Month: January 2025

Exploring Fictionary’s 38 Story Elements: The Foundation of Exceptional Storytelling

Welcome back to The Pencil’s Edge! In this post, we’ll dive into Fictionary’s 38 Story Elements—the essential building blocks of storytelling that can take your manuscript from good to great. These elements are divided into three supercategories: Character, Plot, and Setting. By analyzing and refining each of these, you’ll ensure your story engages readers on every level.

Let’s summarily explore these elements acknowledging we’ll go much deeper into each story element over the next several weeks.

Character Story Elements

1. Characters per Scene

Identify which characters are present in each scene. Ensure the right characters are getting the appropriate “page time” and contributing meaningfully to the story.

2. Point of View (POV)

Consistency in POV builds trust with readers. Ensure each scene’s POV character provides a unique lens to experience the story.

3. POV Goal

The POV character’s goal drives the scene forward. Ask: What does this character want in this moment?

4. Character Arc

Focus on the protagonist’s external journey. Each scene should impact them positively or negatively, moving them closer to their ultimate goal.

5. POV Goal Internal

This internal goal ties to the character’s personal struggles or weaknesses. How does their internal conflict shape their decisions?

6. Goal Related to Plot

Ensure each goal is relevant to the overarching plot, enhancing believability and cohesion.

7. What if Goal Fails?

High stakes keep readers engaged. Clarify what the character risks if they fail to achieve their goal.

8. Scene Impact on POV Character and Protagonist

Track the emotional arc of your characters. Does the scene positively or negatively impact them?

9. POV Knowledge Gained

Consider what the POV character learns in each scene. Does it influence their decisions and drive the plot forward?

10. Characters in Motion

Characters should be actively engaging with their environment. Movement adds depth and keeps scenes dynamic.

Plot Story Elements

11. Scene Name

Each scene should have a clear purpose. A descriptive scene name helps track its role in the story.

12. Story Arc

Your story’s arc should include five critical points: Inciting Incident, Plot Point 1, Midpoint, Plot Point 2, and Climax. These provide structure without being formulaic.

13. Purpose

Every scene must serve the story. If a scene doesn’t drive the plot or develop characters, consider revising or cutting it.

14. Scene Opening Type

Scenes can open with dialogue, thought, description, or action. Vary your openings to keep readers intrigued.

15. Scene Closing Type

The way you close a scene matters. Dialogue, thought, description, or action can leave a lasting impression.

16. Anchored

Anchor every scene in POV, setting, and time to orient your readers.

17. Entry Hook

Grab attention immediately with a compelling hook. Ask: Does the opening make the reader want to keep going?

18. Exit Hook

End each scene with a question, twist, or revelation that compels readers to continue.

19. Tension

Every scene should include tension to maintain reader engagement.

20. Conflict

Conflict is the action driving the scene, whether it’s a fight, argument, or a battle of wills.

21. Revelation

When a character learns something new, it should prompt a decision or change in action.

22. Backstory

Introduce backstory strategically, avoiding info dumps that slow pacing.

23. Flashback

Use flashbacks sparingly and actively. Ensure they serve the story and enrich the reader’s understanding.

24. Scene Middle

Every scene should have a beginning, middle, and end. The middle is where tension escalates or complications arise.

25. Scene Climax

Each scene’s climax should resolve or intensify the main conflict, keeping the story’s momentum.

26. Action/Sequel

Alternate between action (events happening) and sequel (characters reacting). This balance keeps the pacing dynamic.

Setting Story Elements

27. Location

Choose meaningful settings that enhance the plot, characters, or theme. Ask: Why is this location important?

28. Date/Time

Establishing when scenes take place helps readers follow the timeline.

29. Objects

Objects can anchor a scene and add layers of meaning. Ensure props and details are purposeful.

30. Sights

Use descriptive visuals to bring your setting to life.

31. Smells

Smells can evoke memories or set the mood. Use them strategically.

32. Sounds

Incorporate auditory details to immerse readers.

33. Tastes

Taste is an often-overlooked sense but can add depth to scenes.

34. Touch

Describe textures or sensations to help readers feel connected to the world you’ve built.

