Jane Friedman We toss around the word hook when we talk about stories. What’s the hook? we ask. Sometimes we’re talking about the overall premise: what component to the story idea is unique, compelling, intriguing. Other times we’re talking about the first few lines of a novel (or first line) that is to be crafted in a […]
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Kristen Kieffer We want readers to connect with our characters, to step inside their shoes and invest in their journeys. But creating that easy connection between reader and character isn’t always a clear-cut process. Do our characters need to be, in some way, relatable for readers to connect with their stories? In my opinion, yes, but
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Indiana Jones. Sherlock Holmes. Juliet Capulet. The dream of every writer is to create a character that is so real – so believable – they take on a life of their own. From a commercial perspective, a great character will drive demand for more stories with that character in them. From a personal perspective, imagine
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In storytelling, there is external and internal conflict. External conflict consists of the struggle between a character and an outside force, whether that be a person or some element of nature, society, or technology. Every story has a bit of external conflict, but those that are driven by it are known as plot-driven stories. Internal conflict,
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