Tag: Plot

Lessons from a First Novel: Worldbuilding from the Inside-Out

August 19, 2018

Perhaps nothing simultaneously excites and intimidates a fantasy author as much as worldbuilding—crafting the geography, history, cultural norms, and magical workings of an imaginary world (or imaginary elements within our own world). If you are the sort of reader who loves maps on the inside covers of books, it’s thrilling to make your own world … More Lessons from a First Novel: Worldbuilding from the Inside-Out

Further Reading & Feminist Alternatives to the Hero’s Journey

January 8, 2017

Further Resources on the Hero’s Journey I hope you’ve found my summary of hero’s journey plot lines useful, but there is really no substitute for reading the experts. I’ve mentioned a few story theorists in these posts and thought I would provide a run-down of their work so you can learn more if you are … More Further Reading & Feminist Alternatives to the Hero’s Journey

Magic Magnets

August 22, 2015

Writing a book is like building a puzzle made out of magnets. My last post, about how a character’s wishes can kick-start a story, made me think about similar moments in the actual process of writing. Occasionally, there are those ‘flashes of inspiration,’ those ideas that ‘just fit.’ It often takes a lot of experimentation, … More Magic Magnets