35. Emotional Impact

Select locations that amplify the emotional stakes of a scene.

36. Location Split

A location change mid-scene can add tension or shift pacing. Alternatively, merge short scenes in the same location to slow the pace if needed.

37. Weather

Weather isn’t just background; it can set the tone, create obstacles, or heighten tension.

Final Thoughts

Fictionary’s 38 Story Elements provide a robust framework for analyzing and enhancing your story. By considering how each element contributes to your manuscript, you can create a cohesive, engaging, and emotionally resonant narrative.

In our next post, we’ll dive deeper into Character Story Elements, exploring how to create unforgettable characters that resonate with readers. Stay tuned and keep crafting!

Introduction to Series: Fictionary’s 38 Story Elements

Welcome to the launch of my exciting new series exploring Fictionary’s 38 Story Elements! Whether you’re a seasoned author or an emerging writer, this series will serve as your comprehensive guide to crafting engaging, impactful stories. Writing a great story is much like preparing an incredible meal—a delicate balance of ingredients that come together to create an unforgettable experience for your readers.

At the heart of this series lies the wisdom of Kristina Stanley, founder of Fictionary Software, who spent years analyzing the world’s most popular stories. Her research identified 38 essential “story elements” grouped into three supercategories: Character, Plot, and Setting. These elements act as the key ingredients to your storytelling recipe, each contributing to the flavor, depth, and cohesiveness of your narrative.

What Are Story Elements?

A story element is one of the many building blocks that make up your novel. Each element invites you to analyze a specific part of your story—whether it’s the development of your characters, the structure of your plot, or the richness of your setting. Together, they create the map to a fully realized, compelling manuscript.

The Three Supercategories: Character, Plot, and Setting

While each supercategory serves a distinct purpose, they are deeply interconnected, working together to elevate your story. Let’s briefly explore each one:

1. Character Elements

Your characters are the beating heart of your story. Whether it’s the protagonist’s Point of View, their goals, or the stakes of their journey, character elements focus on creating relatable, believable individuals that readers will root for. Characters with strong motivations and clear stakes keep readers emotionally invested.

2. Plot Elements

The plot forms the skeleton of your story. From crafting a gripping Story Arc to weaving Conflict and Tension into every scene, plot elements ensure your narrative progresses with purpose and keeps readers turning the page. Entry and Exit Hooks, for example, play a pivotal role in maintaining engagement at every chapter break.

3. Setting Elements

Far more than just background scenery, your setting shapes the atmosphere and mood of your story. Elements like Weather, Emotional Impact, and the use of the Five Senses can immerse readers in your world and heighten their connection to the narrative.

Why Focus on Story Elements?

Evaluating your manuscript through the lens of these elements provides you with a detailed, 30,000-foot view of your story. This process helps you pinpoint areas for improvement while enhancing the overall cohesiveness of your narrative. The result? A stronger, more polished manuscript that resonates with your audience.

What to Expect from This Series

In each post of this series, we’ll dive deep into one or more of Fictionary’s 38 Story Elements. You’ll learn actionable tips and techniques to strengthen your scenes and characters, fine-tune your plot, and enrich your settings. Whether it’s creating high-stakes conflict or choosing sensory details that evoke emotion, each post will leave you with tools to elevate your craft.

Let’s Get Started

Are you ready to take your writing to the next level? Stay tuned for my next post, where I’ll begin with Character Elements, starting with the essential Point of View Character. Together, I’ll uncover how to make your characters leap off the page and into the hearts of your readers.

Here at “The Pencil’s Edge,” I believe that every story deserves to shine. With Fictionary’s 38 Story Elements as our guide, I’ll unlock the secrets to creating stories readers can’t put down. So grab your notebooks, fire up your imagination, and let’s start crafting literary magic!

Pacing and Atmosphere: Keeping Readers Hooked in Your Settings

STORY INSIGHTS – FRIDAYS

This post will weave together elements from Sharpening the Edge, The Pencil's Philosophy, and Edge of Reality. You'll find real-time insights from my writing desk, transformational aspects of the writing journey, and exploration of how current events can enrich our fiction. This post helps you connect craft with creativity, reality with imagination.

