Negative Character Arcs explore what happens when a character encounters a story’s thematic Truth but cannot—or will not—fully integrate it. The three major variations—Disillusionment, Fall, and Corruption—each represent a different tragic relationship with the story’s thematic Truth and Lie. When we put them together, they also reveal a larger pattern of negative transformation. This is […]
September 28, 2026 by 8 Comments CharactersCharacter Misdirection: How to Write False Allies and False Enemies
In childhood, stories are always about exactly what they appear: “See Spot. See Spot run.” But as we grow older and our life experiences deepen, so do our story experiences. What emerges is often a complex weave of subtext and misdirection. Life isn’t always as we perceive it on its surface—and even when it is, […]
September 21, 2026 by 2 Comments CharactersNew Writing Masterclass: Flat Character Arcs: From Transformation to Integration
Flat Character Arcs present one of the most interesting paradoxes in character development: How do you write a compelling character arc for a protagonist who already knows the story’s thematic Truth and doesn’t need to fundamentally change? This is the question at the heart of my new Story School class, Flat Character Arcs: From Transformation […]
September 14, 2026 by 5 Comments CharactersThe Impact Character: Why Every Character Arc Needs One
In a story, we can think of character arc as the “engine of change” that creates transformative movement in the plot. In real life, this change can be initiated in many different ways, but in a story, we often use specific levers—some symbolic and some practical—to create catalysts of change that make sense to readers. […]
August 31, 2026 by 6 Comments How to Become a Writer5 Ways to Identify Your Writing Weaknesses (and Become a Better Writer)
Let me ask you a question: If I ask you to identify your writing weaknesses for me, how does that make you feel about your writing right now? If you’re in one of those rarefied states of supreme satisfaction, I congratulate you. But after two decades of pursuing my own writing and hearing from countless […]
August 24, 2026 by 21 Comments CharactersGet Rid of On-the-Nose Dialogue: 3 Ways to Write Dialogue With Subtext
The qualities that most set apart “okay” writers from great writers are subtlety and subtext. This is true in every area of storytelling, from narrative to plotting to character development. But the lack of subtlety and subtext is perhaps nowhere more obvious than in dialogue. I’m talking, of course, about on-the-nose dialogue. On-the-nose dialogue is dialogue […]
August 17, 2026 by Leave a Comment UncategorizedFree Online Writing Conference for Writers: Join Me at the 2026 WorldShift Summit
In the mood for a free online writing conference this week? I’d love to recommend one I’m excited to be part of! The WorldShift Summit for Speculative Fiction Writers officially begins today, and I’m delighted to be returning as one of this year’s featured speakers. After participating in the inaugural conference last year, I can […]
August 10, 2026 by 13 Comments PodcastHow to Pitch Your Novel: The Difference Between Your Story’s Hook and Heart
Quick! You’ve got less than a minute to convince me your story is worth my time. What do you tell me? You’ve got to pique my curiosity with mystery and potential, while still conveying the bulk of the plot, theme, and general tone. “No problem!” you say. But when you sit down to actually figure […]
August 3, 2026 by 15 Comments CharactersThe Lie the Character Believes: A Deeper Look at Consciousness and Character Arc
For years, in my book Creating Character Arcs and elsewhere, I’ve taught the Lie the Character Believes as the central premise of character arc. The Lie the Character Believes is the limited perspective that prevents characters from embracing the thematic Truth until the events of the story force them to grow. In a Positive Change […]
July 27, 2026 by 24 Comments UncategorizedWhy Honesty Makes Flawed Characters More Likable
A flawed character becomes likable when audiences trust the character’s honesty more than they judge the character’s mistakes. Memorable characters come in many shades—everything from Heathcliff’s murderous manipulation to Steve Rogers’s aw-shucks idealism. Sometimes, the not-so-likable characters end up being all the more interesting and enduring for their inner darkness. But, generally speaking, most authors […]
