| Term | Definition |
| setting | the place and time period during which a story takes place (may or may not influence the plot) |
| intergul | essential to the story; will influence the characters, plot, and theme |
| backdrop | unimportant to the plot; similar to a flat painted scenery |
| first Person | uses the pronoun I; a character |
| second person | uses pronoun you; author speaks directly to the reader |
| third person | uses the pronoun he, she, they etc.; author narrator telling the story |
| point of view | perspective of the story being told |
| limited omniscient | limited to main characters |
| omniscient | aware of everything and everyone |