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The Seven Basic Plots

The Seven Basic Plots

Friday, June 14, 2024

In 2004 Christopher Booker published his momentous book, The Seven Basic Plots. It is reputed to have taken him 34 years to complete. Through an extensive analysis of stories originating from around the world, he stipulates that all stories can be reduced to seven...
Mapping Your Story Arc: The Story Goal

Mapping Your Story Arc: The Story Goal

Wednesday, October 12, 2022

What is a Story Goal? A story goal – often called a quest or mission – is a key component of any novel’s story arc. It is what drives the narrative forward and keeps the reader turning pages. Most stories open with a stasis (a sense of what the...
How and When to Outline Your Novel

How and When to Outline Your Novel

Monday, September 12, 2022

‘Outlining allows me to ride the waves of my story with utter confidence, channeling the art into the craft to produce solid stories.’ – Author K. M. Weiland    THE ROUGH FRAME Usually a novel will begin with an idea, and they often emerge as...

Mapping Your Story Arc: The Inciting Incident

Monday, April 25, 2022

What is an Inciting Incident? The inciting incident is a key component of almost every novel, but you may not be familiar with the term or even sure whether you’ve written one! James Scott Bell writes, ‘The power of your story is directly proportional to...