The Quickest Way to Create a Strong Story - Using the 4 Analytical Questions

The Quickest Way to Create a Strong Story

As you can tell by the title, the quickest way to create a strong plot for your story is to use the 4 analytical questions.

The 4 Analytical Questions are based on Daniel Methodology and basically help you to focus on the key pieces of your story that everything else is going to be built around. If these four things are strong, you have a great jumping off point to creating a tense and interesting character-driven story.

Whose Story Is It?

Obviously, we first need to know who the main character is! Who is this story about? This question should not just be answered with their name. You need to ask who they are, what they're like, what they value, how they interact with others. Knowing your main character is one of the most important things to do when preparing to write your story.

What Do They Want?

When I talk about what the character wants, I am talking about their main goal throughout the story. Typically, this is pretty easy to identify, but here are some clarifications: The main character doesn't necessarily have their goal on page one, it is often brought up through a disruption of their status quo. The goal should be something that they will succeed or fail at by the end of the story. Even if you are writing a series, book one needs to have its own conclusion.

To create a strong goal for your character it should be measurable, actionable, and time-bound. Check out my post about how to create strong character goals for a more in-depth explanation.

What Do They Need?

What your main character needs is going to be the driving force for their character arc (aka, how they grow throughout the story). It is important for your character to learn, grow, and change throughout the course of the story and this stems from their need.

The need often stems from a fear or flaw that the character has. Perhaps they believe that they are unlovable and their journey throughout your story helps teach them that isn't true. On the other hand, they could be very prideful and unwilling to do what it takes to really succeed in their goal, so they must learn to set their pride aside to come out triumphant.

The want and the need can play together in many different ways, but what's most important is that they affect each other in one way or another. Their fear or flaw can make it harder to succeed in their want, their want can force them to face their need.

What is the Main Tension?

I like to identify the tension by asking "What does the audience hope and fear?". As you think about what your reader is going to experience throughout the story with your character, what feelings are going to arise and when? Typically, the hope and fear is surrounding the want and need: we hope they will succeed in their goal, we fear they won't figure out what they need, etc.

If you're not giving the audience enough information about the want or the need or the motivations of the character, they're not going to have hopes and fears surrounding those things. So, as you identify what you want the audience to hope and fear, you have to think about how you plan to make them feel these things. It has to be present throughout your story!

Conclusion

Once you answer these 4 Analytical Questions and make sure that they are strong, make sense, and flow together, you are set! You have some strong bones ready to be filled with some good meat (action, stakes, obstacles, etc).

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