When you have the seed of a story, developing it is how you take that spark from your imagination to a fully fleshed-out story. This is where you begin to explore the themes and characters that will drive your narrative.
Choose a key theme that will resonate with your audience. This will help you craft the most engaging story possible. It will also help to narrow down the specific details of your story. A person’s attention span is only so long, and adding unnecessary details will distract from the main point you are trying to convey.
Once you have chosen your key theme, identify a character or event that will act as the inciting incident. This will set the scene for your protagonist and the story world. Then, build up your protagonist’s internal conflict through a series of trials and challenges. This will create tension leading up to the climax.
Lastly, develop your antagonist’s backstory and motivation. This will help you craft effective dialogue samples that capture the tone and voice you are going for.
Finally, create the climax, where all the ‘yes’ and ‘no’ moments you built up throughout your rising action come to a head. This will provide a dramatic, climatic moment where your protagonist is pushed to their limits. It’s in this moment that you will establish their defining character moment, and show how they have evolved as a result of the experience. Then, end the external plot with a denouement, where any loose ends are tied up.