8.2 Narrative structures and storytelling devices
5 min read•july 30, 2024
Feature writing is all about crafting compelling narratives. From inverted pyramids to circular structures, writers use various frameworks to organize their stories and keep readers engaged. These techniques help create cohesive arcs that draw readers in and keep them hooked.
and storytelling devices are key to bringing features to life. By using vivid , figurative language, and varied writing styles, writers can create immersive experiences that resonate with readers long after they finish the story.
Narrative Structures in Feature Writing
Common Frameworks for Organizing Stories
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- Narrative structures are the frameworks that organize and shape a story, determining the order and manner in which information is presented to the reader
- The presents the most important information first, followed by supporting details in descending order of importance
- This structure is commonly used in news writing but can also be adapted for feature stories (profile pieces, human interest stories)
- The presents events in the order they occurred, creating a linear narrative that is easy for readers to follow
- This structure works well for stories with a clear beginning, middle, and end (biographies, historical events, personal journeys)
Advanced Narrative Structures for Feature Writing
- The combines the inverted pyramid and chronological structures, starting with the most important information, then providing background and context, and finally returning to the main story
- This structure is effective for stories with complex backgrounds or multiple timelines (investigative pieces, long-form articles)
- The begins and ends with the same scene or idea, creating a sense of completeness and emphasizing the story's central
- This structure can be used to highlight the impact of an event or the growth of a character (personal essays, reflective pieces)
- The presents a series of seemingly unrelated vignettes or anecdotes that, when combined, create a larger narrative
- This structure is effective for exploring multiple perspectives or themes within a single story (oral histories, community profiles)
Storytelling Techniques for Cohesive Arcs
Elements of a Narrative Arc
- A is the overall shape and progression of a story, typically consisting of , , , , and
- Exposition introduces the characters, setting, and initial conflict, providing the necessary background information for readers to understand the story (character descriptions, setting details, inciting incident)
- Rising action presents a series of events that escalate the conflict and build tension, engaging the reader and propelling the story forward (obstacles, complications, revelations)
- The climax is the turning point of the story, where the conflict reaches its peak and the protagonist faces the greatest challenge or makes a critical decision (confrontations, decisive moments, major plot twists)
Techniques for Enhancing Narrative Flow
- Falling action follows the climax and shows the consequences of the protagonist's actions, as well as the resolution of subplots and secondary conflicts (aftermath, character reactions, tying up loose ends)
- The resolution provides closure to the main conflict and ties up loose ends, leaving the reader with a sense of satisfaction or a lasting impression (outcomes, lessons learned, character growth)
- involves planting subtle hints or clues about future events, creating anticipation and encouraging the reader to continue engaging with the story (symbols, dialogue, character actions)
- Flashbacks and flash-forwards can be used to provide additional context, reveal character motivations, or create a that adds depth to the story (memories, dreams, projections)
Descriptive Language for Immersive Stories
Vivid Language and Sensory Details
- Descriptive language uses vivid adjectives, adverbs, and figurative language to create a clear and engaging picture in the reader's mind (vibrant colors, pungent smells, deafening sounds)
- Sensory details appeal to the five senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch) to create a more immersive and realistic experience for the reader
- Visual details describe the appearance of characters, settings, and objects, helping the reader visualize the story world (lush landscapes, intricate patterns, striking features)
- Auditory details include sounds, dialogue, and of , adding depth and realism to the narrative (whispers, laughter, background noises)
- Olfactory details describe smells and aromas, evoking memories and emotions that enhance the reader's connection to the story (freshly baked bread, musty old books, floral perfumes)
- Gustatory details describe tastes and flavors, making the story more tangible and relatable to the reader's own experiences (sweet, salty, bitter, sour, umami)
- Tactile details describe textures, temperatures, and physical sensations, creating a more immersive and engaging reading experience (smooth, rough, cold, warm, tingly)
Figurative Language and Show, Don't Tell
- Figurative language, such as similes, metaphors, and personification, can be used to create vivid comparisons, convey abstract ideas, and imbue inanimate objects with human qualities, making the story more engaging and memorable (her eyes sparkled like diamonds, the wind whispered secrets, the old house groaned under its own weight)
