Episode 379: Killing a Major Character
To kill or not to kill?
Storytelling: Page 5
Using Your Story’s Premise to Create Novelty
A big-picture strategy for setting your story apart.
Q&A: How Do I Keep Clever Quips From Hurting the Story?
Submitted by Nobody,
answered
Q&A: Should My Mystery Start With the Murder?
Submitted by Adam,
answered
Episode 376: Character Strengths
What if a character was just nice and dependable?
Seven External Plots for Relationship-Centered Stories
Add excitement without sacrificing what's important.
Episode 375: The Story’s Middle
How much of a story is middle, anyway?
The Best Characters Eat Their Spinach — and Their Candy
This silly-sounding spectrum has a huge impact on how we respond to characters.
Q&A: Does My Protagonist Have to Solve the Problem?
Submitted by Evan,
answered
Episode 374: Travel Stories
Is it the journey or the destination that matters?
Q&A: Can I Have Multiple Antagonists Without Fragmenting the Story?
Submitted by Cathryn,
answered
Episode 372: Foreshadowing
Could you have predicted this podcast topic?
Episode 371: Character Arcs
Have you heard the Klingon proverb that revenge is a dish best served cold?
Six Types of Downward Turning Points
Downward turning points make failure feel satisfying.
Q&A: How Do I Write a Character That’s Smart but Lacks Common Sense?
Submitted by Atlas,
answered
Q&A: How Can My Angry Character Be Likable?
Submitted by Murphie,
answered
How to Create an Unhappy Ending
In a truly tragic story, the hero fails because they made the wrong choice.
Q&A: Why Are Disingenuous Reveals So Common?
Submitted by Kel,
answered
How to Write Three Types of Friendship Arcs
A great friendship can add meaning and emotional depth to your story.
Episode 367: Raising the Stakes
The story is tense, but could it be... *more* tense?
Xyder