The Two Imperatives for Compelling Dialogue (September Author Toolbox)
Turning Points Propel Your Story
Freytag’s Pyramid Doesn’t Deserve the Hate
The Case for Pantsing
Irony is Central to Storytelling
Exposition in Dialogue
More Articles
The articles above are just the most recent. There’s a large and ever-growing library here. You can peruse the categories or the index of articles in the sidebar menu. Or click on any question below for some suggestions of where to start.
Having trouble with structure?
– Novel Structure: An Aggregate Paradigm
– A Compendium of Novel Structure Resources
– Escalating Complications
– Why the Hero’s Journey Might Not Be Right for Your Story
– The Two Roles of the Story Beginning
– How to Create a Moving Character Arc
– Use Beats to Move Characters within Scenes
– Earning Story Events
– The Case for Pantsing
– Freytag’s Pyramid
– Turning Points within Scenes
Want to improve your reader engagement?
– Stretch Tension to Maximize Suspense
– The Key to Reader Engagement
– How to Create Story Momentum
– Story Momentum Mastery Course
– 3 Techniques for Creating Tension
– The Tension Lab Course
– Creating Romantic/Sexual Tension Course
– Escalating Complications
– The Problem with Show, Don’t Tell: Hyperdetailing
– Urgent Story Questions
– Conflict ≠ Tension
– Subjective Conflict (within readers)
– How to Write Compelling Action
– Theme is Not Optional
– Earning Story Events
Looking to strengthen your scene writing?
– Triangulate Dialogue
– 4 Common Failures in Story Cause/Effect
– Stretch Tension to Maximize Suspense
– Should You Use Synonyms for Said?
– Formatting Character Thoughts
– Scene vs. Summary
– 12 Ways to Be an Invisible Writer
– Sentiment vs. Sentimentality
– The Gold Standard Scene Course (free)
– The Tension Lab Course
– Creating Romantic/Sexual Tension Course
– Use Beats to Move Characters within Scenes
– The Problem with Show, Don’t Tell: Hyperdetailing
– Psychic Distance: Narrative Distance from Character
– The Pitfalls of Emotional Body Language
– Subjective Conflict (within readers)
– How to Write Realizations, Epiphanies, and Moments of Clarity
– Using Objects to Create More Powerful Stories
– How to Write Compelling Action
– Exposition in Dialogue
– Turning Points within Scenes
– The Two Essentials of Compelling Dialogue
Need some guidance on the nuances of narration?
– 10 Lessons from “Cat Person” on Character Interiority
– Author, Narrator, Character
– Action vs. Information: Convey Info without Stalling the Story
– Juggle External Action and Interiority
– Scene vs. Summary
– Time Digression in Narration
– Page-level Storytelling: Four Ways to Break Down Your Narration
– The True Source of Voice
– The Problem with Show, Don’t Tell: Hyperdetailing
– Psychic Distance: Narrative Distance from Character
– 5 Ways to Express Emotion
– How to Write Realizations, Epiphanies, and Moments of Clarity
– To Filter or Not to Filter
Want to gain some perspective on the writing life?
– Story Grammar: Distinguish between Descriptive and Prescriptive Story Advice
– Story Consumption: How to Read like a Writer
– Approaching the Workshop
– Dealing with Rejection and Criticism
– Revision for Haters
– Finding Readers to Help You
– The Case for Pantsing
Want to bone up on storytelling essentials?
– Two Conflicts: Problems vs. Obstacles
– Author, Narrator, Character
– Why You Need Strong Antagonists in Your Story
– Common Problems in Manuscripts
– The Key to Reader Engagement
– The True Source of Strong Voice
– 3 Techniques for Creating Tension
– 4 Common Failures in Story Cause/Effect
– The 5 Key Elements of Story Course (free)
– Scene vs. Summary
– 12 Ways to Be an Invisible Writer
– Character Arcs
– Beats within Scenes
– Urgent Story Questions
– Conflict ≠ Tension
– Using Objects to Create More Powerful Stories
– How to Write Compelling Action
– Theme is Not Optional
– Earning Story Events
– Irony Is Central to Storytelling
– Turning Points within Scenes
– The Two Essentials of Compelling Dialogue
If you’re new here, check out the About page and read the Mission, which, in a nutshell, is to help storytelling artists learn craft and hone their instincts to become the best storytellers they can be.
And if you want to discuss writing craft, come join the fledgling community, known as The Woods, where like-minded writers share their wisdom and experience with process and craft.
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