How do I know where to start and end my story?

Story is about change, so it’s vitally important that the first and last scenes of your story link together to show just how far the protagonist has come and how much they have changed during the course of the story.

For this reason, before you launch into outlining your story in its entirety, you should look just at the first and last scenes to get a clear sense of the protagonist’s arc of change.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• How can I show who the protagonist is at the beginning of the story?
• How can I show who the protagonist is at the end of the story?