First up let’s give the shortest version of the answer possible: foreshadowing is when you introduce a story element early in your story, before it plays a large and pivotal role later in your story. This stops the audience feeling like they have been cheated by the author when something that is ‘too convenient’ or … Read more
Them’s fightin words, right? Here’s a hot take for you. Chekhov was wrong about this one. Everything people say about the ‘Chekhov’s gun’ rule is worthless. A much better maxim is that ‘everything in story should reveal character or advance the plot.’ Chekhov forgot about the ‘reveal character’ bit when he wrote his comments about … Read more
If you are a writer of narratives (novelist, short story writer, playwright, screenplay writer) you’ve probably heard of Aristotle, and are curious about how Aristotle’s theories can help contemporary writers like you! In his work titled Poetics, Aristotle focuses mainly on tragedy, but we can interpret that a little more broadly today that he intended … Read more
There are lots of literary journals or magazines out there that publish short stories and poems, and it’s great to know which ones are generally regarded as the best. Lots of authors try to submit their work to the ‘best’ journals first, to prevent the scenario where you accept publication in a lower tier journal … Read more
Always list what is most important first, and consider creating several CVs to cater to the priorities of different people and professions! Hi there. Writers have to have a CV, right? There’s so much cold contacting (when you reach out to someone on your own that you haven’t met), that you might end up sending … Read more
Want to make sure you are setting your book out correctly, and understand what is traditionally included in each section? Keep reading to find out! Title Page This is simply where you set out the title, the author, and the publisher in most cases. Copyright This page will contain legal information, and information for readers … Read more
So you know the basics of screenwriting, but you’re still staring at that blank page? Or you simply don’t like your own writing yet? Or you’re just ready to take your scripts to the next level! I thought now I would write about the best advice I’ve ever received for screenwriting, and the techniques and … Read more
So you’ve heard about the Hero’s Journey, but it’s kind of complicated right? This article will introduce you to the basics, with plenty of examples, and walk you through an introduction to Joseph Campbell and Christoper Vogler’s work! One title I’ll address is ‘The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers” by Christopher Vogler. The title … Read more
So you’re writing a play, novel, or screenplay (or anything with a narrative including nature documentaries … perhaps even academic essays) and you want to include a great central question. This article will explain what a central question is, and how to craft a gripping one! Establish your Super Objective First of all you need … Read more
So you’re writing a novel, play, or screenplay, and you want to give your character a compelling central objective, or intention? This article will walk through some of the key things to consider. The Backbone of your Story The central objective, or central intention of your protagonist is the backbone of your story. It’s the … Read more