A common problem for fiction writers is we can confuse stories with situations. Here are some thoughts on how to tell the difference.

Writing Tip for Today: Let’s discuss stories and situations and their importance to fiction writing.

What Is Situation?

We can write about a situation and still not tell a story. The TV show “Seinfeld” (a show about nothing) is a great example of situation v. story. The series claims it’s about nothing (a bunch of situations) but the episodes also ended up telling a story, whether it was whether Kramer would get soup or whether Jerry would get the girl’s phone number after all.

If these examples only laid out the situation (Jerry is troubled that he didn’t get the girl’s number), the episode would still be funny but there wouldn’t be a story there. But notice how the “want” or goal is still present—throughout the show, he’s trying to move toward that goal.

In the same way, “The King died” and “The King died and the Queen died of grief” highlight the difference between situation and story. Stories go beyond simple recounting of events; they can explore emotions, ideas, and even challenge perspectives.

What Is Story?

In story, writers must go beyond situation or chronicling a series of events. Memoirists in particular are prone to over-reliance upon a chronicle (this happened and then this happened). The reason situations don’t satisfy readers is that there’s little at stake or the character doesn’t really want anything in particular.

While life and Lemony Snicket often entail a series of unfortunate events, in a story all the events are interrelated. Think of a line of dominoes—when a domino falls, it influences the rest. Likewise, a story’s events either bring the character closer or farther away from the main goal.

If the goal is too ambiguous or unclear, it’s harder for readers to become emotionally invested. No matter how much action you write, if readers don’t understand or care about what the character wants or pursues, they’ll stop reading. Stories reflect our hopes, wants and needs—give your story a clear overall goal.

Stories go beyond simple recounting of events; they can explore emotions, ideas, and even challenge perspectives.

What Is a Page turner?

Can’t-put-it-down stories rope us in with original prose, a story goal to root for and enough obstacles that the goal will remain elusive until the very end of the story. Why? Because when your character wins that goal, the story’s over.

Making life too easy for a character is a common problem in fiction. I’ve given the example: A boy wanted to play the French horn in the school band. So he did. Without obstacles making the reading experience worthwhile, readers stop reading. Force your character to lose and show them overcoming obstacles so that they can face the next bigger obstacle.

Building tension by showing a character battling an obstacle leads to the “all hope is lost” moment just before the story climax. If readers are afraid the character won’t make it, they’ll keep turning pages to find out. In any story, the outcome only matters if readers are committed to the character and the goal. Situations rarely have that much tension toward the resolution. Fiction writers must know the difference between situation and story.