Book Outline

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Someone working hard at a desk to suggest how to write suspense

How to Write Suspense

Suspense is all about what might happen.  It’s not the moment of danger itself that evokes suspense, but the growing...

A woman in bed late at night suggests a seeker archetype may have a dark side too

The Seeker Archetype: Writing the Restless Character 

The Seeker archetype is a character beset by a divine discontent, an inner yearning for something just beyond their reach....

A first person omniscient perspective image of a hand reaching over a city

How First-Person Omniscient Breaks the Rules on Purpose

Is first-person omniscient narration even possible? Most writers are taught point of view as a set of hard and fast...

Hands shaking, lightness suggests how to get a book deal

How to Get a Book Deal: The 6-Step Process

You’ve finished your manuscript and you want to get a book deal with a traditional publisher. Where do you start? ...

A door leading open to nature, writing portfolio as a freeing element

Build a Writing Portfolio That Opens Doors

“Can you send me your writing portfolio?” For many writers, that’s the moment everything stops. You might feel like a...

A frame that says "shoot for greatness" but can be read different ways based on the visual syntax that users are used to reading it with

Syntax: The Secret Power of Sentence Structure

Two sentences with the exact same words rearranged can mean entirely different things. That shift is syntax at work. “Syntax”...

Pacing in writing is difficult for all writers. Imaged here is a woman who looks stuck while the world moves quickly around her.
Blog
Alan Watt

Pacing in Writing

Many writers struggle to get the pacing right in their stories. We adjust scenes: adding, trimming, and attempting to hike up the

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Featured image for character outlines with two outlines of people dancing by the beach in red to depict a visual importance that exists naturally in all mediums
Blog
Alan Watt

Character Outline

Master your character outline by connecting internal dilemmas to plot beats. Learn to challenge false beliefs and drive true transformation.

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Image for pantser blog--woman writing in a serene café environment
Blog
Alan Watt

The Pantser Method: Writing Without an Outline

Learn how to hone your strengths as a “pantser.” Discovery-based writers often succeed with creative freedom and spontaneity, but successful narratives still require an underlying structure of character transformation to avoid losing direction.

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what happens next
Blog
Alan Watt

What Happens Next?

The first step in creating a fully alive story is imagining the world. This simply means envisioning your characters in relation to

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Recent posts

A chalk painted outline on the ground to suggest reverse outlining

Reverse Outlining: Gaining a New Perspective

What is reverse outlining?  While many writers outline before they write a single scene, others follow a “pantser” method where...

Pacing in writing is difficult for all writers. Imaged here is a woman who looks stuck while the world moves quickly around her.

Pacing in Writing

Many writers struggle to get the pacing right in their stories. We adjust scenes: adding, trimming, and attempting to hike...

What makes a good story is suggested by a fourth piece of four quadrants slotting neatly into a missing gap — suggesting that the key to a good story comes from the hand of the writer.

What Makes a Good Story? The Four Elements

This is a question that can often lead writers down the wrong path. Many try to answer this through the...

Featured image for character outlines with two outlines of people dancing by the beach in red to depict a visual importance that exists naturally in all mediums

Character Outline

Master your character outline by connecting internal dilemmas to plot beats. Learn to challenge false beliefs and drive true transformation....
Someone measuring a piece of leather on a marketing board to visualize the question of "book outline: where do I start"

Book Outline: Where Do I Start?

Transform your draft with a book outline. Learn 5 proven methods to map your character’s journey, master story structure, and...
Image for pantser blog--woman writing in a serene café environment

The Pantser Method: Writing Without an Outline

Learn how to hone your strengths as a "pantser." Discovery-based writers often succeed with creative freedom and spontaneity, but successful...
dramatic opening

How to Outline a Dramatic Opening

Structurally, a dramatic opening functions as a hook. Emotionally, it needs to do more than just attract attention. When an...

thematic statement

What is a Thematic Statement? Examples and Writing Strategies

 Your story’s thematic statement is the central argument that drives your narrative. Writers sometimes obsess over their plot to the...

snowflake method

The Snowflake Method of Outlining

Writing a story can sometimes seem overwhelming. Think of your favorite books. You can tell when a writer has put...

in medias res

What is “In Medias Res”?

Some stories drop you straight into the middle of chaos in the first scene, giving little to no explanation. This...

synopsis examples

How to Write an Effective Synopsis 

Previously, I unpacked the theory behind synopsis writing, explored the mechanics of what makes a synopsis work, and defined its...

novel outline

How to Outline Your Novel in 5 Steps

Each writer has their own process. Some writers (often called pantsers) believe that outlining their novel limits their creativity, while...

Synopsis

How to Write a Synopsis that Grabs Attention

A synopsis might sound like just another item on your never-ending to-do list, but it’s actually one of the most...

The Value of an Outline

The Value of an Outline

What’s the point of an outline? Whether consciously or not, every writer is in search of a process. A lot...

Outlining The Dramatic Question

Outlining: The Dramatic Question

Your characters are a function of the plot, archetypes that constellate around the dramatic question. Story is essentially an argument...

what happens next

What Happens Next?

The first step in creating a fully alive story is imagining the world. This simply means envisioning your characters in...