Story telling is EEeZZz.....?

I once wrote the shortest story in the world. It goes like this

Once upon a time, there was a man. Then he died.

Simple isn’t it?

Nevertheless, it contains all the necessary features of a good story;
a beginning including the presentation of the main character,
and a concluding end.

Because of the simplicity,
there is plenty of room for variation.



You can add a twist of suspense,

Once upon a time, there was a man. Then he was killed.



You can add a twist of history,

Once upon a time, there was a king. Then he died.



Combine the above and it becomes a classic drama,

Once upon a time, there was a king. Then he was killed.



By adding a supporting character you get the Shakespearian version,

Once upon a time there was a king. Then he was killed by his best friend.



Or the Dickens version,

Once upon a time, there was a poor, sick boy. Then he died.



Or what I call ‘the post modern approach’,

Once upon a time, there was a poor, sick poet who wanted to die.



Feel free to make your own versions.


Story telling is not so hard.