Presenting the Premise

Presenting the Premise

A series of things happening doesn’t make a story. Without a clear premise, readers have no idea what to expect from the story or why they should keep reading. Here's how to establish your premise from the start.

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How to Create Characters

How to Create Characters

So often, story ideas begin with characters. Writers have a picture in their mind of a character they’ve never met, and from there a new story is born. How do we create characters that resonate with readers, though? What needs to go into the mix?

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Writing Quotes To Motivate and Inspire
Writing Under a Pseudonym
Marketing Your Book With Emily Enger
40 GOOD IDEAS FOR BOOKS to Get You Inspired

40 GOOD IDEAS FOR BOOKS to Get You Inspired

Uncap those pens, pop open those PCs, and crack your knuckles. It’s time to dive into good ideas for books, and how to brainstorm. Good Story Company is here to help you stay inspired with our quirky list of good ideas for books.

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Moralizing in Books
Who Is My Target Audience?

Who Is My Target Audience?

Thinking about a “target audience” can sound cold and impersonal, especially for writers who are pouring their hearts into a manuscript. After all, it’s not like we’re lining readers up, eyeing the red circles painted on their torsos, and lobbing our books at them. Or are we?

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The Core of a Story with Roz Morris

The Core of a Story with Roz Morris

Writer, writing teacher, ghost writer, and general literary icon Roz Morris joins Mary Kole for an interview on the Good Story Speaker Series. They dive into the mechanics of storytelling and discuss how to connect with your audience—whether you're writing someone else's story or your telling your own.

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Brighten Even The Foggiest Story Idea

Brighten Even The Foggiest Story Idea

Story ideas don’t always come easily, but sometimes we get glimmers that turn into a list of foggy ideas. How do we decide which new idea to run with? And how do we take steps to make it shine?

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Craft a Killer Fantasy Premise Using Good Versus Evil

Craft a Killer Fantasy Premise Using Good Versus Evil

A fantasy premise that doesn’t engage on any themes of good versus evil can feel empty, but when those lines are too stark, it can feel a bit thin. So how do you find the balance?

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Unconventional Writing
Someone is Publishing My Idea!?

Someone is Publishing My Idea!?

We've all heard people who claim that somebody took their idea and is now publishing it, or that somewhere somehow, another writer has come up with basically the same idea, sold it, and now, what does that mean for your idea?

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Permission To Write

Permission To Write

Writing invariably is a passion for a lot of people that I work with. And they just, for whatever reason, have not been able to sort of devote themselves to it until now. And that's usually when they come to me and I plug into their process.

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The Body and Soul of Story

The Body and Soul of Story

Stories are like people. They have a body, and a soul. The body is the plot, the actions that happen. And the soul is the character, the protagonist, the key person (or persons) bound by the circumstances of the plot and forced into decisions.

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