Story Grid

Default category for all Story Grid posts

Crafting the Master Detective

Story Grid

We all have one: a favorite detective. Who hasn’t binge-watched episodes of their favorite detective show? Okay, maybe not everyone loves crime shows or will stay up into the pre-dawn hours reading an Agatha Christie novel; however, most of us can think of a crime show or book they’ve enjoyed.What makes a good crime story?… Read more »

Toolbox Episode: How to Write Sales Copy for Your Book

Story Grid, Writers' Room Podcast

Don’t know what to include in the sales copy for your book? How can you describe your story to appeal to the ideal reader? Join Shawn Coyne and Valerie Francis for a special Toolbox episode to help you find your way. Your Writers’ Room editors are Valerie Francis, specializing in stories by,… Read more »

Hero at the Mercy of the Villain: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Story Grid, Writers' Room Podcast

This week we face the Hero at the Mercy of the Villain in the Writers’ Room as we analyze the core event of the 2005 novel Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling. But that’s not all! In addition to analyzing this excellent example of a “chase scene” in an Action Story,… Read more »

The Big Showdown: 3:10 to Yuma

Story Grid, Writers' Room Podcast

It’s time for the Big Showdown in the Writers’ Room this week as we analyze the 1953 short story “3:10 to Yuma” by Elmore Leonard. Genre and Three-Act Summary The global genre of “3:10 to Yuma” is Western-Professional. Here’s a brief overview of the three-act summary. Beginning Hook – Deputy Marshall… Read more »

How long should a chapter be?

Story Grid

How long should a chapter be? Should be it be one scene? Is there a word maximum or minimum to guide us? Like all story questions we analyze with our Story Grid tools, we can take an analytical approach to this problem and come up with an answer supported by the stories we love to study. Why… Read more »

The Big Choice: I Stand Here Ironing

Story Grid, Writers' Room Podcast

It’s the Big Choice plus perspective in the Writers’ Room this week as we analyze the 1961 short story “ I Stand Here Ironing” by Tillie Olsen. Genre and Three-Act Summary “I Stand Here Ironing” is a Status story, and here’s a brief overview of the three-act summary. Beginning Hook – Someone from school… Read more »

Stories as Equipment for Living

Story Grid

Today’s post zooms out thirty thousand feet to get fundamentally fundamental with this question: Where do stories come from? Apologies in advance for the academically dense approach, but we have seen before the value that scholars like Norman Friedman, Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell bring to our understanding of story and the contributions they have… Read more »

Victim at the Mercy of the Monster Scene: The Tell Tale Heart

Story Grid, Writers' Room Podcast

What makes a great victim at the mercy of the monster scene? Find out when Valerie and Leslie analyze the 1843 Horror story “The Tell Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe. Genre and Three-Act Summary “The Tell Tale Heart” is a short Horror story, published in 1843. It’s an excellent example of the core… Read more »

Lovers Meet Scene – Bridget Jones’s Diary

Story Grid, Writers' Room Podcast

What makes a great lovers meet scene? Find out when Valerie and Leslie analyze the turkey curry buffet scene in Bridget Jones’s Diary, the 1996 Love Story by Helen Fielding. Genre and Three-Act Summary Bridget Jones’s Diary is a courtship love story, and in the beginning hook, Bridget is in search of a romantic relationship…. Read more »

Nonfiction Storytelling Commandments

Story Grid

In my last two posts about nonfiction storytelling, we first broke down the types of story we see, use, and analyze every day, then began to break down the barriers of resistance that keep us from telling our own stories. In both, we dug into the idea that story is innate in us—a deeply felt… Read more »

<< Older Articles

Still not finding what
you're looking for?

The Book

Is this your first crack at writing and finishing your book? Are you lost on how to tackle this project? This is the place to start.

First Time Writer

Is this your first crack at writing and finishing your book? Are you lost on how to tackle this project? This is the place to start.

Resources

Is this your first crack at writing and finishing your book? Are you lost on how to tackle this project? This is the place to start.

Story Grid

Crafting the Master Detective

Story Grid

Toolbox Episode: How to Write Sales Copy for Your Book

Story Grid, Writers' Room Podcast

Hero at the Mercy of the Villain: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Story Grid, Writers' Room Podcast

The Big Showdown: 3:10 to Yuma

Story Grid, Writers' Room Podcast

How long should a chapter be?

Story Grid

The Big Choice: I Stand Here Ironing

Story Grid, Writers' Room Podcast

Stories as Equipment for Living

Story Grid

Victim at the Mercy of the Monster Scene: The Tell Tale Heart

Story Grid, Writers' Room Podcast

Lovers Meet Scene – Bridget Jones’s Diary

Story Grid, Writers' Room Podcast

Nonfiction Storytelling Commandments

Story Grid

Articles By Popularity

Articles By Category

Articles By Topic

Still not finding what
you're looking for?

The Book

First Time Writer

Resources

Story Grid

Articles By Popularity

Articles By Category

Articles By Topic

Still not finding whatyou're looking for?

The Book

First Time Writer

Resources

Still not finding what
you're looking for?