Craft Articles
Twelve years of craft writing
Everything Shawn, Tim and the Story Grid editors have published on how stories work, and how to fix the ones that do not.
Showing 50 of 331
- How Creative Writing Constraints Unlock Better StoriesEver stared at a blank page, unsure where to start your story? You’re not alone. The possibilities feel endless—and that can be the problem.
- Beginning Hook Examples That Make Readers Keep Turning PagesThink about the last book you just had to finish—the one that kept you reading way past your bedtime.
- Worldbuilding for Writers: How to Create Story Worlds That Serve Your NarrativeWhen you hear the word "worldbuilding," what comes to mind? Maybe it's sprawling fantasy realms with elaborate magic systems, sci-fi universes with complex technologies, or dystopian futures
- What Is a Protagonist? The Secret to Creating Stories Readers Can’t Put DownHave you ever cracked open a book and found yourself hooked from the very first page? Chances are, it wasn’t just the plot twists or the pretty prose—it was the protagonist pulling you in.
- How to Query Agents: A No-Nonsense Guide for First-Time AuthorsQuerying literary agents can feel like stepping into the unknown. But if you don't understand how to query agents the right way, you risk walking straight into a brick wall—and never even re
- Creating Conflict in Stories: How Antagonism Transforms Your NarrativeEver wonder why some stories keep you turning pages late into the night, while others leave you flat despite beautiful prose and intriguing characters? The answer often comes down to one cru
- Why Readers Abandon Books (And How to Make Sure They Don’t)We’ve all been there. You pick up a book you were excited about, start reading, and somewhere along the way… you just stop. Maybe you close it gently with a sigh. Maybe you toss it across th
- How to Master Description in Fiction WritingEvery time you pause your story to describe something, you're making a risky bet: will the reader care enough to stick with you?
- How to Connect with Readers: The Power of the Single Audience MemberHave you ever felt like you're writing for everyone and no one at the same time? Writers are often told to "know your audience," but that usually leads to thinking in broad terms—age groups,
- Writing Character Choices That Feel Real and MeaningfulEver written a scene where your protagonist faces a big decision, but it feels... underwhelming? Maybe the choice seems obvious—one option is clearly good, and the other is clearly bad. Read
- Story Non-Negotiable: The Key to Writing Stories That ResonateHave you ever read a book that stayed with you long after you turned the last page? A story that didn’t just entertain but fundamentally changed the way you see the world?
- The Ultimate Character Development Guide: Step-by-Step ProcessMany writers struggle with character development, often creating too many characters or too few, which causes their stories to fall flat. This Character Development Guide will provide a stru
- Writing Strong Character Conflict: The Key to Page-Turning FictionHave you ever noticed how some characters leap off the page while others feel like lifeless puppets, moved around just to serve the plot? The secret to writing compelling characters isn’t ju
- Protagonist and Antagonist: Writing Examples and How-ToWant to write characters that keep readers up at night? Characters they can't stop thinking about long after they finish your story? The relationship between your Protagonist and Antagonist
- Show vs. Tell: The Definitive Guide for WritersOne of the most fundamental skills a writer must master is the ability to show vs tell . Yet, this concept is often misunderstood or applied inconsistently. Writers either lean too heavily o
- Character Descriptions: 50+ Examples and Techniques for WritersOne of the most powerful tools in a writer’s arsenal is the ability to create vivid, memorable characters through description. Whether it’s the first impression of a character walking into a
- ✅ Your Appointment is Booked!Success! You're all booked in! The link to our 20 minute session should be in your emails in a just few minutes. In the mean time, here's some writers who were in the exact same position as
- ✅ Your Appointment is Booked!
- Non-Negotiable: The One Thing That Makes Stories TimelessHave you ever wondered what books like Lord of the Rings , Pride and Prejudice , Animal Farm , Harry Potter , The Hunger Games , Dune , and Murder on the Orient Express have in common? Why d
- Passive Voice: A Comprehensive Guide to Avoiding Misuses in Your WritingThe passive voice is a grammatical construction that can be challenging for writers. It is often regarded as a less desirable way to construct sentences due to its potential to make your wri
- The Unreliable Narrator: A Comprehensive Guide for WritersThe unreliable narrator is a powerful and widely used narrative technique that can add depth, intrigue, and complexity to your story. In this article, we will explore the concept of the unre
- How Many Words in a Novel: A Comparison of Word Count to Page Count in NovelsAs a writer, understanding word count is crucial to planning and executing your novel. Whether you're a first-time author or a seasoned pro, knowing how many words are in a novel will help y
- Dialogue Tags: 12 Categories and 102 Examples for WritersThe art of writing is more than just stringing words together. It's about breathing life into characters, giving them unique voices, and setting the tone of a scene within your story. As a w
- Collaboration Over Community: Story Grid’s Approach to Learning with Other WritersAt Story Grid, we have constantly evolved our training programs , making them increasingly engaging and interactive. We understand that writing, by nature, can be a solitary journey and lear
- Books like Indiana Jones: What to Read NextAre you a fan of the Indiana Jones movies? Do you love action-packed adventures, exotic locations, and historical or archaeological themes? If so, you might be interested in reading some boo
- Books like Lord of the Rings: What to Read NextLord of the Rings is a classic fantasy epic that has captivated readers for decades. If you're a fan of J.R.R. Tolkien's masterpiece, you might be wondering where to turn for your next epic
- First Person Point of View: Definition and ExamplesThe first person point of view is a powerful writing style that allows authors to tell their stories through the eyes of a character. With a strong narrative voice, first person storytelling
- Third Person Point of View: Omniscient, Limited, or Objective with ExamplesIn the realm of storytelling, the third person point of view holds a unique and powerful position. Widely used across different genres and styles of writing, it lets authors create captivati
- Writing a Sequence: Definitions and ExampleDedicated storytellers want to know how to show incremental change over time in their stories. They often know how their story begins and ends, but they aren’t sure how to break that big arc
- How to Edit a Manuscript: Part 5 - Story Grid ExtensiveWe have made it to the fifth and final part of the How to Edit a Manuscript series! (Here's Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3 , and Part 4 .)
