Here's How to Tell a Story: Seven Steps from Start to Finish

Hi, I’m Sanjida. I write

Wild Writing with Sanjida

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If you haven’t come across me before, I’m an award-wining writer, I’ve had over 12 book published in different genres.

I love helping other writers  improve and I mentor writers and run writing workshops. I’m currently writing dark thrillers and nature non-fiction.  So here at Wild Writing, you can expect writing about writing, wildlife and wilderness.

I’ve just finished this series for you called How to Tell a Story.

It came about because about a year or so ago I was asked to write a short story for Comma Press and as I was writing my story, I thought I could write about my process for you, to show you how I work and hopefully help you go through the same steps.

The story hasn’t been published yet - it’s currently called Meat but that might change. Members can read the short story (below).

This is what Meat is about:

Lily is an artist about to stage her first solo show in her husband, Lar’s gallery. Lars is a biotech entrepreneur and he’s concerned Lily’s show isn’t going to sell.

So she decides to include lab-grown meat from Lars’ company, WildHeart, in her exhibition.

But as the the opening of the show is almost upon them, Lily will discover the consequences of her decision, and the dark secrets her husband has been keeping from her.

So in How to Tell a Story, I’ve gone through my process - being asked to write a story but having nothing, literally just a blank page, to ending up with a publishable story - so first we cover:

1. How do you come up with ideas. (A Simple Way to Come Up With Compelling Ideas)

2. Then, creating an outline for your story - Why You Need an Outline For Your Story and Here’s How to Make One.

3. Why you need to think about your plot before you start writing - Why You Need to Plot and How to Do It.

4. How to create memorable and authentic characters - and I’ve given you a worksheet to fill in to help you with this process.

5. How to create the right location for your story - I leaned into Timothy Leary’s ideas about psychedelics here - that both the set - the location - and the setting - the mood, need to be right. No acid tabs reacquired to do this bit!

6. Then Point of View, this is essentially how and from whose perspective your story will be narrated.

7. Finally, once you’ve got your story down on paper, how to do you edit it?

These are some of the building blocks you’ll need to create a great piece of written work.

I know I haven’t covered everything - dialogue and voice, for instance. Themes and leit motifs are also really important to me when I’m writing.

But I’m going to leave this as an introductory guide for you as it is, and then in The Process, which is my section on the craft of writing, I’m going to delve into those topics - and many more. That way, I don’t need to be tied to my short story, but can open up the essays on these areas much more broadly.

So, the first essay on how to come up with ideas is free for everyone; the rest, including reading the finished short story, Meat, is available for members of Wild Writing.

As a paid subscriber, you’ll have access to exclusive articles on how to become a better writer, be able to read my nature memoir and short thrillers, take part in discussions and attend online workshops.

I hope some of these ideas work for you. If they don’t, that’s fine. There are no rules, only suggestions! Do let me know how you get on!

If this is of interest, here are some free posts you might like:

The Ten Best Ways to Get Started on a New Project

The Three Fundamental Reasons Why Retreats are so Powerful

Showing And Telling: Cooperation Not Competition

Members can read the short story, Meat, that I’ve been writing and have used to illustrate how I write, and which will, I hope, help you craft your own stories.

Meat by Sanjida Kay