The Problem in a Story

Most stories have a problem. The problem is something that goes wrong or something a character wants but can't easily get. It is what makes us want to keep reading. Read: 'Omar wanted to join the race, but his shoelace broke at the starting line.

' The problem is the broken shoelace, because it might stop Omar from racing. Problems often show up near the beginning. Look for words like 'but', 'oh no', or a character feeling worried, sad, or stuck.

Once you know the problem, you can watch for how it gets fixed.

• 1The problem is what goes wrong.
• 2It often shows up near the beginning.
• 3Look for 'but' and worried feelings.