Some people balk at the idea of putting themes into their stories, but every story is imparting some lesson. All protagonists learn something and change. If you don’t want to pick your theme and prefer it emerge on its own, Read more
Narrative arcs, also called story arcs, are how we chart change throughout a tale. They are not to be confused with story structure or plot, which are two very different aspects of story, but all three are interwoven together. Narrative Read more
A character arc refers to the internal growth of a character due to the plot. It’s how a character’s worldview changes as she endures struggles and overcomes obstacles. These arcs often revolve around the book’s theme, and they portray an Read more
In a fast-paced world full of instant gratification where “being busy” is the new norm, books should be a dying hobby. Why read the book when someone made it a two-hour movie? The answer is simple: interiority, access to characters’ Read more
The last three weeks I have gone over the three major areas of worldbuilding: physical, culture, and power. For my last post in this series, I want to introduce you to a tool that makes it less daunting and easier Read more
This week in my worldbuilding series I want to focus on developing power systems. Every society runs on power, and there are numerous ways to gain it. Money, popularity, or even a certain job title can get you power. In Read more
This week we are going to discuss worldbuilding cultures. This is the biggest part of worldbuilding in my opinion. Everything that happens in the world stems from the people’s culture. It’s the how and why they do things that makes Read more
Today’s post is the start of a four-part series on worldbuilding for science fiction and fantasy books. If you write in a different genre, you may still find this information helpful in your brainstorming. You won’t have to invent all Read more
You have a shiny new idea for a book, but how do you make that idea into a story? Most people start with whatever excites them most. If you like worldbuilding, then you may start with a setting idea. Or Read more
When people talk about putting conflict in a story, they often discuss how to create it or intensify it. Hardly anyone addresses how to resolve it. I think most people just assume there is one option: the character overcomes it. Read more