Beyond action beats in dialogue
Dialogue without anything else on the page feels like a screenplay—all setup for actors who will never arrive. In a film, the actors carry the scene. In your novel, the […]
Beyond action beats in dialogue Read More »
Character journey as story structure
Most writers think of story structure as a dry, architectural plot blueprint. Inciting incidents and pinch points and turning points map out the road as the characters stumble through their world, making
Character journey as story structure Read More »
Why thinking outside the box is hurting your creativity
I’d be a pretty rotten curator of writing craft advice if I didn’t leap at the opportunity to share some writing craft wisdom that kicked my own butt. Amy Stewart’s
Why thinking outside the box is hurting your creativity Read More »
The Midpoint Complication: The missing link in three-act structure
In any discussion of story structure, the three-act model inevitably dominates the conversation. Even as plotting methods such as Save the Cat, the Hero’s Journey, and the Snowflake Method gain
The Midpoint Complication: The missing link in three-act structure Read More »
Goals for Writers: Staying in your own dance space
Even passive or constrained characters drive their own stories. When a character is unable to physically act, the story must dip into forces that shift their mindset. Wishful thinking isn’t enough.
Goals for Writers: Staying in your own dance space Read More »
Unlock character arcs with the archetypes of the tarot
This week’s post at The Writes of Fiction explores a topic I’ve been exploring from a writer and book coach’s point of view for some time now: the archetypal world
Unlock character arcs with the archetypes of the tarot Read More »
Scene endings that make readers turn pages
It’s easy to surmise that propelling readers from one scene to the next relies upon a dramatic closing hook, the evocative or provocative impression at the very end of the
Scene endings that make readers turn pages Read More »
Listen In: Scene technique at The Editing Podcast
Most people think they know what a scene is until they try writing one. (Isn’t that the way of most things involved in writing a novel?) So many first drafts
Listen In: Scene technique at The Editing Podcast Read More »
Scene Structure: Common Goal-Driven Scene Pitfalls
The scene structure of goal-driven scenes is akin to the classic joke setup, “A _____ and a _____ walk into a bar …” A _____ and a _____ walk into
Scene Structure: Common Goal-Driven Scene Pitfalls Read More »
Skillful scene openings for fiction
Skillful scene openings involve more than a provocative opening hook. A smooth opening ushers readers into the scene without immersion-breaking confusion or disorientation. The first technique helps you judge the
Skillful scene openings for fiction Read More »