Plot
A sequence of events in a fictional story
Character
A person or animal that participates in the action of a story
Minor Conflict
The struggle or problem in the story that may or may not affect the central conflict
Internal Conflict
A struggle inside a character
Types of Conflict
Person vs. Self; Person vs. Society; Person vs. Nature; Person vs. Person; Person vs. Supernatural; Person vs. Technology
External Conflict
A struggle outside a character
Theme
The central message of the story; a universal truth about life or human nature
Flashback
Going back in time to an earlier event
Foreshadowing
A hint or clue about future action
Motivation
An event or circumstance that prompts a character to act a certain way
Subject
The topic, content, or ideas in a piece of writing expressed in a word or phrase
Setting
The time, place, and environment (feelings, etc.) in which action takes place in a story.
Exposition
The introductory material which gives the setting, creates the tone, presents the characters, and presents other facts necessary to understanding the story.
Rising Action
A related series of events in a story that start with the conflict and build up toward the climax.
Central Conflict
The main struggle or proble in a story that involves the main character
Climax
The point of highest interest/the turning point of the story. The conflict must be resolved one way or another or a character begins to take action to end the conflict.
Falling Action
All of the action in a story that follows the turning point that leads to the resolution or conclusion.
Resolution
The end of a story where you learn what happens to the characters, and the conflict is resolved.
Complications
An additional factor or problem that makes it seem as though the main character is getting further away from his or her goal
Surprise endings
An unexpected event or realization that changes the outcome of the story
Complications
Things in a story that make it difficult for characters to get what they want
Inference
An educated guess about what will happen next in a story
Suspense
When readers want to know what will happen next, feeling of anxiety or curiosity
Setting
Describes the WHERE and WHEN of a story