The plot is what happens to your character. The story is about how your character reacts to the things that happen. It’s simple cause and effect, right? Hold on there. It’s not quite that simple. For the most effective story your forces of antagonism (see this post) and your character’s lies, secrets, and scars (see… Continue reading Because There Are Lies, Secrets, and Scars
Category: How To’s
Lies, Secrets, and Scars Create Better Characters
The lies, secrets, and scars of your characters will give your stories power. What makes the story work is that emotion that ties it all together.
How to Construct a Solid Gold Story
When you start writing a story it can be a lot like panning a river for gold. When you put your pan into the river of ideas, you’ll get a lot of pebbles and sand and debris. You have to rock the pan back and forth until only the good stuff remains. Unfortunately, there’s a… Continue reading How to Construct a Solid Gold Story
The ABCs of How to Write a Good Story
A story is more than a beginning a middle and an end. Seasoned writers know that each part has a bunch of specific functions to perform. If any of them fail the story will be less than satisfying for the reader. This series is about more than the ABCs of how to write a good… Continue reading The ABCs of How to Write a Good Story
Stories Need Structure
Reading is fundamentally part of being a writer. Many writers start off as a reader. And over time they decide to try to write their own stories. At least that’s how I started. Unfortunately, reading stories does not teach you how to write stories. Stories need structure even if it’s applied at a subconscious level.… Continue reading Stories Need Structure