A “Story Engineering” Success Story: One Writer’s Journey Into Craft

An Interview with James Williams A guest post by Jennifer Blanchard I’ve been writing fiction since I was a kid. Now, I’m a writing coach by day and a writer by night (and sometimes also a writer by day and a writing coach by night). But I never had anyone else in my family with […]

How to Write a Story: The Creative Process… One Writer’s Take

A guest post by Mike Robinson One small illusion has sold many books, seminars, writer’s retreats, and workshops: the illusion that the process of writing a book is like reading a book. (“If only I were good enough …” or “As soon as I buy one more thing …”) We innocently assume that fiction isn’t […]

Saturday Morning Version of “The Hero’s Journey”

Two words: hand sock.  You’ll see. Really, we need to take storytelling more seriously than this… which in an ironic twist means, this IS serious.  Even when it’s hilariously rendered. It’s also potentially confusing as hell.  Which is why I write about it using what I believe to be more accessible, clearer terminology and modeling. […]

“Side Effects” (deconstruction #3): The Story Milestones… and Beat Sheet

I’ve complied the entire story into what, in the movie biz, is called a “scene log,” but for other/all writers, it’s actually something else, something we can all use. It’s a BEAT SHEET.  In fact, this scene log from “Side Effects” could double for — and therefore become a model for — a beat sheet, […]

A Wannabe Writer or a Wannabe World Traveler?

A Guest Post by Nann Dunne For just a few minutes, instead of thinking of yourself as a wannabe writer, think of yourself as a wannabe world traveler. You’re standing in your hometown, smack-dab in the middle of Kansas City, Missouri, with a map in hand. You must decide which way to go to achieve […]

Hunger Games 2) — The Beat Sheet

Many readers contacted me requesting the Beat Sheet be distributed up front, to be used as reference and context as the deconstruction moves forward.  (The link is to explain the form and function of a “beat sheet” as a story development and analysis tool.) Done.  You will find it — the full Hunger Games Beat […]

Your Story: It’s All in the Mix

You may be aware of my penchant for analogies.  A tool that paints a clear picture of the complexities and choices and skillsets involved in writing a great story.  I did a workshop this weekend and managed to cram about eight of them into a single 50-minute lecture. Only one person fled the room. I […]

Guest Post: Dave Monroe on… Story Coaching

A short, self-conscious intro from Larry: Here’s my morning: my wife and I go for a power walk.  I’m a little quiet, she asks why.  I tell her I’m mulling today’s NaNoWriMo post, and one other thing.  She asks what.  I tell her that one of my favorite Storyfix guys submitted a guest post, at […]

A Guest Post About the Discovery of Story Structure, and The Matrix

We take this quick timeout from our series on “The Help” to offer the stage to Shane Arthur, who runs a cool website called “Writing Prompts,” with a very engaging exercise called the Creative Copy Challenge.”  You may want in on this: he invites people to offer ten random, interesting words, then readers respond with […]

The 102nd Killer Writing Tip

Wherein we address the question: “Why, when I have a hot idea and a killer concept, an astoundingly compelling hero, a powerful theme and I just happen to write like the love child of Hemingway and Margaret Mitchell… why, with all those wonderful things in place, can’t I sell my story?” This might be why. […]