Fundamental Fridays

Analyzing a Masterwork: Knife of Never Letting Go

Fundamental Fridays

Writing a book is hard. So hard, in fact, that even when you find a writing guide with a method another writer has used, there’s no guarantee that that method will be something you can pull valuable information from. Everyone’s minds work differently. That means that we have to figure out the writing practice that… Read more »

Internal Genres: Part 1

Fundamental Fridays

A Case Study in Nuance The number one thing Shawn Coyne says when writers struggle with their story is, “What’s your genre?” For Story Grid Nerds this is not news. The genre-mantra is a way of life now. But what makes Action distinct from Horror, and Love distinct from Society is typically clear. (Although as… Read more »

Essential Action: The Key to Compelling Characterization

Fundamental Fridays

New! This blog post is now available in audio. When we say that in order for your scene to work, you must have a Story Event, you probably wouldn’t be surprised, and it doesn’t sound too difficult. So long as something is happening, you have a Story Event, right? Not necessarily. A Story Event is specific,… Read more »

Turning the Amateur First Draft into the Professional First Draft

Fundamental Fridays

A first draft is a long way from done. So how do we get to done? Obviously, the next step after a first draft is a second draft. Right? No, actually. The next step after a first draft involves making sure that it’s a PROFESSIONAL First Draft. As Shawn Coyne says: “An amateur first draft… Read more »

Our Writer’s vs Editor’s Brains

Fundamental Fridays

We’ve all heard the adage: left- and right-brained people think differently. That we are more or less creative depending on which side dominates. Though there is some research to suggest otherwise, left-brained people are supposedly more analytical compared to their right-brained counterparts. Does that mean that someone who’s excited about The Story Grid’s methodology can’t… Read more »

Think Big: Tackling a Big Idea Nonfiction Story

Fundamental Fridays

It was books that taught me that the things that torment me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, or who had ever been alive. —James Baldwin, New York Times, January 1, 1964 Like all the SG Editors, I’m a story nerd, but if I’m being honest,… Read more »

Finding your Theme in the story of You

Fundamental Fridays

ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK! Whether it’s in real life, or in a dream You can’t hide from your recurring Theme! I know your type. After reading The Story Grid, you have become a loyal listener of the podcasts and are now devouring the weekly editor blog posts. You come here eagerly awaiting the solid… Read more »

Fighting Resistance

Fundamental Fridays

What is Resistance? Steven Pressfield introduced this arch-villain in his book The War of Art in 2002, but it’s been around since the first human being scratched out a message on a cave wall. Even if you didn’t know its name, you already know what it is. It’s that feeling that keeps you from writing… Read more »

Heading into 2018 with a writing plan that works

Fundamental Fridays

It’s December 29, so it’s time to trot out all those New Year’s resolutions. Do those words send a chill down your spine? Are you thinking about the list you made last year and the year before and the year before? Do you end up recycling the usual candidates (lose-weight-get-off-social-media-save-more-money-go-to-the-gym)? If you’re reading articles on… Read more »

How to Find Obligatory Scenes and Conventions

Fundamental Fridays

In Part 2 of The Story Grid: What Good Editors Know, Shawn Coyne states that all of the content genres have obligatory scenes and conventions and that a writer must include them in her Story in order to satisfy reader expectations. While he doesn’t explicitly list them all out in any one location, with a… Read more »

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Fundamental Fridays

Analyzing a Masterwork: Knife of Never Letting Go

Fundamental Fridays

Internal Genres: Part 1

Fundamental Fridays

Essential Action: The Key to Compelling Characterization

Fundamental Fridays

Turning the Amateur First Draft into the Professional First Draft

Fundamental Fridays

Our Writer’s vs Editor’s Brains

Fundamental Fridays

Think Big: Tackling a Big Idea Nonfiction Story

Fundamental Fridays

Finding your Theme in the story of You

Fundamental Fridays

Fighting Resistance

Fundamental Fridays

Heading into 2018 with a writing plan that works

Fundamental Fridays

How to Find Obligatory Scenes and Conventions

Fundamental Fridays

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Fundamental Fridays

Still not finding whatyou're looking for?

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