Amazing Secrets of Character-Driven Plots (And How to Craft Them)

When we read a well-crafted story, it can sometimes seem as though the perfect plot fell from the sky and the author simply plucked it out of thin air. 

They make it look so easy, we mutter. Why can’t I get that kind of inspiration?

But in reality, juicy and engaging plots don’t just “happen”—they’re the result of intentional craft. By pulling apart the stories we love, we can see how all the moving parts fit together to make the machine run as intended.

And the good news is, we don’t have to depend on inspiration to deliver us a juicy plot—we can create it ourselves.

Continue reading Amazing Secrets of Character-Driven Plots (And How to Craft Them)

Beyond Plotter/Pantser: How to Level-Up Your Writing Practice

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

This question comes up a quite a bit in the online writing community, drawing a distinction between the writers who painstakingly map out their plot before writing (the “plotter”) and those who write “by the seat of their pants” and dive into writing without planning (the “pantser”).

At first glance, this distinction seems useful. And in many ways, it is.

But there is a lot more to this question than people realize—and a huge missed opportunity in the way it’s currently being asked!

Continue reading Beyond Plotter/Pantser: How to Level-Up Your Writing Practice