Every story, written or verbal, long or short, has some necessary features that must be part of the narrative for the story to make sense. These features are what we refer to as literary elements or narrative elements or elements of literature. These elements are essential characteristics of any narrative and they include plot, theme, setting, characters, tone and style, conflict, dialogue, point of view and action among others.

Below we will discuss the top 5 of these elements that must be part of every story.

Characters: Characters are the individuals whose story the author is telling. They are what the story is about. Characters should be well developed and introduced with enough details so the reader can visualize them. For the main character (s), the one around whom your story is centered, you must give detailed physical and personality attributes and then the same for the other characters but with fewer details. This makes the characters real in the reader's mind, enabling them to form a connection with said characters. The characters might be human or might be any other creature or object, but make them feel real to the reader. Make sure there is consistency in your characters' personas and that their emotions and actions make sense throughout the story.

Setting: This is the environment in which your story is set. This mainly describes the physical location, but might go beyond that to include nonphysical attributes of the environment. Describe your settings in a way that enables your reader to vividly picture the scenes. However, make sure the setting is believable. Some settings, for example in a fantasy story, give you more room for creativity, but make sure it stays believable.

Plot: This is the actual story around which you form your entire narrative. Your plot should be unique, original or at least told from a fresh perspective. It should also have a clear beginning, a middle and an end. The plot is what ties the rest of the elements together and blends them into one story.

Style and Tone: This mainly refers to the language you use and how you use it. Make sure your style and tone fit the story you are trying to tell and the genre to which the story belongs. For example, a story in the historical genre will have a very different tone from that in a contemporary setting. Whatever genre or era you are working with, make sure you use simple enough language unless you are dealing with a technical theme that requires certain terms to be used.

Conflict and Resolution: You just cannot have a story without conflict. What would be the point of the story then? The reader expects some sort of problem in the story and how it was resolved - that is the backbone of any story. In addition, never end your story without some sort of resolution. The reader expects to get some kind of solution to whatever conflict you introduced. Even when the story is in a series format and you have to carry the conflict over to the next book, the reader still expects some sort of closure; even if it is in the form of a cliffhanger that sets the expectations for the next book.