Creative Writing in a Box: The Amazing Story Template

• Title
  Choose a magnetic headline for your review
• What’s the setting for your story?
  Think in terms of how a good movie starts. For example: Harry Potter living with the Dursley’s.
• How did your story begin?
  What was the spark – Maybe something unexpected happened? The spark for your story could be something good or it could also be some unpleasant incident. For example: A mysterious letter arrived… For your personal story, a spark could be a birthday gift, meeting a stranger or being entrusted with a new project.
• Tell us about your “quest.”
  Examples: An unpleasant spark like the loss of a job started you on a quest for self-employment. Or a good spark like a gift of a new computer started you on the path of becoming a computer whiz kid.
• What are some of the surprises that you encountered?
  Here you can share some unexpected pleasant (or unpleasant) surprises which helped you in your quest ie in your story. You are also welcome to share challenges, complications, obstacles and troubles you faced.
• What are some critical choices you had to make?
  Tell us a bit about some crucial decisions which shaped your story. Critical choices in moments of stress reveal a person’s true character. Remember it’s ok to make wrong choices which can hold lessons for the future. You are welcome to share both good and bad choices you made.
• Tell us about moments of highest tension in your story.
  Critical choices you made in your life and story result in this climax i.e. moments of peak tension. Think how in movies we see a battle commencing or Cinderella and the Ugly Sisters trying on the glass slipper. In your personal story, perhaps the decision to go to art class resulted in depletion of your bank account; or maybe your decision to join a new project and consequently less time for your family resulted in tension with your spouse.
• How did things change?
  
  In any story including your life story, reversals are a consequence of crucial decisions you made earlier. It could result in change in the status of characters in the story – cindrella might be recognized by the prince, or a bullied child may stand up for a fellow victim etc and realize that the bully does not have any power over him. In your story, it could be that you found a job or maybe you got an invitation to show your painting in an art exhibition.
• How are things now?
  Here you can share a fresh perspective got after being through the incidents in your story. Perhaps you are wiser, richer, more enlightened… You could also share some lessons learned which could benefit your readers.
• Blog/Website
  Provide site URL in the format: http://www.abc.com
• YouTube Channel
  Include URL in the format: http://www.abc.com
• Upload an image to make your story come alive.
  Include images for which you have full copyright only.
• Additional Comments & final words?