Good storytelling deals as much with how a story is told as it does with what a story is. The dramatic moments and insight into the characters and their conflicts all come from information gathered about those characters. One of the easiest ways to build that drama is through an understanding of narrative voice. Each [...]

The most beautifully crafted characters in the world are missing a large part of their reality if they are devoid of conflict. The same piece of advice extends equally well to the plot of your story. Why? Conflict is what breeds motivation, what defines drama, and what draws in readers.
So, what is conflict?
The definition of [...]

As a writer, archetypes allow you to save time while writing, to maintain momentum without becoming bogged down in details, to allow the reader to safely assume.

a foil is a character with a distinct trait which stands in dramatic contrast to another character — typically contrasting the protagonist.

Writing is a relationship between the writer and his or her idea. And like any relationship, it’s best to perform due diligence on the situation before jumping in. With respects to fiction, due diligence typically involves a great deal of prewriting, with a strong emphasis on the outline. So, before grabbing a pen or keyboard and blindly embracing your muse, here are five reasons why you should outline your story first.