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Fiction writingThis article is about writing fiction prose. For fiction as a concept, see fiction.Fiction writing is the composition of not factual texts. Fictional writing often is produced as a story meant toentertain or convey an author's point of view. The result of this may be a short story, novel, novella, screenplay, ordrama, which are all types (though not the only types) of fictional writing styles. Different types of authors practicefictional writing, including novelists, playwrights, short story writers, dramatists and screenwriters.

Types of fiction proseMain article: Fiction § Categories of fiction

Elements of fictionJust as a painter uses color and line to create a painting, an author uses the elements of fiction to create a story:The elements of fiction are: character, plot, setting, theme, and style. Of these five elements, character is the who,plot is the what, setting is the where and when, theme is the why, and style is the how of a story.A character is any person, personal, identity, or entity whose existence originates from a fictional work orperformance.A plot, or storyline, is the rendering and ordering of the events and actions of a story, particularly towards theachievement of some particular artistic or emotional effect.Setting is the time and location in which a story takes place.Theme is the broad idea, message, or lesson of a story.Style includes the multitude of choices fiction writers make, consciously or subconsciously, as they create a story.They encompass the big-picture, strategic choices such as point of view and narrator, but they also include thenitty-gritty, tactical choices of grammar, punctuation, word usage, sentence and paragraph length and structure, tone,the use of imagery, chapter selection, titles, and on and on. In the process of writing a story, these choices meld tobecome the writer's voice, his or her own unique style.

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Character

Author Jenna Blum described the process ofcreating a character: "It feels like having a stringdangle out of thin air and you pull on the string,

and the next thing you know, a sweater knitsitself out of nowhere and you have a character

who is made out of whole cloth."[1]

Characterization is one of the five elements of fiction, along withplot, setting, theme, and writing style. A character is a participant inthe story, and is usually a person, but may be any persona, identity, orentity whose existence originates from a fictional work orperformance.

Characters may be of several types:• Point-of-view character: the character by whom the story is

viewed. The point-of-view character may or may not also be themain character in the story.

• Protagonist: the main character of a story• Antagonist: the character who stands in opposition to the

protagonist• Minor character: a character that interacts with the protagonist.

They help the story move along.• Foil character: a (usually minor) character who has traits in

aversion to the main character

Plot

The plot, or storyline, is the rendering and ordering of the events andactions of a story. Starting with the initiating event, then the rising action, conflict, climax, falling action, and endingwith the resolution.

On a micro level, plot consists of action and reaction, also referred to as stimulus and response. On a macro level,plot has a beginning, a middle, and an ending.The climax of the novel consists of a single action-packed sentence in which the conflict (problem) of the novel isresolved. This sentence comes towards the end of the novel. The main part of the action should come before theclimax.Plot also has a mid-level structure: scene and sequel. A scene is a unit of drama—where the action occurs. Then,after a transition of some sort, comes the sequel—an emotional reaction and regrouping, an aftermath.

SettingSetting is the locale and time of a story. The setting is often a real place, but may be a fictitious city or countrywithin our own world; a different planet; or an alternate universe, which may or may not have similarities with ourown universe. Sometimes setting is referred to as milieu, to include a context (such as society) beyond theimmediate surroundings of the story. It is basically where and when the story takes place.

ThemeTheme is what the author is trying to tell the reader. For example, the belief in the ultimate good in people, or thatthings are not always what they seem. This is often referred to as the "moral of the story." Some fiction containsadvanced themes like morality, or the value of life, whereas other stories have no theme, or a very shallow one.

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StyleStyle includes the multitude of choices fiction writers make, consciously or not, in the process of writing a story. Itencompasses not only the big-picture, strategic choices such as point of view and choice of narrator, but also tacticalchoices of grammar, punctuation, word usage, sentence and paragraph length and structure, tone, the use of imagery,chapter selection, titles, etc. In the process of creating a story, these choices meld to become the writer's voice, his orher own unique style.

Components of styleFor each piece of fiction, the author makes many choices, consciously or subconsciously, which combine to form thewriter's unique style. The components of style are numerous, but include point of view, choice of narrator,fiction-writing mode, person and tense, grammar, punctuation, word usage, sentence length and structure, paragraphlength and structure, tone, imagery, chapter usage, and title selection.

NarratorThe narrator is the teller of the story, the orator, doing the mouthwork, or its in-print equivalent.

Point of ViewPoint of view is from whose consciousness the reader hears, sees, and feels the story.

ToneTone is the mood that the author establishes within the story.

Suspension of disbeliefSuspension of disbelief is the reader's temporary acceptance of story elements as believable, regardless of howimplausible they may seem in real life.

References1. ^ King, Stephen (2000). On Writing pp. 153–, –154. Scribner. ISBN 0-684-85352-3.2. ^ Abbott, Jillian (Sep., 2005). "How to keep tabs on your novel’s progress". The Writer, p. 39.3. ^ Frey, James N. (1987). How to Write a Damn Good Novel. New York: St. Martin's Press. p. 164.

ISBN 0-312-01044-3.4. ^ Monteleone, Tom (2004). The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Writing a Novel p. 51. Scribner. ISBN 1-59257-172-7.5. ^ Leder, Meg, ed. (2002). The Complete Handbook of Novel Writing p. 324. Writer’s Digest Books.

ISBN 1-58297-160-9.6. ^ Stanek, Lou Willett. (1994). So You Want to Write a Novel p. 15. Avon Books. ISBN 0-380-77688-X.

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References[1] Jenna Blum, 2013, The Modern Scholar published by Recorded Books, The Author at Work: The Art of Writing Fiction, Disk 1, Track 8,

ISBN 978-1-4703-8437-1, “...a character who is made out of whole cloth...”

External links• Top Notch Writing Advice From Famous Masters (http:/ / www. guardian. co. uk/ books/ 2010/ feb/ 20/

ten-rules-for-writing-fiction-part-one)• Hugo and Nebula Award Winning Author Ursula K. Le Guin's writing advice (http:/ / www. ursulakleguin. com/

SteeringCraft_57B. html)• Official Website for National Novel Writing Month (http:/ / www. nanowrimo. org)

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Image Sources, Licenses and ContributorsFile:American author Jenna Blum photographed by Marcia Perez.jpg  Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:American_author_Jenna_Blum_photographed_by_Marcia_Perez.jpg  License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0  Contributors: Grashoofd,Pierpao, Tamba52, Tomwsulcer

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