- How to Edit a Manuscript: Part 4 - Story Grid Intensive
- How to Edit a Manuscript: Part 3 - Story Grid Diagnostic
- Mentor Archetype: Definition, 10 Examples and How to WriteThe mentor archetype is a crucial element of storytelling. In literature and film, the mentor is the wise, experienced character who guides and trains the protagonist, providing them with va
- Allies Archetype: Definition, 9 Examples, and How to WriteIn storytelling, the protagonist is rarely alone in their journey. They are accompanied by allies who support, guide, and help them along the way. These allies can be essential to the story,
- Hero Archetype: Definition, 10 Examples and How to WriteThe hero archetype has been a fundamental element in storytelling since the beginning of time. From ancient myths to modern-day superhero stories, the hero archetype has evolved but continue
- Villain Archetype: Definition and 10 Examples of an AntagonistEvery great story needs a compelling antagonist to challenge the protagonist and drive the plot forward. Villains are the ultimate obstacle in the heroic journey, often providing the conflic
- How to Edit a Manuscript: Part 2 - Grading the Competency LevelIn Part 1 of the How to Edit a Manuscript series , we introduced you to the way Story Grid approaches editing a manuscript and gave you the first three steps in the editing process (1: Read
- Herald Archetype: Definition, 10 Examples and How to WriteAs a writer, it is essential to have a deep understanding of the different archetypes that can be used in stories to make them more captivating and relatable to the readers. One of the most
- Shapeshifter Archetype: Definition, 10 Examples and How-to WriteAs a writer, understanding different character archetypes can help you create compelling and relatable characters that resonate with your readers. One such archetype is the shapeshifter, a c
- The Threshold Guardian Archetype: Definition and 7 ExamplesThe threshold guardian archetype is a common character type in storytelling, representing the obstacles that a protagonist must overcome in order to achieve their goals. These AVATARS often
- Trickster Archetype: Definition, 10 Examples, and How-to WriteThe trickster archetype is a character type in storytelling that is often associated with disruption, mischief, and humor. Tricksters are known for their cunning, wit, and unpredictability,
- How to Edit a Manuscript: Objective Tools - Part 1When you were in college, did your friends constantly want you to read over their papers to give feedback? Maybe your friends ask for your input on their blog posts before they hit publish.
- Story Editing: Definition and Story Grid’s ApproachStory Grid is a methodology for creating and editing stories that consumers love so much they tell everyone they meet.
- Units of Story: Beats, Tropes, Scenes, Sequences, and QuadrantsUnits of story are a way of dividing our work into manageable pieces that can be examined and edited to create a story that works. Every story is made up of these pieces, and together they m
- The Story Grid Infographic: How to Visualize Your StoryDedicated story writers often want a visual understanding of the story arc they create for audience members so they can judge whether they are crafting the story experience they intend. Typi
- Story Quadrants: Definitions and ExamplesDedicated writers often want to know how characters, specifically the protagonist, change throughout a story, so they can create compelling arcs that will grab and keep the reader's attentio
- Story Grid 624: How to Fix Your ScenesThe Story Grid 624 is a process to help us level up our scenes so we can write stronger stories. SCENES are the building blocks of stories, and learning to write working scenes is the first
- Editor's Six Core Questions: Macro Analyzing Your ManuscriptThe Editor's Six Core Questions are a series of inquiries we use to diagnose a manuscript. By testing our stories this way, we can assess where we've gotten off track and identify specific a
- How to Run a Writing Group: A Proven System to Keep Feedback Positive and HelpfulAre you tired of going it alone as a writer? Joining or starting a writing group is a wonderful way to build community and improve your writing skills.
- How to Give Helpful Writing FeedbackAs a writer, it’s nearly impossible to get helpful, specific, actionable feedback on your writing. Even if you join a WRITING GROUP, most of the feedback you receive is vague, unactionable,