Structurally, a dramatic opening functions as a hook. Emotionally, it needs to do more than just attract attention. When an...
“There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.” – W. Somerset Maugham There...
One structure model designed specifically for screenwriters is Blake Snyder’s “Save the Cat!” If you’ve been in one of my...
Hyperbole is how we speak when ordinary language isn’t big enough. Do you remember your first heartbreak? Even though you...
Do character arcs matter? Here’s an important lesson to remember: No matter how elaborate your plot is, if your reader...
Dorland Mountain Arts Colony is a tranquil retreat for writers, artists, and musicians in the mountains of Temecula, California. The...
Coming of age is never easy. You might have been the popular kid in school, armed with academic excellence, physical...
The first time you experienced the magic of storytelling, odds are it was a personal story you heard in first...
Picking a perspective is like choosing your weapon before a gladiator match; it limits and defines your style of approach....
Third person omniscient POV offers writers the rare power to see into every mind and move freely across the landscape...
“Prose is architecture, not interior design.” – Ernest Hemingway Our words are in service to our story. When we get...
Pathos is a key aspect of any rhetorician’s approach to their oratory. If you are writing a speech in your...
The diction you use in your writing is a choice you’re always making, whether subconsciously or not. Writers trade in language. Diction
Creating tone in your writing provides a texture to the work. It’s the emotional coloring that shapes how a reader feels, interprets,
Irony is a comparison which reveals an incongruity. That comparison might be between events and understanding, a statement and fact, or the
“Kill your darlings, kill your darlings, even when it breaks your egocentric little scribbler’s heart, kill your darlings.” – Stephen King Of
Stories become richer when they wink at the world beyond their pages, and that’s exactly what an allusion does. By dropping hints
Rhetorical choices shape not just what we say, but how we make people feel and think. Every speech, story, or written argument
Motifs are one of the best literary devices you can have in your writer’s toolbox. Essentially, a motif is a recurring element
An allegory is like taking a step back in an art gallery to analyze a painting in its entirety. Characters become like
Coming of age is never easy. You might have been the popular kid in school, armed with academic excellence, physical prowess, and
Before a story begins, you can include an epigraph to signal your protagonist’s dilemma, the tone, and even foreshadow the ending with
In the modern world where the town square is a digital place and the zeitgeist is a worldwide phenomenon, we don’t practice
Literary devices are the various techniques writers employ to create stylistic effects, convey deeper meaning, evoke emotion, and enhance the overall impact
Flashbacks are one of the most powerful tools you can use to reveal the deeper layers of a character’s life. They allow
Foreshadowing is a key element in creating a satisfying conclusion to a story. This is the craft of planting quiet promises in
A powerful way to shift the perspective of your audience is to employ dramatic irony. This literary device lets the audience see
Situational irony is something we’ve all experienced: an unexpected outcome or an outcome that’s the opposite of the intention. We get to
The idea of a Muse, inspiration, spirit, or genius, is present in any civilization in which great literature exists. When we read
Verbal irony is a wonderful rhetorical device you can use to sharpen your character’s tongues and refine their wit. In today’s world,
The diction you use in your writing is a choice you’re always making, whether subconsciously or not. Writers trade in...
Creating tone in your writing provides a texture to the work. It’s the emotional coloring that shapes how a reader...
Irony is a comparison which reveals an incongruity. That comparison might be between events and understanding, a statement and fact,...
“Kill your darlings, kill your darlings, even when it breaks your egocentric little scribbler’s heart, kill your darlings.” – Stephen...
Stories become richer when they wink at the world beyond their pages, and that’s exactly what an allusion does. By...
Rhetorical choices shape not just what we say, but how we make people feel and think. Every speech, story, or...
Motifs are one of the best literary devices you can have in your writer’s toolbox. Essentially, a motif is a...
An allegory is like taking a step back in an art gallery to analyze a painting in its entirety. Characters...
Coming of age is never easy. You might have been the popular kid in school, armed with academic excellence, physical...
Before a story begins, you can include an epigraph to signal your protagonist’s dilemma, the tone, and even foreshadow the...
In the modern world where the town square is a digital place and the zeitgeist is a worldwide phenomenon, we...
Literary devices are the various techniques writers employ to create stylistic effects, convey deeper meaning, evoke emotion, and enhance the...
Flashbacks are one of the most powerful tools you can use to reveal the deeper layers of a character’s life....
Foreshadowing is a key element in creating a satisfying conclusion to a story. This is the craft of planting quiet...
A powerful way to shift the perspective of your audience is to employ dramatic irony. This literary device lets the...
Situational irony is something we’ve all experienced: an unexpected outcome or an outcome that’s the opposite of the intention. We...
The idea of a Muse, inspiration, spirit, or genius, is present in any civilization in which great literature exists. When...
Verbal irony is a wonderful rhetorical device you can use to sharpen your character’s tongues and refine their wit. In...
