So you want to add complexity to your story. Most authors do. Complexity just sounds so… sophisticated. It sounds like one of those novels or films that are taken apart and analyzed by really smart critics and professors. It sounds like taking your story to the next level. And in some ways, it is. Complex […]
April 17, 2017 by 64 Comments Plotting Your NovelWhat Does It Mean to Move the Plot?
“Move the plot, move the plot—everything in your story must move your plot!!!” So rail all writing professors. Meanwhile, the writers themselves just want to bang their heads against their keyboards in desperate frustration. “Okay, yes, fine, great—I want to move the plot. But what does that even meeeeaaannnn?!?!?!?!” (Enough interrobangs, for you?) (No?) (Okay, sorry: […]
October 31, 2016 by 43 Comments Outlining Your Novel4 Ways to Write Backstory That Matters (How to Outline for NaNoWriMo, Pt. 5)
There are two equally vital parts to any story: the part you see and the part you don’t. The context and subtext. The story and the backstory. Whether you’re trying to figure out how to outline for NaNoWriMo (only one day away!) or just needing a game plan for your next work-in-progress, one of the most […]
March 17, 2016 by 52 Comments Plotting Your NovelLearn to Write Deep and Rich Story Conflict
What is story anyway? We could explain it in any number of ways, but it’s hard to come up with anything pithier or more accurate than the old saw: No story conflict, no story. If we flip that on its head, we could just as easily say: Story=conflict. Why? Obviously, conflict is pretty entertaining on its own […]
August 28, 2015 by 27 Comments Plotting Your NovelThe Pixar Way to Think About Story Conflict
This week’s video offers two lessons you can learn from the complicated story conflict in Toy Story to improve your own writing. Video Transcript: Conflict, conflict, conflict! It’s like this mantra among fiction writers, right? And we all nod our heads in agreement, because we all know story conflict is integral to good storytelling. But […]
May 30, 2014 by 43 Comments Writing InspirationCome Up With a Killer Story Concept–Before You Start Writing
Readers only ever see the words of the novel. They have no insight into the planning process, how the story concept came about, or the number of ideas and subplots that may have been taken out of the novel or replaced. But when you sit down to write a novel, don’t make the mistake of thinking the only work […]
March 3, 2013 by 26 Comments PodcastScene Structure Exceptions: Incidents and Happenings
After our recent series about scene structure, it might seem that everything in a book must be tied down hard and fast within that framework. But what about when something in your story doesn’t seem to fit into the goal/conflict/disaster paradigm of the scene? What if something happens (and needs to happen) that doesn’t create conflict and doesn’t end […]
February 17, 2013 by 18 Comments Structuring Your NovelStructuring Your Scenes, Pt. 11: Variations on the Sequel Scene
Sequels*, even more than scenes, offer all kinds of flexibility in scene structure. In large part, this flexibility is what can make sequels difficult to quantify in stories. Unlike the scene, sequels can be so subtle they blend right into the scenery. This can sometimes lead authors to believe sequels aren’t as important as scenes, but their flexibility […]
June 9, 2010 by 2 Comments CharactersIf You Know Your Character’s Goal, You Can Rivet Your Readers’ Attention
Today, I’m posting over on AuthorCulture, with the post “Do You Know What Your Character’s Goal Is?” Here’s an excerpt: Without question, the driving force of fiction is conflict, and the only way to create conflict is to create a character who wants something he can’t immediately have. This takes many different forms, everything from a bereaved […]
