The 5 W’s of Storytelling

All stories need the 5 W’s to help answer the audiences questions.

The Who, What, Where, When and Why?

The “Who” is usually the main character of the story. This helps tell the audience who we will be following.

The “What” is the event of the story that is causing everything to happen, i.e. a plane crash.

The “Where” is where in the world is this taking place? This sets the scene for the audience, i.e. the library, in outer space.

The “When” is when in time did the story take place, i.e. the 1950s.

The “Why” is why did this take place? Give a bit of back story to the audience to help understand the character and what is happening makes sense.

Going back to the basics helps make sure you aren’t missing any key information the audience may need to fully understand the story.