Today we are going to discuss gimmick and fundamentals of a good story. First, gimmick. Here is the thing. There are only so many plots. DO NOT try to get creative with plot. Everything has been done. Seriously. There are only so many elements on the Periodic Table, yet everything in the universe is made …
Category: Novel Structure
Jun 13 2011
What Went Wrong with the Star Wars Prequels?
I am a serious nerd. I grew up on J.R.R. Tolkein and played Dungeons and Dragons all through high school. Trekkie conventions, RPGs, Renaissance festivals, you name it. I had the punch mark on my Geek Card. I still remember being 3 years old standing in line with my father and uncle for hours as we …
May 16 2011
Anatomy of Conflict
Okay, last week I promised that we would resume talking about antagonists today. Well, I lied. My blog, my rules :P. Actually, I want to teach you guys more about scene antagonists and how they ratchet up the tension and drive the story’s momentum. The thing is, however, a lot of new writers don’t understand the …
Apr 25 2011
Choosing Our Path–Genre Matters
For the past several weeks we have been exploring the antagonist, and how he/she/it affects so many aspects of your writing. No antagonist, no story. The antagonist is responsible for the event/agenda that turns the protagonist’s life upside down. The story isn’t over until our protag grows up and becomes a hero, because only heroes …