Let’s talk about what suspense is. Sure, yes, we know what it is in a “I know it when I feel it” kind of way, but if we want our stories to ...

Try-fail cycles are the key to writing engaging prose because they structure conflict in such a way that it creates suspense. Try-Fail Cycle...

Just as characters have internal and external goals so there are internal and external stakes. Inner Stakes versus Outer Stakes As I’ve ment...

This is Part Three of a mini-series. This part can be read on its own, but if you would like to read the first two parts they are here:   Go...

[ This is Part Two of a mini-series on good storytelling. This part can be read on its own, but if you would like to read Part One it is her...

First, a caveat. In the following I say things about ‘all X,’ for example, ‘all main characters,’ but of course statements like that are gen...

My Dad was an amazing storyteller. Because of him, I’ve spent a lifetime thinking about stories, thinking about whether there’s something th...

In my last post I talked about The Call to Adventure .  Today I want to talk about a very important part of any story: the hero’s descent in...

How to Develop Your Writer’s Voice How would you go about developing your distinct voice?  And what is voice, exactly?[1] Obviously t...