There comes a point in every story when, despite the protagonist’s best efforts, everything goes wrong. The midpoint taught her to take an improved approach to achieving her story goal. But that won’t protect her from experiencing the worst possible setback in her pursuit. Now her goal seems unattainable, her task insurmountable – and the… Read more »
A couple weeks ago I attended an absolutely amazing writing retreat – in Iceland. Yes, you read that correctly. The Iceland Writers Retreat held its fourth annual event from April 5th through 9th, and I was utterly thrilled to be part in it. And not only did the trip fulfill a three-year-old dream of visiting… Read more »
If you frequently visit DIY MFA, then you’re likely serious about your writing. You probably also have a day job, a family, and other day-to-day responsibilities that compete with your creative pursuits. Yet both sides of a writer’s life – the creative and the real – can’t be ignored. Each deserves time, respect, and attention,… Read more »
We’ve covered two plot points so far in Developing Themes In Your Stories: the inciting incident, which thrusts the protagonist into a story’s external conflict; and the Act I choice, where the protagonist takes the first step to achieving his goal. Now he’s in the thick of that goal pursuit, but not everything has been… Read more »
You’ve spent months revising and editing your manuscript. Now comes one of the most exciting and nerve-racking stages in the writing process: getting feedback. Yes, sending your story to beta-readers and asking for their thoughts on what works and what needs improvement. And while any constructive comments can help, it’s a good idea to let… Read more »
Calling nature a “force to be reckoned with” might be an understatement. Between the seasons, myriad landmarks, and extreme weather events, it can wreak havoc with our lives on one day, then let its beauty take our breath away on the next. Plus, remember how often we read or hear news about survivors of floods,… Read more »
We’ve been talking a lot about literary themes here at DIY MFA. And while we’ve developed a better understanding of what themes are and how they emerge in our work, we’ve never touched on why certain themes creep into our stories. The reason for that “why” might be more simple than we think: The themes… Read more »
Shortly after a story’s inciting incident, the protagonist must make an important decision: either keep living as she always has, or become involved in the story’s main conflict. This choice, in terms of the three-act story structure, marks the transition between Act I and Act II. Some writers also call it the “point of no… Read more »
As much as we love our protagonists, we can’t help but feel a strange or “corrupt” affinity for our antagonists. After all, the antagonist’s main role is to make the protagonist’s life difficult. However, this unique character relationship – er, conflict – is more important than we might think it is. Not only does it… Read more »
It’s hard to say which plot point is most crucial to a story. Each has a purpose for moving our characters physically and emotionally from Point A to Point B. However, the inciting incident has a unique responsibility. It’s not just the first major event – it’s the launching pad that thrusts a character into… Read more »
