Story Physics: Reaction Beats
Newton’s third law says every action will have an equal but opposite reaction. This is true in stories, too … or at least it should be. How do we get to know characters, even as they flit from one conflict-ridden chase scene to the next? Through reaction beats.
How True Does My Memoir Have To Be?
Many aspiring memoirists wonder: how true does my memoir have to be? It can be daunting to think about the holes in our memory, the times we disagree with others about what really happened, or the way time has altered our perception. No one wants to become the latest scandal for lying in a memoir!
Premise Vs Plot
The concept of premise vs. plot is a common stumbling block for many writers. They’ll think they have a killer idea for a manuscript lined up, but when they sit down to write, the energy fizzles out partway through. Why isn’t a great idea enough?
Help! I’m Stuck in the Muddy Middle!
Most times we can see where our story begins and where it ends, but it’s the muddy middle where we get stuck and face writer’s block. Here are some tips to get you out of the sludge and moving again.
The Importance of a Nuanced Character Arc
Few of us change overnight. We might wake up one morning and realize we’ve changed, but when we look back we can see it was the result of a million little things, day after day, that brought us to our current state. How do we build a character arc like this—showing gradual, compelling, believable change?
Novel Openings
Go beyond the landscape when setting the scene with these three essential considerations for starting your novel.
Trust Your Reader
Among popular bits of advice—create empathetic characters, avoid rhetorical questions, try starting with an outline—“trust your reader” is often overlooked. Here’s how to trust your reader to understand what you’re trying to show.