Tag: drives your characters
Creating A Motion Map Of Your Story
Great writing is all about great motion and change — and every bit of motion needs a motivation. You can track these cycles by creating a motion map.
Develop Your Story By Listening To Your Cast
You can listen to your cast of characters at any stage in the writing process, but it might be especially useful near the end when most of the story is fleshed out. It can be a good check of your story logic and add a last ingenious layer of polish.
Story Fundamentals Make A Story Great
Understanding your story fundamentals is key to great storytelling. How well you know your story fundamentals will be evident in every word on every page.
Creating Three-dimensional Villains: Lessons From Buffy and Firefly
When writing your next villain, give him or her as detailed a backstory as your protagonist. TV's Buffy and Firefly provide some great examples of well-developed, three-dimensional villains to use as inspiration.
Writing Great Dialogue: Create Power Moments Rich In Subtext
Power moments in your story set up life-changing events and propel your story forward. Writing great dialogue often depends on the subtext you create in setting up these moments.
Storytelling Tip: Engineer Your “Hook” Map
A "hook" is a passage or bit of information that changes the stakes, pulls the reader along, and builds the trajectory of your narrative. Constructing a hook map can help ensure yours are serving your story.
Avoid The Cliché “Strong Female Character”
Readers love a strong female character. Just remember you can be vulnerable, unreliable, uncertain, or even physically weak and still be a strong character.
