Characters
A Character’s Want Gives a Scene Its Pull
A character’s immediate want gives a scene its pull. Learn to make a small obstacle reveal desire, sharpen action and…
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Explore articles about character, scenes, structure, voice and revision. Each piece takes one story-making choice and looks closely at what it can do.
Scenes
Dialogue or Silence: What a Scene Needs
Dialogue or silence can sharpen a scene’s tension. Learn to choose the exchange or pause that changes what a character…
Structure
The Letter Before the Novel: Stories in Pieces
Epistolary storytelling uses letters and records to reveal a boarding-house mystery in sequence, helping you shape…
Revision
The Clue That Explains Too Much
Revise overexplained clues in fiction by separating observable details from character reactions, so scenes stay clear…
Voice
A Five-Sense Walk for Building a Setting
A five-sense walk for building a setting helps you gather precise details and choose the few that make a fictional…