Plotting Your Novel: Three-Act, Four-Act, and Every Other Story Structure That Works (and Why You Need One)
(In Which We Discover That Story Structure Is Your Friend, Not Your Dictator) There’s a moment in every writer’...
Derek MurphyAuthor of 38 Articles
studies the art and craft of writing to inspire joy.
How to Start Your Story: The Ordinary World, the Hook, and the Art of Making Readers Care
You’ve got about three seconds—maybe a sentence or two—to convince a reader not to toss your book...
The Inciting Incident: How to Create an Unforgettable Call to Adventure
A character’s life is rolling along—maybe not perfectly, maybe not happily, but predictably—until suddenly, everything changes. The...
Storytelling Is a Science (And Here’s How to Hack It)
I used to think storytelling was pure magic—some ethereal force that separates the Tolkiens of the world from the...
From Raw to "Rawr": Storytelling Basics to Turn Rough Drafts into Riveting Reads
Stories are magic. Not the fluffy, Hallmark-card variety where everything is bright and lovely, but the kind that drags you...
From Flat to Fascinating: How to Craft Dynamic Characters Readers Can't Forget
While a gripping plot entertains, it’s the well-drawn characters that capture our hearts and linger long after the final...