Last week, we explored how to craft settings that reflect your story’s themes and amplify its emotional impact. This week, we’re focusing on two essential elements that keep readers engaged with your settings: pacing and atmosphere.

A beautifully described setting is meaningless if it slows the story to a crawl or fails to evoke the right mood. Pacing and atmosphere ensure your settings not only serve the plot but also deepen the reader’s immersion in the story.

Pacing: Keeping the Story Moving

Pacing refers to the speed at which your story unfolds. In terms of settings, it’s about knowing how much detail to include and when to include it.

Tips for Managing Pacing in Settings:

  1. Match the Pace to the Scene’s Purpose:
    • In action-packed or suspenseful scenes, use short, punchy descriptions to maintain tension. Example: The forest closed in around her, branches clawing at her skin as she ran.
    • In slower, introspective moments, allow for richer, more detailed descriptions to let readers linger. Example: The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the meadow in hues of gold and crimson.
  2. Avoid Overloading with Details:
    • Resist the urge to describe every aspect of the setting at once. Sprinkle details throughout the scene to keep the narrative moving.
  3. Use Dialogue and Action to Break Up Descriptions:
    • Let characters interact with the environment instead of relying solely on exposition. Example: Instead of saying, “The room was cluttered,” show a character tripping over a pile of books.
  4. Vary Sentence Length:
    • Short sentences create urgency, while longer sentences encourage reflection. Adjust sentence length to control the rhythm of your descriptions.

Atmosphere: Evoking Emotion Through Setting

Atmosphere is the mood or emotional tone of a scene. It’s what makes a setting feel eerie, romantic, hopeful, or foreboding.

Tips for Building Atmosphere in Settings:

  1. Use Sensory Details:
    • Engage all five senses to draw readers into the scene. What does the air smell like? Is it damp or dry? Are there distant sounds adding to the mood?
  2. Leverage Weather and Lighting:
    • Weather and lighting are powerful tools for creating atmosphere. A sudden downpour can heighten tension, while soft candlelight might evoke intimacy.
  3. Let Characters React to the Setting:
    • Show how your characters perceive and respond to their surroundings. A character feeling trapped in a small, cluttered room conveys claustrophobia without needing to state it outright.
  4. Use Symbolism:
    • Details in your setting can symbolically reinforce the mood. For example, a crumbling building might symbolize decay or despair.

Blending Pacing and Atmosphere

The real magic happens when pacing and atmosphere work together. A tense chase scene through a dark forest combines rapid pacing with an ominous atmosphere to keep readers on edge. Conversely, a slow, reflective scene on a quiet beach might pair deliberate pacing with a calming, nostalgic atmosphere.

Practical Exercise:

Write a scene that takes place in a storm. Focus on using pacing and atmosphere to heighten the tension. Experiment with sentence length, sensory details, and your character’s reactions to make the setting come alive.

Next Friday, we’ll explore how to write immersive settings for speculative fiction, diving into worldbuilding techniques that balance creativity with clarity.

Happy writing!

– Your StoryCoach

Use the Contact form to schedule a phone call or a Zoom meeting to discuss any aspect of your first novel. The first thirty-minute appointment is FREE.

The Role of Secondary Characters: Amplifying Your Protagonist’s Journey

WRITER'S EDGE – TUESDAYS

Welcome to Writer's Edge, your weekly resource for mastering the art and craft of storytelling. Every Tuesday, I'll share insights drawn from my experience as a Fictionary Certified StoryCoach Editor, blending the best elements of Edge Coach, First Edge, and Craft Edge. Whether you're staring at a blank page, wrestling with revisions, or fine-tuning your final draft, you'll find actionable advice, proven techniques, and encouragement tailored to your stage of the writing journey. Let Writer's Edge sharpen your skills, spark your creativity, and guide you toward building stories that captivate readers.

Secondary characters are the unsung heroes of storytelling. While the protagonist takes center stage, secondary characters add richness to the narrative, deepen themes, and push the protagonist toward growth. Today, we’ll explore how to craft impactful secondary characters who elevate your story.

