Tag: how to write a novel

Guilt: How Shame, Regret & Guilt Shape Story

Guilt is a tricky bugger, even in real life. What is guilt? Why does it have so much power? How can we use guilt in story and why would we? Before we unpack this sticky subject, let’s begin, at least, with a definition.

Characters: The Emotional Touchstone Readers Crave

All stories are human stories, whether in space or in a magical realm. Characters (should) endure the same trauma and challenges that audiences do in life. This mirroring gives us (readers) a safe place to feel and process our emotions.

EVIL: Our Love-Hate Relationship With Mischief, Mayhem & Destruction

Good stories make us think, talk, question, examine, and reexamine not because the writer wrote a glorious description of a moonlit night, but because the writer posed questions not easily answered.

Creating a Story-Worthy Problem That Will Captivate an Audience

The story-worthy problem is the beating heart of all superlative fiction. Unfortunately, creating this central core can often be overlooked. This is particularly true for writers relying on school training. English teachers didn’t mind we used twenty-five metaphors on one page because their goal was to teach us how to properly use a metaphor…not how …

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Ideas Collide: Powerful Storms are the Center of All Great Stories

Every story begins with ideas. Alas, stories can only be created when at least two vastly different ideas collide. The place where they meet is the BOOM, much like the weather. Storms erupt because two very different bodies of air meet…and don’t get along.