55 Questions for Building Your Story's Concept

When I start a new story, the whole process - start to finish, concept to publication - is daunting. It’s a long process that, as we all know, requires a lot of work, and it can be easy to feel like you don’t know where to start, or what needs to take top priority.

For me, a story starts with a general establishment of character roles and what is going to happen throughout the story. Before I think of specifics, I think of concepts, things that will deliver a single core message throughout the story even if specific scenes or events change. When you have the “soul” of your story figured out, it becomes easier to develop the specific details - now, you have context.

In this post, I am presenting a list of questions that will help with this conceptual stage. Sometimes, I’ll answer all of these questions to start a new story; sometimes, I only answer a few and find my direction more quickly.

1. What is established in the first chapter?

2. Who is affected by the inciting incident?

   1. If it’s more than person or group of people, who did it affect the most? 

   2. Positively or negatively?

3. How do the affected groups react to the inciting incident?

4. Which “secondary” groups or individuals are also affected, and how?

5. If there is a group of characters, how do they end up together?

6. Where is the foreshadowing, if any, in your writing? 

   1. How is it hidden, if at all?

7. How is your story divided? (Acts, halves — not necessarily marked in writing.)

8. Do your characters have to do any travelling? 

   1. Why?

9. How quickly is the main goal of the story established?

10. What symbolism is used in your writing? 

    1. What is represented, and what are readers expected to gain from understanding this symbolism?

11. What is the prevailing emotion of each chapter/part?

12. Which characters play the most important roles in your story?

13. Which character is the most “neglected” in your writing?

    1. What can you do to fix this?

14. Is there anyone who has a small but majorly important role?

15. Are any of your characters overloaded with roles?

16. Does your story have any overarching lesson? 

    1. How is it conveyed?

17. How does the feeling of the story change from the beginning to the end?

18. Which events give the most boost between the inciting incident and the climax?

19. Which event affects the characters the most negatively? 

    1. Is there anyone who is more affected than the others?

20. Which event affects the characters the most positively? 

    1. Is there anyone who is more affected than the others?

21. Is there any character who doesn’t seem to be affected by anything as much as anyone else? 

    1. Why?

22. How does each character change from the beginning to the end of the plot?

23. What are the top five songs that describe the beginning of your story?

24. What are the top five songs that describe the end of your story?

25. What three songs describe your story as a whole?

26. What role does the main character play? (Hero, antihero, villain, etc.)

27. Are there any characters that follow overused tropes? 

    1. Is there a reason for this?

28. Which character has the most important development arc?

29. If there is a sequel or series, how does this book set up for the next one?

30. How well-known is the antagonist of the story? 

    1. Is there a reason for this?

31. Is the fight between protagonist and antagonist balanced? 

    1. Who will win, and why?

32. How much preparation time are your characters given to face the low point of the story? 

    1. How long does it take them to recover?

33. Are there cultural differences between your characters? 

    1. How does this affect their relationships?

34. If the antagonist ever wins, how does it happen? What are the prevailing circumstances?

35. Is there a point when your characters are just too exhausted to continue on the path they’re determined for?

36. Is there a “chosen one”? 

    1. If so, how are they chosen?

37. What motivates the protagonist? 

    1. Does this motive match their characterization?

38. What motivates the antagonist? 

    1. Does this motive match their characterization?

39. Does anyone’s motive change by the end of the story?

    1. What does it become?

    2. Is this a positive or a negative change?

40. What are the highest and lowest points in the motivation levels of each of the characters?

41. Who is the weak link of the group?

    1. Do they consider themself the weak link?

42. Are there any barriers that complicate the characters’ ability to reach their goal?

    1. Cultural or language?

    2. Financial?

    3. Issues within the group?

    4. Perspective?

43. Who gives up the most easily?

44. Who is the most determined to reach their goal?

45. Is there a character that seems like they’re a perfect fit for everything your story has to offer?

46. Is there a character who can’t seem to handle anything in your story?

47. How often do your characters question themselves?

48. How does the resolution tie together any loose ends?

    1. Are there any left? Are they left on purpose?

49. Why is your PoV character the PoV character?

50. How would your story be different if it was told from the point of view of another character?

51. Which of your characters do you think are the most memorable? 

    1. Why?

52. How does the setting (or settings) affect your story?

53. How would the story be different if it was told in a different setting?

    1. Would any other settings be appropriate to tell this story?

54. What questions do you want the readers to ask themselves while reading?

55. How will you get them to ask these questions to themselves?

Regardless of how you use these questions to develop the concept behind your story, I hope they are a helpful tool for you to use. Perhaps you’ll answer these, or it’ll lead you to think of your own questions - get to building that concept!

Happy Monday, and happy writing!