Helping Writers Become Authors

The Hero Arc is the story of the conquering champion--the ingenuous but perhaps immodest youth setting out to do a great deed.

As the "youngest" of the archetypal character arcs, the Maiden Arc represents the quintessential coming-of-age story.

For a writer, one of the most exciting explorations of archetype can be found within specific archetypal character arcs--or journeys.

Why are archetypal stories so important and what does this mean for you as a writer attempting to channel these deep patterns of existence?

It is not too simplistic or idealistic a statement to say that storytelling--and therefore story theory--is a quest for meaning.

Pairing the Karpman Drama Triangle and the Empowerment Triangle offers a fantastic tool for creating solid character arcs.

Seven writing lessons to inspire, ground, and encourage you in moving forward into the wide new frontier of 2021.

Every writer knows about daydreaming. But what about dreamzoning? How can it help you cultivate inspiration for your storytelling?

The problem of overthinking your writing is really part of the larger challenge of learning how to live a truly creative lifestyle.

Scene sequences bring together a series of individual scenes into a distinct narrative section, united by focus, location, and/or theme.

Growing as a writer is not merely about mastering a skill, but also, and more pertinently, about our growth as human beings.

An overview of chiastic story structure itself, along with four tips to employ this technique over the longer work of an entire series.

How can you keep your pacing tight and the story interesting over the long haul of the Second Act? The simplest answer: Mind the Midpoint.

Learn to identify and leverage several important story structure similarities between your story's Pinch Points.

Deepen your understanding of story structure by examining the parallel functions of the First Plot Point and the Third Plot Point.

You can think of the link between your story's Hook and Resolution in four different ways. Ask these questions to help in brainstorming.

Structurally speaking, the Inciting Event initiates the story's conflict, while the Climactic Moment fully resolves it.

Once you've decided in favor of the indie route, what are the actual steps to self-publish your book? Use this actionable list.

Your antagonist's motivations can make or break your story. If they are weak, unconvincing, or complicated, your story suffers in key areas.

Once you understand why you are afraid to let anyone read your writing, you can come up with a successful plan to mitigate the fears.

Your story instincts and your ability to tap into them clearly will define how much "talent" you may have as a writer.

Learning how to write sequel scenes is a specialized technique that will allow you to grip readers' attention on every page.

Want to help writers during the pandemic? Here are five ideas--along with giveaways to help you get started in bolstering the writing community.

The more lightly we grab hold of certain misconceptions about being a writer, the more easily we can discard them when they're no longer of use to us.

Whether you're outlining or editing, here are four questions you can ask to help identify, rectify, or prevent plot holes.