Updated Note From KMW: Unfortunately, I have had to disable comments and remove all previous comments from this post. Although publicly sharing contact information here was not a problem in years past, the email addresses were recently being scraped and used to send unsolicited offers from AI editing, proofreading, and marketing services. I sincerely apologize to […]
April 13, 2026 by Leave a Comment CharactersNew Writing Class: The Hidden Psychology of Story Conflict
Conflict is often taught as the engine of plot, but what if it is really the engine of psychological transformation? When we look at story through a symbolic lens, antagonists can be understood not just as external obstacles, but as forces that reveal the deeper inner workings of the protagonist. This is what I’m exploring […]
April 6, 2026 by 8 Comments CharactersInternal Conflict vs. External Conflict: The Shift From Projection to Agency in Character Arc
One of the easiest mistakes in writing is assuming stories are about the external action of defeating the antagonistic force, when in reality they are about what the protagonist must become in order to face that conflict. Internal conflict vs. external conflict reveals how your story’s character arcs operate beneath the plot. The tension between […]
March 30, 2026 by 2 Comments CharactersNew Writing Class: What Happens After the Positive Change Arc?
Today, I want to share something new with you… This year, I’m starting a Story School! For years, I’ve taught story primarily through blog posts and books. But there are some topics I’ve been wanting to explore that need the kind of focused attention that allows us to go deeper. So this year, I’ll be […]
March 23, 2026 by 16 Comments NarrativeHow to Create a Consistent Story Tone (And Why It Matters)
We might define your story’s tone as its attitude. More than that, it’s a guide for audiences to help them determine their own attitudes while engaging with your story. Tone tells audiences how to experience the events unfolding on the page. As such, you have to set your story’s tone right from the beginning. Is […]
March 16, 2026 by 14 Comments Podcast9 Tips for How to Write Dark Stories Responsibly (And Make Hope Feel Earned)
Why do some dark stories feel true and even redemptive while others feel icky and draining? And why do some hopeful stories resonate deeply while others feel saccharine and shallow? When writers consider how to write dark stories responsibly, what we are really asking is a deeper craft question: how do we move through the […]
March 2, 2026 by 12 Comments PodcastEmbodied Writing: How to Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Story
Where do our stories come from? Not just theoretically or archetypally, but for each of us as individuals? From where do our stories—our romances, mysteries, fantasies, dramas, tragedies, and comedies—actually arise? Even when prompted by outer inspiration, they still come from somewhere deep inside of us, from a deeply human connection. And where does this […]
February 23, 2026 by 10 Comments Novel EndingsShould You Tie Up Loose Ends in Your Story—or Leave Them Open?
Are loose ends in fiction a good thing—or a bad thing? The phrase itself sounds accusatory, as if loose ends are something writers ought to apologize for. After all, what else do we do with loose ends but tie them up? And yet, the moment we start tying everything off too neatly, something else often […]
February 16, 2026 by 13 Comments PodcastThe Four-Act Structure and the Circular Shape of Story
When writers start talking about story structure, usually the first things people think of are beats, turning points, and acts. But underneath all of that is a more fundamental question: What is the shape of story itself? Is story fundamentally linear, moving from beginning to middle to end—or does a different pattern emerge? This question […]
February 2, 2026 by 8 Comments Writing InspirationStory as Cosmology: Understanding Story as a Framework for Meaning
As storytellers, we spend our lives thinking about story. How does it work? What makes it resonate? What makes certain narratives feel true while others fall flat? We analyze structure, character arc, theme, and meaning, often with the sense that story is something we are shaping from the outside-in. However, story is not just something […]
