Since we have discussed Narrative Arcs, I thought it might be good to go over story structures as well. Story structure merely refers to how you view your story. There is no right or wrong structure as most cover the same concepts. It’s more about finding one that fits your Read more…
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, that’s your choice. However, since every story teaches something, you 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 arcs are all about tracking change on a positive to 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 argument on how life should be lived. Many writers talk 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’ thoughts and feelings. Books invite readers into someone else’s mind 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 to bring it all together into one story. As I 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 science fiction stories, advanced technology is a source of power. 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 the story exciting, and creating the culture before you write 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 of the things I’m going to talk about, but you 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 maybe you want to tell a certain person’s story, or Read more…