There are a couple of
story sequencing activities
you ought to try.

Story sequencing activities can help lead you in the right direction as you further your plot and characterization.

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When writing sequence stories, poems, or other genres, you must be sure to know the order of events you are writing about. Have you ever tried to put the pieces of a puzzle together? If so, you know how important it is that the pieces connect and the order stays the same. If you try to connect a puzzle piece to another part of the puzzle that it cannot connect to, you will first and foremost have two pieces that will not fit together, and secondly, you will be trying to undo the order of the puzzle that someone has taken their time and energy to create. So, consistency in writing sequence is extremely important. Otherwise, just as a puzzle will not look right until all the pieces are in the right places, a story will not read correctly unless all the plotlines, characters, and themes are in their appropriate places.

One of many story sequencing activities to try is to look at inspirational cartoons or creative writing images and write stories about the sequence of events that led up to the picture that you are looking at, or the resulting effects of what happened after the cartoon or image was penned. When you take a picture of a group of people, they do not stay in exactly the same place forever after a picture is taken. So, consider what might happen if the images that you are looking at could move around and continue their lives. Write about those end results.

Another story sequencing activity is to look at some story sequence picture cards (sets 1-12 are free to view). Once you have looked at each set of images (each set has three pictures included), there are various ways to go about writing about each of the sets. You can choose to tell the exact story of what the pictures reveal to you. You also may choose to just make that set of three pictures be one small portion of your story that leads up to a greater conclusion, or leads off of a greater beginning. The set might just be the opening act of a more thoroughly enjoyable story that wouldn't be complete without those three pictures to open it up.

You can try a group writing exercise where everyone gets the same set of three pictures and tries some story sequencing activities where they have to write stories about the same pictures. Everyone might come up with a completely different story. Or, you could have everyone take a different set of three pictures and do a writing sequence of their own in which they tell the story and later make all the stories connect into one expansive novel-like endeavor.

Story sequencing activities are worthwhile and productive uses of your writing time. They help to make your story make more sense, by bringing together all that you have written and making it follow a set writing sequence that makes it seem more complete. Sequence activities bring order and structure to writing that may not have had the flow you desired because it was lacking a proper sequence to make the order of events clearer and more sensible.

Clarity is brought about when you consider using story sequencing activities. Your writing will become more succinct and understandable through the visions you have of how your plotline should be more sound in its structure and sequence.

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