Every story has a beginning, middle, and ending, but when it comes to plotting and outlining, things become much more complex than just pen and paper. Writers and authors can take many different approaches to plotting and outlining a novel or short story before taking on the drafting stage. Some writers use the Snowflake Method, some use the Saving Cat Method, and others use the good ole Plot Diagram. For this post, I'll be discussing combining the three-act structure with Ni

Character relationships woven within fictional stories aren't always discussed among fiction writers, but they play a significant role in the story layout and plotline of plays, short stories, novels, or books. Just like people in real life, characters also form and build relationships among other characters in a story, which either help or hinder their story goals and inner transformation journeys during a storyline. Let's go over the four main relationship dynamics writers

Characters are complex fictional beings with different physical attributes, backstories, and emotional wounds, but one of the most overlooked ways to distinguish them is by character voice. Writers can get creative with how they present their characters and give them lifelike voices that will entertain readers. There are seven specific ways writers can show character voice, which include giving characters' accents, slang or jargon, diction or word choice, tone or volume, phra

Conflict is one of if not the most important story element in a short story or novel because it's what helps keep readers engrossed within stories and books. Similar to plot, conflict is an engine that moves a story forward. After all, if nothing is going on and there's nothing to overcome, there's no story to tell. External conflict is the obstacles and complications outside of characters in their story world, such as an altercation between two opposing attorneys, a fore

Foreshadowing is a common literary device that most seasoned writers have heard of before. It's when writers give hints of future events that are to come or will happen later within a story.

Irony is a literary device that can add wit and intrigue in one's writing, but it isn't commonly used as much as metaphors or similes....

Theme is many times associated with the message of stories based on the terminology we're familiar with from writing essay and research...

Interior and exterior are the two different types of settings within story writing. As I mentioned in my previous post of worldbuilding,...