- Showing, rather than telling, involves using descriptive language and sensory details to convey characters' emotions, motivations, and actions, allowing the reader to draw their own conclusions and become more invested in the story (instead of saying "she was angry," describe her clenched fists, flushed face, and gritted teeth)
Writing Styles and Voices for Narrative Enhancement
Defining Style, Voice, and Point of View
- refers to the unique way an author uses language, sentence structure, and tone to convey their message and engage the reader (formal, conversational, poetic, journalistic)
- Voice is the distinct personality, attitude, and perspective that an author brings to their writing, setting the overall tone and mood of the story (humorous, serious, sarcastic, introspective)
- (POV) is the perspective from which a story is told, and can be first-person (using "I" or "we"), second-person (using "you"), or third-person (using "he," "she," or "they")
- First-person POV creates a strong sense of intimacy and can be unreliable, adding complexity and intrigue to the narrative (memoirs, personal essays)
- Second-person POV is less common but can be effective in creating a sense of immediacy and involving the reader directly in the story (choose-your-own-adventure stories, instructional pieces)
- Third-person POV can be omniscient (all-knowing) or limited (focused on one character's perspective), allowing for greater flexibility in storytelling and (novels, short stories, feature articles)
Techniques for Enhancing Narrative Style
- Tone is the overall attitude or emotional quality of the writing, which can be serious, humorous, sarcastic, or any other emotion that the author wants to convey
- Consistent tone helps to establish the mood and maintain reader engagement (lighthearted, somber, ironic, nostalgic)
- Experimenting with different sentence structures, such as varying sentence length, using parallel construction, or employing rhetorical devices, can create a more engaging and dynamic reading experience
- Rhetorical devices include repetition, asyndeton (omitting conjunctions), and polysyndeton (using multiple conjunctions)
- Incorporating dialogue can reveal character personalities, motivations, and relationships, as well as break up long passages of description or exposition, making the story more engaging and easier to read (direct quotes, internal monologue, dialect)
Key Terms to Review (35)
Anecdote: An anecdote is a brief, engaging story or narrative that illustrates a particular point or theme. It serves as a powerful storytelling device that adds depth to larger narratives, making information more relatable and memorable by connecting with the audience's emotions and experiences.
Character development: Character development refers to the process of creating and evolving a character in a narrative, giving them depth, personality, and a journey that resonates with the audience. This process helps to make characters relatable and memorable, as they often face conflicts, growth, and change throughout the story. Strong character development is essential for engaging storytelling and helps readers connect emotionally with the characters.
Chronological structure: Chronological structure is a narrative framework that organizes events in the order they occur in time, allowing for a linear progression of the story. This structure helps readers follow the timeline of events easily, creating a clear understanding of cause and effect. It is commonly used to enhance storytelling by providing context and development to characters and plotlines.
Circular structure: Circular structure refers to a narrative technique where the story begins and ends in a similar place, creating a sense of closure and unity. This technique often emphasizes themes by returning to the original setting, situation, or idea, thus enhancing the emotional impact on the audience and reinforcing the narrative's message.
Climax: The climax is the point of highest tension or drama in a narrative, where the main conflict reaches its peak and is confronted directly. This critical moment often determines the outcome of the story and leads to the resolution, making it a crucial element in storytelling. The climax engages the audience, creating emotional investment and anticipation for how the conflicts will be resolved.
Descriptive language: Descriptive language refers to the use of vivid and detailed words and phrases that paint a picture in the reader's mind, enhancing the sensory experience of a narrative. It serves to evoke emotions, create imagery, and immerse the audience in the story by providing rich details about characters, settings, and actions. This type of language is crucial in narrative structures as it helps to develop a more engaging and relatable storyline.
Dramatic irony: Dramatic irony is a literary device where the audience knows more about a situation than the characters do, creating a contrast between the character's understanding and the reality of the situation. This device is often used to build tension, evoke emotions, or add humor, as the audience anticipates how the characters will react once they uncover the truth. It enriches storytelling by engaging viewers on a deeper level and enhancing their emotional investment in the narrative.
Empathy: Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings, thoughts, and experiences of others, fostering a connection that enhances communication. This emotional insight is essential in navigating complex interpersonal interactions, particularly when dealing with difficult subjects or sensitive individuals. It allows for a deeper understanding of the interviewee's perspective, creating a safe space for open dialogue and effective storytelling.