Why Secondary Characters Matter

Secondary characters serve as mirrors, foils, and catalysts for your protagonist. They:

  • Reflect the protagonist’s qualities, helping readers understand them better.
  • Challenge the protagonist’s beliefs or decisions, driving internal and external conflict.
  • Embody themes, reinforcing the story’s core message.

Think of Dr. Watson in Sherlock Holmes. He’s not only Holmes’s loyal companion but also the everyman who grounds the narrative, making Holmes’s brilliance accessible to readers.

Types of Secondary Characters

  1. Mentors:
    • Provide wisdom or guidance, often tied to the protagonist’s growth.
    • Example: Haymitch in The Hunger Games challenges Katniss to confront her fears and trust her instincts.
  2. Foils:
    • Highlight the protagonist’s traits by offering a contrasting personality.
    • Example: Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter emphasizes Harry’s moral integrity through his oppositional actions.
  3. Allies:
    • Support the protagonist in achieving their goals, offering camaraderie and perspective.
    • Example: Samwise Gamgee in The Lord of the Rings exemplifies loyalty and perseverance, themes central to Frodo’s journey.
  4. Antagonistic Figures:
    • These aren’t always the main antagonist but provide obstacles or differing viewpoints.
    • Example: Javert in Les Misérables challenges Jean Valjean’s path to redemption.

Crafting Memorable Secondary Characters

  1. Give Them Their Own Goals:
    • Secondary characters shouldn’t exist solely to serve the protagonist. Give them desires, flaws, and arcs of their own.
    • Example: In To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch’s fight for justice isn’t just Scout’s story; it’s his deeply personal mission.
  2. Tie Them to the Theme:
    • Let secondary characters embody different facets of your story’s themes. Their perspectives can enrich the narrative and deepen the message.
  3. Balance Their Presence:
    • Secondary characters should enhance the story, not overshadow the protagonist. Keep their arcs meaningful but focused.

Practical Exercise: The Secondary Character Web

Take a moment to map out your secondary characters:

  • How does each relate to the protagonist?
  • What role do they play in the plot?
  • How do they contribute to the story’s themes?

Use this exercise to identify underdeveloped characters or opportunities to strengthen their impact.

Edge Coaching Tip:

Avoid stereotypes. Give your secondary characters complexity, even if they only appear briefly. A well-rounded side character can leave a lasting impression on readers.

Your Challenge This Week:

Choose one secondary character in your story and write a short scene from their perspective. Explore their goals, motivations, and conflicts to deepen their role in the narrative.

Next Tuesday, we’ll tackle how to balance backstory and action to keep your story engaging.

Happy writing!

– Your StoryCoach

Use the Contact form to schedule a phone call or a Zoom meeting to discuss any aspect of your first novel. The first thirty-minute appointment is FREE.

Crafting Settings That Reflect Themes and Amplify Emotional Impact

STORY INSIGHTS – FRIDAYS

This post will weave together elements from Sharpening the Edge, The Pencil's Philosophy, and Edge of Reality. You'll find real-time insights from my writing desk, transformational aspects of the writing journey, and exploration of how current events can enrich our fiction. This post helps you connect craft with creativity, reality with imagination.

A compelling setting does more than paint a picture; it deepens your story’s themes and heightens its emotional resonance. Today, we’re delving into how to craft settings that align with your story’s core message and evoke the emotions you want readers to feel.

Why Theme and Setting Should Align

Themes are the underlying truths or messages your story conveys, while the setting is the world where your characters live and act. When these two elements harmonize, they create a cohesive and immersive experience for readers.

For example:

In The Great Gatsby, the lavish mansions and decadent parties reflect themes of excess, illusion, and moral decay.

In The Road, the desolate, ash-covered landscape underscores themes of survival, despair, and fleeting hope.

Steps to Create Theme-Driven Settings

Identify Your Core Themes:

Start by clarifying the central themes of your story. Are you exploring love and loss? Redemption? The clash between tradition and progress?

Match Themes with Setting:

Choose a setting that naturally embodies or contrasts with your themes. For example, a crumbling estate might symbolize a character’s fading legacy, while a bustling city can highlight themes of isolation amidst crowds.

