The Seeker archetype is a character beset by a divine discontent, an inner yearning for something just beyond their reach....
Is first-person omniscient narration even possible? Most writers are taught point of view as a set of hard and fast...
You’ve finished your manuscript and you want to get a book deal with a traditional publisher. Where do you start? ...
“Can you send me your writing portfolio?” For many writers, that’s the moment everything stops. You might feel like a...
Two sentences with the exact same words rearranged can mean entirely different things. That shift is syntax at work. “Syntax”...
Sooner or later, every writer seeks to improve their writing skills. Maybe you want to learn specific techniques before you...
Tragic heroes are like a falling star, burning, hurtling to their doom, but are a sight to behold all the...
Usually when you open a book and you’re embarking on a new adventure, you believe what the narrator tells you...
Stories that endure tend to tap into something deeply human. Philosophers, mythologists, psychologists, and more have theorized about different ways...
Do character arcs matter? Here’s an important lesson to remember: No matter how elaborate your plot is, if your reader...
The characters we write in our stories play a central part in the audience’s engagement. Understanding your characters and why...
The “dark night of the soul” is that moment in a story where all seems lost. It is the biggest...
The Seeker archetype is a character beset by a divine discontent, an inner yearning for something just beyond their reach. There’s a
The Magician archetype is a character who comes into the story and transforms everything. They don’t wield a specific authority like the
You might think of a tragedy as just a sad story. A tragic hero, however, is not simply unlucky or a victim
Sometimes, when we’re first assembling our cast of characters, they feel static or formulaic. This happens when we approach our characters as
I believe that the desire to write is, to some degree, about personal growth — the unconscious desire to evolve. When a
A Caregiver archetype is someone who keeps everyone else in the story together. They are the ones who are insightful enough to
If your protagonist’s journey seems to lack energy, they may not be experiencing worthy antagonists. The stereotypical view of an opponent might
Have you considered writing a story where your main character is the villain? You might think, “But doesn’t my protagonist need to
When a Ruler archetype character enters a room, the atmosphere instantly changes. Not because of what they say or do, but because
Writers instinctively know that a character’s flaws drive the story, that the crack in a character’s foundation is what the plot will
The Trickster archetype is the character who enters and immediately makes everyone uncomfortable. They say the thing no one is allowed to
If your narrative drive is stalling, your protagonist could be missing the most vital engine for character transformation: a powerful internal conflict.
A character sheet template can be the difference between a character who feels real on the page and one who constantly contradicts
One of the oldest and most enduring patterns in storytelling is the Hero archetype. All stories require a main perspective for the
The Creator archetype is someone driven by their imagination, vision, and a need to bring something new into existence. Think of the
The best character ideas do not arrive fully formed. They arrive as a series of questions. Who is this person? What do
We’ve all read stories with a mentor figure The elderly woman who lives at the outskirts of the village and tells riddles.
Audiences love a great plot twist, a thrilling action sequence, or a quiet revelation, but without real character development they will start
The Seeker archetype is a character beset by a divine discontent, an inner yearning for something just beyond their reach....
The Magician archetype is a character who comes into the story and transforms everything. They don’t wield a specific authority...
You might think of a tragedy as just a sad story. A tragic hero, however, is not simply unlucky or...
Sometimes, when we’re first assembling our cast of characters, they feel static or formulaic. This happens when we approach our...
I believe that the desire to write is, to some degree, about personal growth — the unconscious desire to evolve....
A Caregiver archetype is someone who keeps everyone else in the story together. They are the ones who are insightful...
If your protagonist’s journey seems to lack energy, they may not be experiencing worthy antagonists. The stereotypical view of an...
Have you considered writing a story where your main character is the villain? You might think, “But doesn’t my protagonist...
When a Ruler archetype character enters a room, the atmosphere instantly changes. Not because of what they say or do,...
Writers instinctively know that a character’s flaws drive the story, that the crack in a character’s foundation is what the...
The Trickster archetype is the character who enters and immediately makes everyone uncomfortable. They say the thing no one is...
If your narrative drive is stalling, your protagonist could be missing the most vital engine for character transformation: a powerful...
A character sheet template can be the difference between a character who feels real on the page and one who...
One of the oldest and most enduring patterns in storytelling is the Hero archetype. All stories require a main perspective...
The Creator archetype is someone driven by their imagination, vision, and a need to bring something new into existence. Think...
The best character ideas do not arrive fully formed. They arrive as a series of questions. Who is this person?...
We’ve all read stories with a mentor figure The elderly woman who lives at the outskirts of the village and...
Audiences love a great plot twist, a thrilling action sequence, or a quiet revelation, but without real character development they...