Every story is an adventure. No matter its genre, focus, or tone, a story is always about an undertaking of some sort, whether cosmically large or familiarly small. This is why writers can use the metaphor of the Adventure World for a story’s Second Act to better understand this crucial part of story structure in […]
May 30, 2022 by 31 Comments Beginning Your BookUnderstanding the Normal World of a Story’s First Act
No matter their genre or focus, stories are about something happening—a shift in the status quo. Where the characters begin is not where they end. This may refer to their literal physical surroundings, or to a more metaphorical state of being—or, very possibly, to both. Whatever the case, it is important for authors to understand […]
May 23, 2022 by 36 Comments Plotting Your NovelDeepening Your Story’s Theme With the Thematic Square
How can you deepen your story’s theme? This is a question most writers find themselves asking at one point or another. And there are many answers. As an inherently abstract concept, theme can be approached from many different directions—and still feel hard to get at. But as one of the most important factors in creating […]
May 16, 2022 by 53 Comments Podcast6 Ways to Find Your Best Ideas Before You Start Writing
For writers, ideas are the primal matter. No ideas, no stories. But sometimes trying to figure out how to find your best ideas is like catching butterflies. They flit in; they flit out. If we aren’t paying attention, sometimes we don’t even recognize that they’ve been there. Even when we do stop short in awe […]
May 9, 2022 by 33 Comments CharactersThe Role of the Antagonist in Story Structure, Pt. 2 of 2
One way to think about plot is as a “push-pull between protagonist and antagonist.” Although the protagonist is the character who frames and, indeed, decides the story’s structure, the role of the antagonist in story structure is equally important. Last week, I shared an overview of the antagonist’s role in the first five major structural […]
May 2, 2022 by 28 Comments CharactersThe Role of the Antagonist in Story Structure, Pt. 1 of 2
If you’re a student of story structure, then you probably have a pretty good idea how each of the major plot beats affects your protagonist—and, indeed, how the protagonist in turn drives the plot beats. But what about the antagonist? What is the role of the antagonist in story structure? Plot can be described in […]
April 25, 2022 by 59 Comments PodcastDo You Have to Write Every Day? 10 Pros and Cons
Should writers make it a habit to write every day? Is that the secret to success? Is that what distinguishes “real” writers? I used to think so. Often, when someone would ask me for my single recommendation for other writers, my go-to response was to reiterate some form of the advice from Peter de Vries […]
April 18, 2022 by 50 Comments PodcastThe 6 Challenges of Writing a Second Novel
Writing your first story is a special experience. It brings many difficulties and challenges, but it also tends to carry itself (and you) along with a sense of passion, fun, and discovery. When we finish it, we may think, Well, it can only get easier from here, right? But as many sophomore writers can attest, writing […]
April 11, 2022 by 53 Comments Plotting Your Novel14 Tips for Dealing With the Passage of Time in a Story
The passage of time in a story is, in some ways, what fiction is all about. But for most authors in most stories, the passage of time won’t necessarily be an explicit consideration. If I asked you right now how much time passes in your latest story, would you know off the top of your […]
March 28, 2022 by 36 Comments Plotting Your Novel6 Ways to Craft Spectacular Set-Piece Scenes
What are set-piece scenes? They’re the big ones. They’re the scenes that define your story, not just in terms of plot mechanics, but particularly in terms of scope and impact. These are the scenes your audience will remember when they think about your story. They’re the scenes they’ll remember even when they’ve forgotten everything else about […]
