Stick the Landing: How to End a Horror Story
By Peter Derk
Endings are the make or break of horror stories. Stop blowing it.
Storyville: How to Write a Massive, Multi-Pronged Hook
If you think the only hook to your story or novel is the first line, then boy do I have some news for you.
Storyville: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Scene Breaks
Some tips on inserting scene breaks into your short stories.
The Obsolescence of The Hero's Journey
By Gabriel Hart
Those who prescribe to a set system might be condemned to repeat mediocrity.
The Sound of Absence: Utilizing White Space in Poetry
This essay explores how white space can be used in poetry as a literary device that thrives on the power of absence.
Storyville: Body, Mind, and Soul—Adding Depth to Your Stories
Using the concept of body, mind, and soul, you can create a deeper experience with your stories.
Storyville: How Long Should Your Story Be?
Is there enough meat on the bone to support your word count? It depends on a number of variables.
Meandering, Wrecked, and Random: My First True Understanding of Narrative Structure
Davidson finds her debut novel, "Sybelia Drive", over the course of 20 years of wandering.
Storyville: Why Denouement is So Important to a Satisfying Story
Advice on how to make your denouement really shine.
Storyville: Advanced Storytelling Techniques
Tips for how to execute some advanced storytelling techniques.
Two Truths and One Lie: How to Use Real Experience to Write a Story
Formulating a three-act structure by recycling traumatic memories.
Dirty Little Secrets, Part Three: Why the Agent Requested—and Then Rejected—the Full
Good news: The agent requested the full! Bad news: The agent said, “Thanks but no thanks.”
Narrative Detour: Rediscover Your Novel
By BH Shepherd
A fun exercise to help you push forward when writing your novel becomes a slog.
Clarity vs. Experimentation: A Letter To Myself
By Peter Derk
Does your work have a worthwhile story underneath the experiment? In other words, are you going to pay off the work a reader does to understand what’s going on?
Analyzing the Three-Act Structure in Tolkien's 'Fellowship of the Ring'
To celebrate the publication of The Fellowship of the Ring on July 29, 1954, we’re looking at how Tolkien used an enduring story structure to create an enduring trilogy.
Hurdles and a Pyramid: Plotting Your Short Story
By Joshua Isard
Make Freytag's Pyramid work for you, not the other way around.
5 Reasons Why You Should Write a Screenplay
Writers of prose would do well to follow the methods of screenwriters to help immerse readers in their story.
Storyville: Horror Story vs. Horror Novel
How do you know if your horror project is a story, novella, or novel? Some quick tips.
Brace Yourselves: A Breakdown of the Game of Thrones Pilot, "Winter is Coming"
The Game of Thrones pilot, "Winter is Coming," packs a sprawling, fantasy epic into a tight sixty-one minutes featuring distinct and interesting settings and characters.
Storyville: Are You Unique or Just Difficult with Your Fiction?
Make sure you're not being difficult and vague when trying to write unique stories. Here are some tips.
Seeing the Page Like A Quarterback Sees the Field
Using football metaphors, I compare how being a successful QB is similar to being a good writer.
What Works & What Doesn't: 'Badlands'
How effective is the first act of Terrence Malick's debut feature on the page?
Finding Poetry In Computer Code
Is there a linguistic elegance to code? Is it only ever for issuing commands, or can it be for the enjoyment of the programmer?
Making A Murderer: How Good Storytelling Made It So Damn Compelling
By Peter Derk
In:
Character, documentary, Legal, Making A Murderer, Netflix, Plot, Steve Avery, Structure, Television, True Crime
'Making A Murderer' was a fascinating story, but good storytelling made it truly excellent.
