Do you ever come up with a big idea but find yourself stuck figuring out the story around it? You’ve got the world, but where are the characters? Or maybe you have an amazing protagonist, but no conflict to throw them into. Don’t worry; you’re not alone. Every storyteller hits this roadblock. My favorite way to power through it? A little something I call the Fairy Tale Fix.
The Magic of Once Upon a Time
In the enchanting land of fairy tales, every story starts with these classic words: Once upon a time...
Here’s how it works: You take your big idea—whether it’s a setting, a character, or a premise—and treat it like the start of a fairy tale.
If you’ve got your setting as your shiny idea:
Once upon a time, there was a kingdom where dancing was outlawed.
See? We’ve already got intrigue. Now, who’s going to challenge that rule? Your story is on its way!
If your big idea is a character:
Once upon a time, there was a girl who loved to dance...
Boom! Instant protagonist. Now, what’s going to get in her way? Ah-ha! That kingdom where dancing is outlawed. See how the setting and character naturally flow into each other?
The beauty of this technique is that it leads you effortlessly from setting to character, from character to conflict, and from conflict to villain. Before you know it, you’ve got a one-page story that lays out the bones of your plot, complete with all three acts.
Simple, Yet Powerful
But wait, there’s more! (I told you this was magic.) The Fairy Tale Fix works even if you already have a full story but feel stuck and tangled in a web of too much stuff. You know the feeling—your plot is full of holes, the stakes feel muddy, and your characters are wandering around lost.
The thing about fairy tales? They’ve lasted for hundreds of years because they’re simple and memorable. They have just enough story. And they don’t waste time with anything extra. So, when your plot is too complicated, it’s time to trim it down.
Here’s how: Write your story as if it were a fairy tale. Yep, start with Once upon a time… and let the simplicity guide you back to the heart of your story. No frills, no fancy subplots—just the essence of what you’re trying to say.
It’s a magical way to remind yourself what your story is truly about, and to rediscover the clarity and simplicity that made you love your idea in the first place. Try it, and you might just say, “Happily ever after” to your writer’s block!
Check It Out!
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Extremely helpful. Just rewrote the “hook” to the book I have in the works!
Yay! So glad it helped! This is one of my favorite tricks.