Exposition: Exposition refers to the part of a story that introduces background information, setting, and characters, laying the groundwork for the narrative. It provides essential context for understanding the plot and characters' motivations, helping the audience grasp what is happening and why it matters. A well-crafted exposition can enhance the overall storytelling by engaging the audience and providing clarity.
Falling action: Falling action is the part of a narrative that follows the climax and leads toward the resolution. It is where the tension decreases and the story begins to move toward closure, resolving subplots and revealing the consequences of the climax's events. This segment allows characters to reflect on their experiences, and it often sets the stage for a final resolution or denouement.
First-person perspective: First-person perspective is a narrative viewpoint where the story is told from the perspective of a character within the story, using pronouns like 'I' and 'we.' This point of view allows readers to experience events and emotions through the narrator's personal lens, creating a deeper connection to the character and their experiences. This perspective can enhance storytelling by providing intimate insights into the narrator's thoughts, feelings, and motivations, making it particularly effective in developing characters and scenes.
Flash-forward: A flash-forward is a narrative device that jumps ahead in time to reveal events that will occur in the future. This technique is often used to create suspense or to provide insight into characters' motivations and the consequences of their actions, ultimately enriching the storytelling experience.
Flashback: A flashback is a narrative device that interrupts the chronological flow of a story to revisit an event that occurred in the past. This technique allows creators to provide background information, build character depth, and enhance emotional resonance by revealing crucial details that shape the present storyline.
Foreshadowing: Foreshadowing is a literary device used to give an indication or hint of what is to come later in the story. This technique creates anticipation in the reader, making them more engaged and aware of potential outcomes. By subtly introducing elements that suggest future events, foreshadowing enhances narrative structures and enriches character development and scene building.
Hero's journey: The hero's journey is a narrative framework that outlines the typical adventure of the protagonist, or hero, as they undergo significant transformation through various stages. This structure often includes elements such as a call to adventure, trials and challenges, and ultimately a return home with newfound wisdom or treasure. It's a powerful storytelling device that resonates across cultures and genres, illustrating universal themes of growth and self-discovery.
Hourglass structure: The hourglass structure is a narrative format commonly used in journalism that begins with broad information, narrows down to specific details, and then expands again to broader implications or conclusions. This structure is effective because it captures the reader’s attention with a strong lead, provides essential details and context in the middle, and concludes with broader insights or reflections on the story.
Imagery: Imagery refers to the use of descriptive language that evokes sensory experiences, creating vivid pictures in the reader's mind. It goes beyond mere description, as it engages emotions and helps readers connect with the narrative and characters on a deeper level. By appealing to the senses—sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch—imagery enhances storytelling and character development, making scenes more relatable and impactful.
Inverted pyramid structure: The inverted pyramid structure is a style of writing used primarily in journalism, where the most important information is presented at the beginning of the story, followed by supporting details in order of decreasing significance. This format ensures that readers grasp the key points quickly, making it easier to capture attention and convey essential information effectively. It's particularly useful for busy readers who may not finish the entire article.
Metaphor: A metaphor is a figure of speech that directly compares one thing to another for rhetorical effect, suggesting that one thing is another, thus highlighting similarities between them. This device enriches storytelling by creating vivid imagery and deeper meaning, which helps to engage the audience emotionally and intellectually. By transforming abstract concepts into relatable images, metaphors can enhance both narrative structures and the development of characters and scenes.
Mosaic structure: A mosaic structure is a narrative technique that weaves together various scenes, perspectives, and fragments of stories to create a cohesive whole. This approach allows for the juxtaposition of different narrative threads, which can enhance the complexity and richness of storytelling while encouraging the audience to engage more actively with the material.
Narrative arc: A narrative arc is the structured progression of a story that encompasses the main events and character development, leading from the beginning through a series of conflicts to a resolution. This concept is crucial for compelling storytelling as it ensures that the audience remains engaged by providing a clear path of conflict and growth that characters experience. A well-crafted narrative arc enhances emotional connection and maintains suspense, making it an essential component in various storytelling formats, including feature stories and other narrative structures.
Non-linear narrative: A non-linear narrative is a storytelling technique where the plot is presented out of chronological order, allowing for a more complex and layered understanding of the story. This approach can enhance emotional engagement by shifting perspectives and revealing information at strategic moments, making the audience actively piece together the timeline and relationships between events.
