Story Premise

The premise is, quite simply, what is at stake in your story. It is the foundation of your story, upon which your theme, characters, and plot are built. Your premise determines the primary goals of your characters and lays out the path they will take in achieving those goals.

In developing the premise, you must first decide on your characters' objective(s), the thing(s) they desire which is the reason for most of their actions. The primary objective is usually sought by both the protagonist (main character) and the antagonist (villain) but may only be achieved by one of them. In order to achieve thus objective, the characters must follow a certain path which may include some or all of the following: tangible objects, principles of behavior, subgoals, and strategies.

Tangible Objects

Tangible objects are things the characters pursue to help them obtain their primary objective. They are the concrete manifestations of the more abstract objective. For instance, in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, the primary objectives are to seek justice and overcome prejudice. The tangible object, which would allow this to happen is for Atticus Finch, the attorney, to get an acquittal in Tom Robinson's rape trial. The tangible object gives the reader something to "root for" throughout your story. In order to be effective, the object must be something the reader believes is valuable and desirable.

Principles of Behavior

Principles of behavior are abstract values the characters express while pursuing their primary objectives. This is reflected in the choices the characters make on how to achieve their goals which represent basic human values. In many stories, you will see the protagonist "do the right thing" even if it requires personal sacrifice. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch agrees to represent Tom Robinson even though he knows he and his family will be criticized by the rest of the community. He does what he believes is right, regardless of the consequences.

Subgoals

Subgoals are other, minor objectives a character must achieve before obtaining his or her primary objective. They are obstacles in the way of achieving the main objective, which must be overcome. They make the story more interesting and provide tension and conflict. It is particularly effective if each obstacle is progressively more difficult to overcome. To again use To Kill a Mockingbird, a number of obstacles must be overcome. Atticus' children, Scout and Jem, are harassed by other children. Atticus must decide if achieving justice is worth putting his children through this. Another obstacle is when a group of townspeople plot to kill Tom Robinson before the trial. Of course, the trial itself is the primary obstacle.

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