Once you know the idea behind your story, it’s time to weave that idea into the plot. And one of the more common methods is to create an outline, either before or after writing a rough draft. Outlines help us see the big picture, see how the individual scenes are themselves part of a larger pattern, and it’s often on that larger scale that the idea emerges as the meaning of the story.
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Starting with an Idea 106-03
Start with a topic, something that interests you. Philosophy can be a great source.
Finding Meaning in a Story 106-02
Whether you call it the moral, message, or theme, every story has an underlying meaning or idea. Most stories engage either moral and/or philosophical questions, which the plot demonstrates through a series of relatable situations.