Use Symbolism:

Infuse your setting with symbolic details that reflect your themes. A withering tree might symbolize a dying relationship, or a river could represent change and renewal.

Let Setting Amplify Emotion:

Use the environment to mirror or heighten your characters’ emotional states. A storm can reflect inner turmoil, while a serene meadow might offer a moment of peace before chaos.

Practical Example: Theme of Isolation

Imagine a story centered on a character grappling with loneliness and disconnection. How can the setting reinforce this theme?

Urban Setting: The protagonist lives in a densely populated city but feels invisible, surrounded by indifferent crowds and towering skyscrapers that seem to close in on them.

Rural Setting: The character resides in a remote cabin, where the vast silence of the wilderness amplifies their solitude.

Current Events as Inspiration

Consider how contemporary issues can inform your settings and themes. For instance:

A town grappling with environmental destruction might serve as the backdrop for a story about human resilience.

A community divided by political ideologies could deepen themes of conflict and reconciliation.

Your Challenge This Week:

Think of a theme in your story. Write a short paragraph describing a setting that reflects or amplifies that theme. Consider how the environment might affect your characters’ emotions and actions.

Next Friday, we’ll explore how to use pacing and atmosphere to sustain reader engagement in your settings.

Happy writing!

– Your StoryCoach

Use the Contact form to schedule a phone call or a Zoom meeting to discuss any aspect of your first novel. The first thirty-minute appointment is FREE.

Creating Dynamic Characters: The Art of Internal and External Conflict

Welcome to Writer's Edge, your weekly resource for mastering the art and craft of storytelling. Every Tuesday, I'll share insights drawn from my experience as a Fictionary Certified StoryCoach Editor, blending the best elements of Edge Coach, First Edge, and Craft Edge. Whether you're staring at a blank page, wrestling with revisions, or fine-tuning your final draft, you'll find actionable advice, proven techniques, and encouragement tailored to your stage of the writing journey. Let Writer's Edge sharpen your skills, spark your creativity, and guide you toward building stories that captivate readers.

Characters are the beating heart of any story. While a gripping plot can draw readers in, it’s the characters—flawed, complex, and relatable—that keep them turning pages. Today, we’re exploring how internal and external conflicts shape your characters and make your story unforgettable.

What is Internal Conflict?

Internal conflict is the struggle that takes place within your character. It’s their inner demons, fears, desires, or doubts. This type of conflict drives emotional depth and creates a character readers can connect with on a personal level.

Examples of internal conflict:

  • A young woman torn between loyalty to her family and pursuing her dreams.
  • A detective haunted by guilt over a past mistake that affects their current case.
  • A hero questioning their ability to live up to the expectations of others.

What is External Conflict?

External conflict arises from outside forces that challenge your character. It can be another character, society, nature, or even a ticking clock. External conflict drives the plot and forces your character to act.

Examples of external conflict:

  • A group of survivors trying to escape a zombie apocalypse.
  • A lawyer fighting a corrupt system to save an innocent client.
  • A family stranded in a snowstorm, battling the elements to survive.

The Power of Combining Conflicts

The most memorable stories blend internal and external conflicts seamlessly. When your protagonist’s internal struggle impacts how they handle external challenges, it creates a rich, layered narrative.

For example:

  • A firefighter afraid of heights must confront this fear to save someone from a burning building. The external conflict (the rescue) mirrors the internal conflict (overcoming fear), creating a compelling arc.

Practical Steps to Develop Dynamic Characters

  1. Start with a Core Conflict: Decide on the primary internal and external conflicts for your protagonist. Ensure they’re interconnected.
  2. Explore Their Past: What experiences or traumas shaped your character’s internal struggles? Use these to inform their decisions.
  3. Build Tension: Show how external pressures exacerbate internal struggles. Let readers see your character’s growth as they face these challenges.
  4. Allow Imperfection: Flaws make characters relatable. Let them make mistakes and learn from them.

Edge Coaching Tip:

When crafting internal conflict, use subtext and subtlety. Show, don’t tell. For example, instead of stating, “John was afraid of failing,” show his hesitation, fidgeting, or avoidance when faced with a challenging task.

