Strong narrative structure is essential in all storytelling – from kids’ books to podcasts to screenplays to news articles, as well as fiction and non-fiction books, writes Dr Erin O’Dwyer
Last week, we had the pleasure of appraising a children’s book manuscript for a client. It was a delightful story about a truck, two mischievous mice, and the truck’s driver. It had plenty of charm and audience appeal, but needed a stronger narrative structure. Our feedback focused on a crucial element of storytelling: complication and resolution.
Clarify the complication and ensure a satisfying resolution
Here’s what we told the author:
“It’s a cute story and works well in terms of audience, length, narration and characters. We recommend a more classical complication/resolution structure – i.e. what’s the problem, what’s the answer. Or simply a premise – i.e. the mice’s day out.”
Why does complication and resolution matter, even in kids’ books?
Because stories – whether written for toddlers or adults – thrive on tension and release. The complication introduces a problem that the characters must overcome, and the resolution provides a sense of closure and satisfaction. Without this structure, even the most charming characters and beautiful writing can leave audiences feeling unsatisfied or confused.
This structure isn’t just essential for children’s books. It’s the foundation of all great storytelling, whether in a podcast, comedy sketch, news article, feature story, screenplay, non-fiction or fiction book.
“We recommend a more classical complication/resolution structure – i.e. what’s the problem, what’s the answer.”
What makes a strong complication?
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jon Franklin, in Writing for Story (1986), outlines three crucial elements of a strong complication:
1. It must be basic: The problem should be simple and understandable, even for young readers. In the case of our truck and mice story, a basic complication might be that the mice are about to be caught in a mouse trap or evicted from their cozy home inside the truck.
2. It must be significant to the human condition: The problem should tap into real emotions. Kids don’t need grandiose conflicts, but they do need to care. Maybe the mice just want a home, and the truck driver sees them as pests – this taps into the universal need for belonging.
3. It must matter deeply to the character involved: The protagonist (whether it’s the truck, the mice, or the truck driver) must be personally invested in the complication and the outcome. In all great stories, it’s the hard-won efforts of the protagonist that bring them (as well as the reader) towards resolution.
Resolution: Earned, not given
A well-crafted resolution isn’t just a quick fix; it’s the outcome of a character’s struggle. The resolution should be satisfying because the protagonist actively works for it, rather than just stumbling into a happy ending.
In our truck and mice story, a possible resolution might be that the truck driver simply lets the mice stay out of kindness. A stronger resolution? The truck itself (perhaps with a clever manoeuvre) helps the mice escape danger and convinces the driver they belong together. This kind of resolution is much more engaging and rewarding for young readers.
Why narrative structure matters
Children’s literature is more than just entertainment – it builds a sense of identity and teaches problem-solving, empathy and resilience. A strong complication/resolution structure helps children grasp cause and effect, understand emotions, and feel the satisfaction of overcoming obstacles. Remember Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? Charlie struggles to find the golden ticket, and even after securing his place at the chocolate factory, must prove himself the most deserving child to earn the ultimate reward.
So, if you are telling any kind of story, ask yourself: Is the complication clear? Does the resolution feel earned? What is the story’s premise? And how does the hero character struggle to find a solution to their problem?
