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 [...]

We all have them in our lives: the excellent fodder for characters in our fiction. Maybe it’s your Aunt Sheila who’s flat broke and still charges designer shoes by the ton, or your high school boyfriend who tragically broke your heart after the big game, or your father who abandoned you and now hits you up for money.

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.

Aspiring novelists are always intimidated by the classics, especially when it comes to writing the opening of the novel.

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.