5 Ways to Generate Story Problems
Students need to create story problems. Story problems are connected to the character in their stories. However, students need to know some things about their character to create a suitable problem. Let me explain what I mean.
Problems are a matter of perspective.
A problem is not considered a problem unless it goes against a character’s wishes or makes their every day worse. For example, if someone were to cancel their Friday plans with me, the introvert in me would be excited.
“Yes, I get to stay home and read.”
Yet, for some people, if Friday plans are canceled they are quite upset. However, canceled plans are not a problem unless it causes a person to view it that way. Problems are a matter of perspective.
Problems do not have to be big.
Teachers rarely forget their school keys but if they do, it’s a problem. Your day begins with waiting for someone inside the building to let you in and sheepishly borrowing a replacement key. The rest of the day you’re thinking about your keys. “Are they in my other coat?”
Students have a tendency to choose big problems for their characters when often a small one will be more manageable. For example, here is a list. What else can you brainstorm?
- Lost items…homework, toy, jacket, chapstick
- Forgotten items…lunch, a field trip form
- Friendship troubles…fight with a friend, rules broken in a game
- Scared of …a “monster” in a closet, the weather, a bully, speaking in public
- Being late for…
- Needing money for…
Problems are the opposite of the character’s desired comfort zone.
For some characters speaking in public or standing up to a bully are outside of their comfort zones. Speaking in front of larger groups and standing up to a bully are considered problems when the character prefers the status quo of not being seen, not causing waves.
Students need to think about what is the status quo for a character. What would happen to cause the character to feel intruded upon or uncomfortable?
Let’s look at the beginning trailer for the first Shrek movie. The character is clearly in love with himself and his swamp. He LOVES his solitary independent life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMn8XYt2RCQ
Now, the movie would be dull if this continued for two hours. Something has to happen, a problem needs to be perceived.
So this happens to Shrek
Shrek’s every day is upended when his personal space is invaded by other fairy tale characters. Shrek sets off for a solution to his problem and then the rest of the story is set in motion.
Problems can be created for well known book or TV characters.
To help students understand how to create problems for a character, have them think about book and TV characters that they know.
What would be a problem for Fancy Nancy who loves using fancy words?
For example: What if Fancy Nancy got sick and lost her voice?
Problems can be created by using yourself as a character.
Have students think about themselves. What bothers them enough to be a problem for a story?
Keep a “Problem List” in your class. Remind students that this list contains “maybe” problems. They are problems for some characters but maybe not their characters.
I hope this has triggered some new thinking about characters and how the story problem is intertwined. Next time we will look at the importance of setting and how it is also intertwined with character and story problems.
Until next time,
Coach Clark
