What’s My Core Story?

The central question for a panel at the C2E2 convention this year: what’s my core story?

The core story within any novel isn’t simply the plot. Core story draws readers and holds them. It keeps them turning the page and stays with them long after they finish the book.

But what do we mean by core story?

Genres, types and themes

Is it a marketing genre, such as YA, Middle Grade, Adult? Is it a content genre, such as romance, fantasy, crime? Or is it a story type, like a world-view or coming-of-age story? Does the story enact a theme, such as love, friendship, justice, revenge?

I suggest core story is none of these.

Change is good: even when it’s bad

A memorable story comes from change. The character at the center undergoes a change. They go from an initial starting state to a final ending state. From innocence to experience, from loneliness to love, from selfishness to selflessness. Perhaps it’s a redemption arc from evil to good, or a tragic fall from good to evil. Genre and story type are just wrappers that add a little sparkle to the package. Theme is an abstract notion that most readers don’t think about.

Readers want to see change. From apprentice to master, ignorance to knowledge, isolation to community. Perhaps from anonymity to greatness, or a fall from greatness to damnation.

I write fantasy adventure; genre stories with action and a hint of romance, coming-of-age, and world-view. I indulge in some genre-mixing such as the pursuit-Western, and the resistance-rebellion story.

But those aren’t my core story.

In the Escarri series, my story focuses on a strong female underdog protagonist with abandonment issues and a specific set of skills. She finds family and changes her outlook.

In the new YA novel, my teenage lead crosses into adulthood in pursuit of her goal and gathers a found-family around her.

I could rewrite those as crime, romantasy, historical, sci-fi, or literary. The setting and details of plot might change, but the core story remains.

Those stories go beyond genres and the mechanics of plot. Readers want relatable characters to root for as they grow and develop. They want conflicts to fight, obstacles to overcome and goals to achieve. Readers want progress and payoff against the initial promises of the story.

This is what would-be readers mean when they ask “what is it about?” It’s the thing they take away and carry into their lives long after they read the book. Core story isn’t swords or spaceships or smut; it’s people.

What’s your core story?