Begin at the top of your page by writing the title. The title is an important part of your story, as it gives readers a clue of what the story is about. If you are unable to think of a title, leave this space blank and come back to it when you think of what you want to call your story. Alternatively, write in a working title--even something as simple as "This is the Story Title"--knowing that it will be changed later.
Name the next section "Elements," and create two columns labeled "Main Characters" and "Other Characters." These two columns outline the antagonists and protagonists of your story. In the column titled Main Characters, write down the most important characters of the story and provide a brief description of their roles. For example, Mary Johnson is my main character, and she is looking for her lost dog, Charlie. Under the column Other Characters, name a few characters who play a smaller role in your story. For example, Patrick Smith is the mail carrier who tells Mary that he saw her dog at the park.
The next section is titled "Setting." Beneath the section heading, create two columns, one titled "Problem" and the other titled "Resolution." In the column titled Problem, briefly describe the problem or conflict your main character is facing. For example, Mary has lost her dog. In the column titled Resolution, explain how the problem is solved. To follow our example, Mary finds her lost dog in the neighbor's garden, covered in mud but happy.
Title the next section "Structure," and beneath the title create three columns labeled "Beginning," "Middle" and "End." Every story has a beginning, middle and end. Here is where you will outline the main plot of the story. For example, Mary wakes up to find her dog missing. She walks around her neighborhood, asking friends and neighbors if they've seen her dog. The people she asks point her in different directions. Finally, after almost giving up, Mary finds her dog rolling in her neighbor's flower bed, and she is relieved that her dog is happy and safe--though the neighbor might not be pleased with what happened to her flowers.
Label the last section "Theme." This is where you write a few ideas about the theme of your story, such as the kinds of ideas or morals you hope your readers take away from your story. For our example story, the main theme is that through hard work and dedication, you are bound to find what you are looking for.