5 Ways to Tell a Story: Story Structure from Around the World

by Bethany Henry / September 21, 2023 / Guest Posts, Story Structure

There’s more than one way to tell a tale.

And, unsurprisingly, every country and culture around the world has its own ideas of what makes a good story. Here in the USA, we’re surrounded with the classic Western storytelling models, such as the Hero’s Journey and the Three Act Structure. But these aren’t the only ways to tell a story!

Today we’ll look at a few non-Western storytelling traditions around the world along with various characteristics and influences. We can’t possibly cover everything, but we can get a glimpse of a few of the ways stories are told! And by better understanding these different traditions we can broaden our understanding of stories, of storytelling, and of our brilliant and varied world.

Character Creation Questionnaire: 50 Questions You Should Be Asking

by Lewis / March 28, 2023 / Character Development

This is one of the best parts of writing a novel!

Whether you’re writing an action-packed thriller or an introspective character study, character creation is always a blast. There’s something about that human element that is endlessly engaging, meaning it’s no wonder that character questionnaires are so fun to work through.

But, what makes for a good character questionnaire? Many focus on only surface concerns like appearance and habits, but there’s more to your cast than just their personalities. So, in this article, let’s explore fifty character creation questions—as well as how you can use them to write an awesome cast!

5 Healthy Conflicts for Your Fictional Romance

by Lewis / February 14, 2023 / Character Development

Writing romantic conflict can be tricky…

For many, the word “conflict” is linked with aggression or malice—and, though that’s not the only type of conflict you can write, it can be a difficult mold to break. Unfortunately, if you’re writing a HEA romance, that just won’t fly. You need healthier romantic conflicts for your characters to face, or risk readers rightly rejecting their relationship as abusive.

Luckily, there are ways to inject conflict into your fictional romance, without your lovers having to hurt each other. So, from the tension caused by opposing goals, to pacts or even curses, here are five better ways to create conflict between your romantic leads!

7 Ways To Set (Insanely Successful) Writing Goals

by Lewis / January 10, 2023 / Inspiration, Other

Good writing goals don’t always come easy…

We all set goals with the best of intentions. But if you’ve ever gotten caught up in the New Year’s resolution hype, you’ll know it’s just as easy for those goals to fall to the side. Writing goals are no different, meaning sticking to our goals can often be as difficult as writing itself.

Fortunately, there are ways to choose the right writing goals, ones that set you up for success rather than disappointment. So, let’s take a tour through all the ways you can set better writing goals—from the SMART goal framework to mercy days and more!

3 Ways Your Novel Could Change the World

by Lewis / December 13, 2022 / Inspiration, Other

It’s easy to feel powerless as a writer.

Though we may be in charge of the worlds inside our stories, that rarely translates to much control over the real world. And, with the real world seemingly unraveling by the day, that can make “being a writer” feel incredibly pointless.

However, I don’t want you to stop writing—because your novels have a lot more power than you think. Though it might not seem that way on the surface, your stories can change the world for the better, in three incredibly important ways.