Tag stories

Story Writing Checklist

Is there something wrong in the third act? Then it is wrong in the first act. Are you writing because you have something to say, or...

Handling Critique

People’s critiques will be very subjective and very related to themselves. They may hate a character because it reminds them of someone...

Show Them Once So They Know

In Jurassic Park, a character diverts a dinosaur’s attention by throwing a flare away from him. The dinosaur chases the flare while they...

Superior Position

Superior position is when the audience knows something the characters do not. It is a useful tool for suspense, but can serve other...

Dialogue

With dialogue, it is important to set up the subtext. If you have established that two people hate each other, and then you have them in...

Subplots or Supporting Plots?

Do not use subplots to make the world more complex. Use them only to support the main plot. You are a slave to the story. You do not...

God From the Machine

Deus Ex Machina is horrible. Do not use it to solve problems. However, feel free to use it to create problems. No one minds it, and it...

Climax

The climax should bring masculine and feminine elements together. It shows how a character changed (or didn’t).

Genre

Genre is visible (e.g. western, horror, etc). Do not think in terms of genre. Focus on the story, and then choose an appropriate genre....

Show, Don’t Tell: Teaching vs Preaching

A storyteller teaches, not preaches. If you talk about what you want to say, you are preaching. If you show, you are teaching. The...

The Masculine and the Feminine

Consider this quote: “The King died and then the Queen died” is a story. “The King died and then the Queen died of grief” is a plot. -...

Tell the Truth

Truth is not about the facts. In a horror movie, a girl going down a scary basement is not the truth. Real scared women will not do...

Character Development

Ritual Pain Think of rites of passage. In many cultures, one has to undergo severe pain to become a man (not for women). Gang...

The Use of Clones

A clone in a story is a tool for showing, not telling. They are characters that represent what could, should, or might happen to the...

The Armature

People tell stories to teach something. It is likely the origin of stories - a way to teach something beyond simply using boring facts....

The Recipe for All Narratives

Less is more. Don’t go for a complex plot. Simplicity rules. There are seven steps in all narratives: Once upon a time And every day...