Book Outline

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Featured image for flash fiction. It's fast, it's fun, and it's meant to go by in a blur. Hopefully the intention and quickness you embrace in the simplicity brings you closer to the writing and it evokes feelings of this image as a writer

Flash Fiction

If you want to become a better writer, flash fiction is a powerful way to strengthen your storytelling muscles. Flash...

A nondescript white woman paints a realistic image of hands for the blog realistic fiction. perhaps the writer reading the article may be able to imagine themselves as a painter making something realistic too

Realistic Fiction

There’s a particular kind of courage in writing about the world as it actually is. Although our imaginations can take...

Featured image for Character vs. Society blog, a woman standing alone looking to withered brush that supersedes her hierarchically in the frame to suggest an antagonistic juxtaposition

Character vs. Society

While each type of narrative conflict serves a purpose, Character vs. Society can be particularly interesting. Instead of a protagonist...

A winding road used as a visual metaphor to conceptualize how foreshadowing may be utilized by a writer in the plot of a novel, movie, or play

Foreshadowing examples

Can you recall some of the most well-executed foreshadowing examples in books you’ve read? Or in your favorite films? In...

How to introduce a character: sometimes the introduction is the character themselves asking to be invited in, and the audience will decide for you who they are. These characters can come from anywhere, and be anyone you need them to.

How to Introduce a Character in a Screenplay

How to Introduce a Character in a Screenplay: Master the art of first impressions with proper formatting, action cues, and...
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....
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.

Read More »
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

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...