Good stories have a main character who faces a challenge and works to overcome it. Even the driest news stories can follow this format. If you do, you’ll find your writing is more lively and the story is more engaging. The Disney cartoon “Lava” is a great storytelling tool with all of these elements. Notice that the narrator (the singer) tells us what’s happening. The emotion — with words like lava (love), hope, thanks, and dream — come from the characters themselves. Think of this the next time you write.