If you have had this experience, why not share your story so that others can experience it as well?

The Art of Storytelling: How to Avoid Five Common Pitfalls

Image by Alexandra_Koch from Pixabay

Storytelling is the most engaging form of communication for writers. Why? Because everyone loves a good story. Additionally, authors of well-written stories are more than likely to gain loyal readers. However, writers should be mindful of the mistakes that can detract from the overall quality and impact of their stories. 

The following are the most common pitfalls writers should avoid, especiallly when writing fiction:

1. Overly Complicated Plotting

Have you ever read a book with multiple characters, and the story contained a plot for each character? It's easy for readers to get lost and lose interest in a complicated story. So, avoid overwhelming readers with excessive information or backstories of all the characters. Focus on your main characters and add essential details of other characters when they become relevant to the story.

2. Overuse of Adverbs and Adjectives

Writing a story that readers enjoy involves using descriptive language. However, writers frequently overuse adverbs and adjectives to describe nouns and verbs. For instance, writers commonly use an adverb to modify the verb "said," such as "he said, loudly," "she said, smiling," or "he said, laughing." The overuse of adverbs can weaken a story. Similarly, the overuse of adjectives (for instance, "the very big, scary monster) can weigh down and slow the pace of a story, causing readers to become bored and lose interest in the narrative. 

In a letter to one of his students, Mark Twain advised: 

When you catch an adjective, kill it. No, I don't mean utterly, but kill most of them—then the rest will be valuable. They weaken when they are close together. They give strength when they are wide apart.

So, opt for stronger verbs and precise nouns in your story.