📖 Fundamental Elements of Narrative: Inspiration vs. Discipline

Writing a story is a creative adventure that combines inspiration and discipline . While the initial spark may come from a flash of imagination, development requires structure, planning, and consistency. In this article, we'll explore the key elements of narrative and how to make decisions about chapters, subplots, and characters. Plus, we'll look at how Artificial Intelligence can help us plan our story.

🎭 1. Inspiration vs. Discipline: How to Find Balance?

Many writers wait for the perfect moment of inspiration, but the reality is that writing is a craft that thrives on habit .

🔥 Inspiration

✔️ It arises from experiences, observations, readings or even dreams.
✔️ It is the first engine of a story, but not enough to finish it.
✔️ It is not always present, so one should not rely exclusively on it.

📅 Discipline

✔️ It involves writing even when there is no inspiration.
✔️ It involves structuring the story, planning chapters, and developing characters consciously.
✔️ It is strengthened with constant practice.

💡 Practical example:
Think about the story of an astronaut who wakes up in a drifting ship.

Inspiration: A dream in which you were floating in space.
Discipline: Decide whether it is a survival thriller or a philosophical story.

🤖 How can AI help?

If inspiration doesn't strike, ask the AI:
"Give me three possible unexpected twists for a story about an astronaut stranded in space."

📚 2. How Many Chapters Does My Story Need?

The number of chapters depends on the type of story you are telling. But keep in mind that we are in a transitional stage. Reading habits are changing. Readers who consume classic paper books had reading habits based on more daily leisure time spent reading, a commitment to reading that led them to even finish a book that was not completely satisfactory, and a greater commitment to the book they read, as a result of having purchased it.

Today, these habits have changed radically. Today's readers hardly read books in paper form. They consume eBooks, PDFs and digital formats. Nowadays, readers don't have as much time to read. People read much less. Reading sessions are reduced to just a few minutes. And the free availability of material on the Internet is very limiting when it comes to personal taste.

Nowadays, a reader throws away a book ( if he doesn't like it ) after reading just a few pages. Nor do books of excessive length attract attention. Today, a work like Tolstoy's War and Peace, with more than 500,000 words, would not even pass the editor's filter. You can be sure that such a work would never be published. Perhaps a series could be considered, but it would never reach the public as a single volume.

I recommend that you read my note " Length of a Literary Work " to have a current point of view on the lengths of works.

These numbers that I will give you, therefore, are no longer accepted by modern authors or editors. Probably many of these figures should be significantly reduced and would surely be questioned by many writers. But I include them anyway to give you a reference from which to start when you write.

🔹 Short stories (3-5 chapters): Fast pace, one or two subplots.
🔹 Long stories (5 to 8 chapters): Fast pace, one to three subplots.

🔹 Short novels (10-20 chapters): Fast pace, few subplots.
🔹 Medium-length novels (20-40 chapters): Character development and secondary plots.
🔹 Long novels (+40 chapters): Complexity, multiple perspectives.

How many words per chapter?

🔹 Around 750 to 3,500 for a short chapter.
🔹 Around 3,500 to 10,000 for a long chapter.

💡 Practical example:
If your story is about a detective solving a case:

Short story: A single crime and a focused story arc.
Long novel: Several false leads, multiple suspects and a large conspiracy.

🤖 How can AI help?

"Suggests a chapter structure for a 30-chapter mystery novel."

🔀 3. How Many Subplots Are Necessary?

Subplots enrich the story, but they must be used in balance.

🎭 Function of subplots:
✔️ They delve deeper into the characters.
✔️ They give pauses to the main plot to maintain interest.
✔️ They can reinforce the message of the story.

💡 Practical example:

Main story: An archaeologist searches for a lost artifact.
Subplot 1: His hidden past as a relic thief.
Subplot 2: A rival who follows him and betrays him.

🤖 How can AI help?

"Give me three interesting subplots for a novel about an archaeologist searching for lost treasure."

🏆 4. How Many Characters Should a Story Have?

Too many characters can confuse the reader (and yourself), and too few can make the story feel empty.

🔹 Short story: 1-3 key characters.
🔹 Standard novel: 5-10 important characters.
🔹 Long saga: 15+ characters with well-developed arcs.

💡 Practical example:
If you write a post-apocalyptic novel:
✔️ Protagonist: A survivor with a trauma from the past.
✔️ Ally: A child who forces him to regain his humanity.
✔️ Antagonist: A leader of a rival faction with his own code of honor.

🤖 How can AI help?

"Help me create five characters with different motivations for a survival novel."

🎭 5. How to Define the Personalities of the Protagonists?

A memorable character is more than a name and a role in the story.

📌 Factors to consider:
✔️ Motivations: What does the character want?
✔️ Fears: What is holding him back?
✔️ Evolution: How will he change throughout the story?

💡 Practical example:
If your protagonist is a journalist investigating a conspiracy:

At first: Idealist, seeks the truth.
Halfway through the story: He hesitates whether to reveal the information out of fear.
In the end: He makes a decision that changes him forever.

🤖 How can AI help?

"Give me a detailed profile of a character with a tragic past who is seeking redemption."

📖 6. Chapter Planning and Extension with AI

Having a clear structure before writing makes the process easier.

📌 Steps to plan chapters:
1️⃣ Define the purpose of the chapter: Does it advance the plot? Does it develop a character?
2️⃣ Decide the length: Is it a short, intense chapter or a slower one?
3️⃣ Create a brief outline: What events occur?

💡 Practical example:
📌 Science fiction novel about a ship stranded on an unknown planet.
✔️ Chapter 1: Introduction to the protagonist and the initial crisis.
✔️ Chapter 2: Encounter with an alien life form.
✔️ Chapter 3: Revelation that they are not alone on the planet.

🤖 How can AI help?

"Help me plan the first five chapters of a science fiction novel about space exploration."

🎯 Conclusion: Planning Does Not Kill Creativity, It Powers It

Writing with structure doesn't mean limiting your imagination, but rather giving your ideas shape so they shine more brightly .

✅ Use inspiration, but complement it with discipline.
✅ Define the number of chapters according to the type of story.
✅ Use subplots with a narrative purpose.
✅ Develop deep and well-defined characters.
✅ Take advantage of AI as a tool to plan and expand ideas.

📌 The key is to write with emotion, but with method. And in that balance, AI can be your best ally to overcome blockages and strengthen your creativity. 🚀

Thank you for reading . This free, ad-free, hand-made publication is made possible by the support of readers like you. If you are truly interested in writing and want to help keep it going, keep reading, buy my books, hire my services as an editor, proofreader, or private tutor, or best of all, become a paid subscriber to my services. 🚀

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Do you have questions? Do you want to expand on these topics?

If you are interested in expanding on these topics, I recommend that you read my articles for writers. There you will find many interesting topics that will help you become a 21st century writer. Here are my notes for writers (use the google translate button - for no-spanish writers-) 🌌✍️

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