Your Challenge This Week:

Write a scene where your protagonist’s internal conflict directly impacts how they respond to an external challenge. Experiment with subtext to reveal their inner turmoil.

Next Tuesday, we’ll delve into how secondary characters can amplify your protagonist’s journey and reinforce the story’s themes.

Happy writing!

– Your StoryCoach

Use the Contact form to schedule a phone call or a Zoom meeting to discuss any aspect of your first novel. The first thirty-minute appointment is FREE.

The Power of Place: Infusing Fiction with a Sense of Home

STORY INSIDGHTS--FRIDAYS 
This post will weave together elements from Sharpening the Edge, The Pencil's Philosophy, and Edge of Reality. You'll find real-time insights from my writing desk, transformational aspects of the writing journey, and exploration of how current events can enrich our fiction. This post helps you connect craft with creativity, reality with imagination.

One of the most compelling ways to draw readers into a story is to create a vivid and evocative sense of place. Whether it’s a bustling city, a sleepy small town, or a desolate wilderness, setting can shape your characters, inform the plot, and act as a character itself.

Why Place Matters in Fiction

The setting isn’t just the backdrop for your story; it’s the world your characters inhabit. It influences their behavior, motivations, and conflicts. A well-drawn setting:

  • Anchors readers in your story’s reality.
  • Provides opportunities for mood, symbolism, and thematic depth.
  • Adds authenticity to your narrative.

Think of classics like To Kill a Mockingbird, where the town of Maycomb is inseparable from the themes of justice and prejudice, or The Shining, where the Overlook Hotel becomes a living, breathing antagonist.

Drawing Inspiration from Reality

Start with what you know. Your hometown, a favorite vacation spot, or a place that left a deep impression on you can serve as inspiration. For example, my own writing often draws from the landscapes and rhythms of life in Boaz, Alabama. By weaving real-life details into your fiction, you create a world that feels grounded and relatable.

Edge Insight Tip: If your setting is based on a real place, change enough details to make it your own. Alter street names, local landmarks, or cultural elements to create a fictional version that suits your story’s needs.

Transforming Place into Story

Here are some ways to infuse your fiction with a strong sense of place:

  1. Use All Five Senses:
    • What does the air smell like? Is it crisp with pine, heavy with exhaust, or salty from the sea?
    • What do characters hear in the background—birdsong, traffic, the distant hum of machinery?
  2. Let Setting Shape Conflict:
    • Could a mountain range isolate your characters and heighten tension?
    • Does a tight-knit community provide both support and stifling expectations?
  3. Let Characters Interact with Their World:
    • Show how your protagonist navigates their environment. Do they cherish it, resent it, or feel trapped by it?

Current Events as a Springboard

The world around us constantly changes, and those changes can spark ideas for your fictional settings. Consider how climate change, urbanization, or shifting cultural landscapes might affect the places you write about. Could a town threatened by rising sea levels provide the backdrop for a tale of resilience? Could gentrification turn a cherished neighborhood into a battleground for identity and belonging?

Your Challenge This Week:

Write a short paragraph describing a setting for your story. Focus on sensory details and how the place shapes your characters’ emotions or decisions. Share your paragraph in the comments or use it as a foundation for your next scene.

Next Friday, we’ll explore how to craft settings that reflect your story’s themes and amplify its emotional impact.

Happy writing!

– Your StoryCoach

Use the Contact form to schedule a phone call or a Zoom meeting to discuss any aspect of your first novel. The first thirty-minute appointment is FREE.

The Foundation of Every Great Story: A Strong Story Core

Welcome to Writer's Edge, your weekly resource for mastering the art and craft of storytelling. Every Tuesday, I'll share insights drawn from my experience as a Fictionary Certified StoryCoach Editor, blending the best elements of Edge Coach, First Edge, and Craft Edge. Whether you're staring at a blank page, wrestling with revisions, or fine-tuning your final draft, you'll find actionable advice, proven techniques, and encouragement tailored to your stage of the writing journey. Let Writer's Edge sharpen your skills, spark your creativity, and guide you toward building stories that captivate readers.