Omniscient narrator: An omniscient narrator is a storytelling device where the narrator knows everything about the characters, events, and settings in a story. This type of narrator provides insights into the thoughts, feelings, and motivations of all characters, allowing readers to understand the narrative from multiple perspectives. The omniscient narrator can move through time and space, revealing crucial information that shapes the reader's understanding of the plot and themes.
Point of View: Point of view refers to the perspective from which a story is told, shaping how events and characters are perceived by the audience. It influences the reader's understanding of the narrative and the emotional connection to the characters, ultimately guiding the interpretation of the story's themes and messages.
Resolution: Resolution refers to the part of a narrative where the conflicts and tensions are resolved, leading to the conclusion of the story. This element is crucial because it provides closure to the audience, tying up loose ends and showcasing character growth or change. The resolution connects with themes, character arcs, and plot development, making it essential for effective storytelling.
Rising action: Rising action refers to the series of events and conflicts that build tension and develop the story after the initial setup, leading to the climax. It is during this phase that characters face challenges, obstacles, and complications that propel the narrative forward, creating suspense and deepening audience engagement. The rising action is essential for character development and establishing stakes, as it allows the audience to connect with the characters’ struggles and aspirations.
Sensory details: Sensory details are descriptive elements that engage the reader's senses—sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell—bringing scenes to life in a vivid and immersive way. By utilizing sensory details, writers create a deeper connection between the audience and the narrative, enhancing emotional engagement and enriching storytelling. This technique is crucial for creating compelling narratives and helps to evoke strong imagery and emotions in readers.
Show, don't tell: The phrase 'show, don't tell' encourages writers to present experiences through vivid imagery and action rather than simply stating facts or emotions. This technique engages readers more deeply by allowing them to visualize scenes, feel emotions, and connect with characters, making the storytelling more compelling and immersive.
Story arc: A story arc is the structured progression of a narrative that outlines the development of a story from its beginning to its end, capturing the key events and emotional journey of characters. This concept is crucial in both crafting in-depth news stories and utilizing narrative structures, as it provides a framework that keeps audiences engaged and helps convey complex information effectively. By understanding the elements of a story arc, writers can better shape their narratives to deliver impactful messages and insights.
Suspense: Suspense is a storytelling device that creates a sense of anticipation and uncertainty about what will happen next in a narrative. It keeps the audience engaged by eliciting emotions such as excitement, anxiety, or curiosity, often through the use of tension-building techniques and carefully paced revelations. This emotional state compels readers or viewers to remain invested in the plot and characters, driving them to seek answers and resolutions.
Theme: A theme is the underlying message, central idea, or universal truth that a narrative conveys. It serves as the foundation for the story, connecting various elements like characters, plot, and setting, and can often reflect social, moral, or philosophical questions. Themes can be explicit or implicit and may be expressed through symbols, motifs, or the actions of characters.
Three-act structure: The three-act structure is a narrative framework commonly used in storytelling that divides a story into three distinct parts: Setup, Confrontation, and Resolution. This structure provides a clear progression of events and helps to build tension, develop characters, and deliver a satisfying conclusion. Each act serves a specific purpose in the overall arc of the story, ensuring that the narrative flows logically and engages the audience effectively.
Tone: Tone refers to the emotional quality or attitude conveyed by a piece of writing, which influences how readers perceive the message. It can range from serious to playful, formal to informal, and it plays a crucial role in shaping the reader's experience. The choice of words, sentence structure, and even punctuation all contribute to establishing tone, making it an essential element in effective communication.
Voice: Voice refers to the unique style and tone an author uses in their writing, which reflects their personality and perspective. It plays a crucial role in making stories engaging and relatable, allowing readers to connect with the material. In journalism and storytelling, voice can be shaped by various elements such as diction, syntax, and the incorporation of quotes and attributions, as well as by the narrative structures and devices used to tell compelling feature stories.
Writing style: Writing style refers to the unique way in which a writer expresses their thoughts, ideas, and emotions through language. It encompasses elements like word choice, sentence structure, tone, and voice, influencing how readers perceive and engage with the text. A writer's style can significantly impact the effectiveness of narrative structures and storytelling devices, as well as adapt to changes in audience expectations and industry standards.