I've been studying storytelling for about five years, as a way to improve my writing. Here's what I've learned so far.

The simplest unit of storytelling consists of...

  (a) A character who attempts to achieve a specific thing.
  (b) A conflict standing in the way of that attempt.
  (c) A conclusion to that conflict.

Together, these three things form a Simple Dramatic Unit. For example:

  (a) Sally tries to swim back to shore.
  (b) But two shark fins emerge from the water.
  (c) She gets pulled under.

Do you notice how, even though there's nothing particularly inventive or original about the above scene, you're leaning in a little? Wondering what happens next? That's the power of the Simple Dramatic Unit.

Technically the above is a complete story, but it doesn't feel totally resolved because it doesn't have much of a punchline. We want to know what happens to Sally, and we even hope for a happy ending -- how might she get out of this situation?

As a storyteller, you continue to string together these Simple Dramatic Units til you reach the punchline of your story (also known as the "resolution").

Once you master the Simple Dramatic Unit, and tying multiple Dramatic Units together, there are numerous additional variables you can weave into your stories to improve your storytelling:

  - Stakes (Sally is a mother of two children, both on the beach that day.)
  - Strong Characters (Sally is a risk-taker who feels a strong command over nature. Not once in her life has she ever feared the elements.)
  - Theme ("Those who don't fear nature are all the more at its mercy.")
  - Tone (Her children watch the shark attack from the shore with keen interest, but without alarm.)
  - Style ("The beach was placid that day, the smell of salt rendered sweet in the humid air....")
  - Originality (The shark fins aren't grey, but a fluorescent pink.)
  - Etc, etc.

But all those things are secondary to the Simple Dramatic Unit. Master that first. It will serve as a very solid foundation for any type of story you want to tell.