How to Make Your Own Story: Choose a Character, Problem and Ending

To make your own story, choose a character and decide what they want more than anything. Put a problem in their way. Let them try something that does not work, then make a brave or clever choice. End with what changed because of that choice. Tell the story out loud first, then write it and fix one part.

By ArtifyTales Team, Nell AI Labs LLC · Published · 7 min read

An illustrated spotlight shining on an empty stage, ready for a new character to step in.
The four forms one idea can take.

You have a blank page and a pencil. Maybe your teacher said, “Write a story about anything.” Maybe you just want to make one for fun. But “anything” is a big word, and it is hard to know where to start.

Here is the good news. If you have ever wondered how to make my own story, you only need three choices to begin: a character, a problem and an ending. You do not need to know every sentence before you start. You can even borrow a starting idea from somewhere else. The important choices still belong to you.

What every story needs

Most stories you love are built from the same parts.

  • A character. A person, an animal, a robot or even a talking sock. Someone the story follows.
  • A want. Something the character wishes for. A want makes the reader curious: will they get it?
  • A problem. Something gets in the way. Without a problem, nothing happens.
  • A choice. The character decides to do something about the problem.
  • An ending. Things are different because of what the character chose.

If you have those five parts, you have a story. Everything else, like funny lines, cool places and surprises, you can add later.

How to make your own story, step by step

  1. Choose a starting point. Think of a character, a picture you drew or a problem you would enjoy explaining to a friend. If you cannot pick, choose the one that makes you smile.
  2. Give your character a want. Finish this sentence: “More than anything, ___ wants ___.” Decide this yourself before you ask anyone, or any tool, for more ideas.
  3. Put something in the way. Write one line about what blocks the want. Rain, a locked gate, a grumpy neighbor, a fear of the dark. Small problems work well.
  4. Decide what your hero tries first. First tries often go wrong. That is fine. It makes the story more exciting.
  5. Let your character make a choice. This is the most important step. Your hero should do something brave, clever or kind to fix the problem.
  6. Choose your ending. Ask yourself: what is different now? The character might get what they wanted, get something better, or learn something new.
  7. Tell it out loud before you write. Say the whole story to someone, or to your pet, in about one minute. Then write your opening.
  8. Read it again and fix it yourself. Change one part you do not like. Read the changed part out loud to check that it still makes sense.
One story, six choices 🐌 Character Pip, a snail who loves music ⭐ Wants to play his drum at the concert 🌧️ Problem rain floods the path 🍃 First try rides a leaf and it sinks 🐸 Choice asks the frog for help 🎵 Ending arrives late, plays a duet with the frog The ending comes from Pip’s choice, not from luck. Swap in your own character and try it.
A story plan is a chain: each card leads to the next, and the choice card is the one that makes the ending feel earned.

A story plan you can borrow

Here is one example. It is made up to show how the steps fit together. A third grader might plan a story like this:

Pip is a small snail who loves music. More than anything, Pip wants to play his tiny drum at the garden concert. But a storm floods the path. Pip climbs onto a leaf to float across, and the leaf sinks. So Pip does something scary. He asks the big frog by the pond for help, even though frogs usually ignore snails. The frog carries him across. Pip arrives late, but he and the frog play a duet, and it is the best song of the night.

Look at where the ending comes from. Pip does not win because the rain stops by magic. He wins because he makes a choice: he asks for help. That choice is what makes it his story.

Your version could keep Pip and change everything else. Maybe the problem is a hungry bird. Maybe the concert comes to Pip instead. Those choices are yours.

Watch out for the lucky ending

Here is a trap that catches lots of writers. The problem is big and scary, and then it just goes away. A wizard appears. The character wakes up and it was all a dream. Somebody else fixes everything.

Endings like that feel flat, because the character did not do anything. If your ending happens by luck alone, go back and give your character a useful choice to make. Ask yourself:

  • What could my character try that nobody else would think of?
  • What is my character good at? Can they use it here?
  • What is my character scared of? Could they be brave about it?

Why this plan works

A character who wants something gives your reader a reason to keep reading. A problem makes them worry. A choice makes them cheer. You can use this same plan for a funny story, a spooky one or a big adventure.

Your first version does not have to sound perfect. Nobody’s does. A first draft gives you something real to improve, and every change you make on purpose makes the story clearer for the next person who reads it. For more ways to build a story around your own ideas, read about how children can create their own illustrated stories.

Where ArtifyTales fits

Some young writers like to start with a drawing. ArtifyTales can turn a drawing you made, or a character you describe out loud, into a character and an illustrated story. You can also start from a story you wrote yourself.

Before you use it, tell a grown-up what your picture means: who the character is, what they want and what goes wrong. Then treat what comes back as a first draft, not the final story. Keep your character. Change the parts you do not like. Make sure the ending comes from your character’s choice, just like Pip’s. Stories made with AI can get things wrong, so read yours with a grown-up and fix anything that does not match your idea.

You can find more ideas on the ArtifyTales page for kids, and grown-ups can browse creative activities by child-development stage.

Staying safe and fair

  • Ask a grown-up first. Always ask a parent or teacher before you upload a drawing, a photo or a recording of your voice. They can read how ArtifyTales handles children’s drawings and voices with you.
  • Keep private things private. Never put your full name, your school or your address in a story you share. A first name or a made-up name is plenty.
  • Follow your teacher’s rules. If the story is for school, check what your teacher says about AI help before you use any tool. Be ready to show which ideas and changes are yours.

Frequently asked questions

What are the parts of a story?
Most stories have a character, something that character wants, a problem that gets in the way, a choice the character makes, and an ending where something has changed. If you have those five parts, you have a story. Funny lines, cool places and surprises can be added later.
How do I start my own story if I have no ideas?
Start small. Pick an animal, a toy or a picture you drew, and finish the sentence “More than anything, ___ wants ___.” Once your character wants something, it is much easier to think of a problem that gets in the way.
Can I use someone else’s idea to start my story?
Yes, you can borrow a starting idea, like a prompt from your teacher or a list of story ideas. What makes it your story is the choices you make: who the character is, what goes wrong and how it ends. For school, tell your teacher where the starting idea came from if they ask.
How long should my story be?
A story can be as short as a few sentences, as long as it has a character, a problem and an ending. If the story is for school, follow the length your teacher asks for. It is usually better to finish a short story than to stop halfway through a long one.
What if my ending feels boring?
Check whether the problem was solved by luck, like a wizard appearing or waking up from a dream. If it was, go back and let your character make a choice that fixes the problem. Endings feel better when the character earns them.
Can I use a tool to help write the whole story?
For schoolwork, follow your teacher’s rules about AI help and be ready to show which ideas and changes are yours. Even outside school, the story is more fun when you make the big choices yourself. A tool’s version is only a first draft for you to change.
Do I need to draw a picture to make a story?
No. You can start with a picture, but you can also start by talking about your character or writing a few sentences. Some writers like to draw first because the picture gives them ideas, and others like to draw after the story is written.

Make your first story choice today

Pick a character and finish the sentence: “More than anything, ___ wants ___.” That is the start of your story. When you want to see it come to life, ask a parent or teacher to help you set up ArtifyTales, which can turn a child’s drawing into an animated story.

Looking for more ideas made for young writers? Visit the ArtifyTales page for kids.