Does your story’s plot feel flat, as if there’s not enough build-up to the final, fateful act? The story probably lacks big scenes. A big scene occurs when the story’s drama – which occurs because it is central to the theme – is powerful. Because of this, a big scene is more than just flashContinue reading “Add ‘Big Scenes’ to Give Story Some Oomph”
Category Archives: Plot
How to Construct a Scene in a Story
All stories are constructed of smaller parts, known as scenes, in which the main character attempts to resolve a primary, central problem. This overarching problem is what set the story in motion, and the main character’s resolution of it essentially marks the tale’s end. In each scene, the main character must address a different aspectContinue reading “How to Construct a Scene in a Story”
How to Construct Your Story
Avoid Writing Gimmick Stories
Sometimes what seems at the outset like a great story idea really isn’t. Such is the case with the gimmick story. This is a story in which character development takes a back seat to a big reveal or a shocking twist at the tale’s end. A good example would be in science fiction, when the evilContinue reading “Avoid Writing Gimmick Stories”
What the Term ‘In Medias Res’ Means
Q: While reading one of the self-published books about plotting a novel, I came across the term “in medias res” in the section on the book’s opening lines. What does this term mean? The term is Latin for “in the middle,” and many editors and book critics would say that novels should dispense with the story’sContinue reading “What the Term ‘In Medias Res’ Means”
6 Tips for Creating a Great Opening Page
In a world where your book must compete with millions of other titles – never mind streaming services, social media, video games and a hundred other distractions – you can’t afford to lose a reader on the first page of your story. Here are some great tips to ensure your reader engages with your storyContinue reading “6 Tips for Creating a Great Opening Page”
6 Secrets to Creating and Sustaining Suspense
How can you create and maintain suspense in your fiction story? Here are six great tips: • How to create suspense in your story • Use reversals to increase suspense in story • Give readers sleepless nights with narrative drive • Maintain sense of tension through pace • Make story interesting by establishing stakes • Maintain tone by avoiding subjective tension Continue reading “6 Secrets to Creating and Sustaining Suspense”
Don’t Fully Commit Protagonist in Opening Scene
Typically when a story starts, there is an out-of-whack event, an upsetting of the status quo that the main character must deal with. How the main character addresses this event forms the bulk of the story’s plot. Sometimes, though, the main character is reluctant to act. That is, he is not fully committed to resolving theContinue reading “Don’t Fully Commit Protagonist in Opening Scene”
Pit Story’s Hero Against Society to Create Conflict
Rather than take on another individual, the main character could find himself in conflict with an entire society. When the main character or small group of characters take on the greater culture – who usually are represented by a group of authority figures or “upstanding” citizens – the author is using a man vs. society conflict.Continue reading “Pit Story’s Hero Against Society to Create Conflict”