The Foundation of Every Great Story: A Strong Story Core

Every great novel begins with a solid foundation—a Story Core that holds the entire narrative together. Whether you’re a discovery writer (pantser), a meticulous planner (plotter), or something in between, identifying your Story Core early can save you hours of revision and keep your narrative on track.

What is a Story Core?

At its heart, the Story Core is the central driving force of your novel. It’s made up of three key elements:

  1. Protagonist’s Goal: What does your protagonist want more than anything?
  2. Conflict: What stands in the way of achieving that goal?
  3. Stakes: What happens if the protagonist fails?

Without these elements working in harmony, even the most beautifully written prose can fall flat.

Why Your Story Core Matters

A strong Story Core:

  • Provides focus and direction for your narrative.
  • Keeps your characters’ motivations clear and believable.
  • Gives readers a reason to invest emotionally in the story.

Practical Steps to Identify Your Story Core

  1. Ask the Big Questions:
    • What does my protagonist want?
    • Why can’t they have it?
    • What happens if they don’t succeed?
  2. Refine Your Answers: Be specific. “Save the world” is vague. “Stop the reactor before it melts down and destroys the city” is clear and immediate.
  3. Write It Down: Create a one-sentence summary of your Story Core. Example: A timid librarian must confront her fear of public speaking to save her town’s historic library from demolition.

Edge Coaching Tip:

If you’re struggling to clarify your Story Core, step away from the plot for a moment. Focus on your protagonist—what do they fear, love, or regret the most? Often, your Story Core is buried in their deepest desire or most haunting fear.

Your Challenge This Week:

Write a one-sentence Story Core for your current project. Share it in the comments or keep it as your guiding light for this stage of your draft.

Next Tuesday, we’ll dive into how to align your plot points with your Story Core to create a compelling narrative arc.

Happy writing!

– Your StoryCoach

Use the Contact form to schedule a phone call or a Zoom meeting to discuss any aspect of your first novel. The first thirty-minute appointment is FREE.

New Year, New Stories: Finding Fiction in Fresh Starts

Welcome to Story Insights, our Friday exploration of writing life and creative discovery. Here you’ll find real-time insights from my writing desk, reflections on the writing journey, and ways current events can enrich our fiction. Whether you’re mining life for story ideas or seeking deeper meaning in your work, Story Insights helps you connect craft with creativity, reality with imagination.

As 2025 opens, Bret Johnson, the protagonist of The Boaz Student, faces his own new beginning. Like many questioning their inherited beliefs, he returns to school after Christmas break, knowing everything has changed. His former youth group friends have chosen sides. His sister’s questions grow bolder. His parents’ concern deepens.

From the Writing Desk

This week’s challenge: capturing the weight of return. How does a seventeen-year-old navigate a familiar space when he’s no longer the same person who left it? In Chapter 16, Bret walks those school halls with new awareness, seeing the prayers posted on lockers, the Bible verse announcements, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes posters through changed eyes.

Progress: 873 words, mostly focused on the subtle shifts in hallway dynamics. Sometimes the smallest details carry the most truth.

Real World Resonance

A local news story caught my attention: “Students Lead Interfaith Dialogue at Mountain Brook High.” While different from Bret’s experience, this story of students creating space for diverse beliefs offers interesting parallels. The article describes how a student group organized lunch meetings where peers share their various faith traditions and philosophical perspectives.

What fascinates me as a novelist:

  • The courage required to start difficult conversations
  • How physical spaces (like a lunch table) become symbolic
  • The ripple effects of small actions
  • The power of student-led initiatives

Transforming Truth into Fiction

This real-world story enriches my understanding of Bret’s journey. While he starts his philosophy club from a place of questioning rather than inclusion, both narratives share core elements:

  • Young people seeking authentic dialogue
  • The school as both setting and symbol
  • Community resistance to change
  • The price of speaking up

Writing Forward

As we begin 2025, I’m reminded that every story is about transformation. Whether in fiction or life, new years and new chapters share this truth: change demands both courage and cost.

Next week: examining how winter’s starkness serves story themes.

Use the Contact form to schedule a phone call or a Zoom meeting to discuss any aspect of your first novel. The first thirty-minute appointment is FREE.