What is story? As someone who studies plot structure—and the shape of story—I find it an interesting thought exercise to consider the many ways in which the marketplace is increasingly shaping modern writing culture and even storytelling itself. Is story a process or a product? Is it an experience, an archetype, a communication, or a […]
May 11, 2026 by 16 Comments UncategorizedMicrotension in Writing Explained: How Small Details Create Big Tension
Note From KMW: Whenever I’m browsing a new book in a bookstore or reading a sample online, I’m always aware of how little I can actually know at the start. I can’t yet see if the plot will hold together or if the structure will land. I don’t know how the Climactic Moment will pay […]
May 4, 2026 by 27 Comments PodcastThe Emotional Toll on Writers in the Modern Landscape (And Why So Many Are Burning Out)
How we doing, fellow writers? Are you hanging in there? Everywhere I look in today’s creative landscape, I can’t help but sense that more and more writers are burning out, and my opinion is that this isn’t caused simply by too much work with too few vacations. At least some of the strain is coming […]
April 27, 2026 by Editing Your NovelFind a Writing Buddy (2026 Edition!): Critique Partners, Beta Readers & More
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 20, 2026 by 10 Comments Characters6 Ways to Discover Your Character’s Greatest Fear
From KMW: One of the juiciest tension points in a character’s arc is the question: What is your character’s greatest fear? This question isn’t (explicitly) about what characters say they want or what stands in their way externally. Rather, the answer we’re hunting for is the deeper fear lurking underneath. Very often, that fear is […]
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 […]
