The goal of this multi-year project is to foster and support journalism about the existential threat of nuclear weapons. It also aims to provide an on-ramp for journalists and journalism students, to give them the tools they need to report on this topic and connect with a community of other reporters and media professionals.
Developing story is the process of taking an idea and expanding it into a fully realized narrative with characters, conflict, setting and more. It can take months, even years to get from the initial spark of an idea to having a complete script or outline that can be pitched.
This can be a very insular phase and it’s not uncommon for writers to hit a wall at this point (also known as “writer’s block”). There is no one-size fits all approach to this but some strategies may help you break through the blocks.
For example, some writers find that it helps to focus on character development and begin by exploring key characterization elements like their goals, motivations, and conflicts. Others find that it’s helpful to define their key antagonist(s) and delve into their worldview, and the nature of the conflict they pose for their protagonist.
It’s also a good time to begin mapping out your progression of complications that lead up to the story’s climax. This is a key stage in making sure that your protagonist has the ability to reach their ultimate goal at the end of the story.