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3 Steps To Help You Find Your Story’s Theme

Writers Write is your one-stop resource for 13. What does not kill you makes you
writers. Use this post to help you find your stranger.
story’s theme.
This post is all about theme. We will explore
the definition of a theme, give you examples
It’s About The Meaning
of themes, and we will go through three
If you understand your plot, the parts your
steps that will help you find your theme in
characters, especially the protagonist and
your story.
the antagonist, play in the story, and the
When we teach writers how to write
effects this plot will have on your characters’
a novel or a memoir, we emphasise how
lives, you will find the meaning of your
crucial theme is in the process. The best
story.
novels and the most life-changing memoirs
Once you understand the meaning, you will
you will ever read are the ones that help you
find the theme.
discover a truth about the human condition.
A theme in a book should never be stated,
but should be developed through character 3 Steps To Help You Find Your
changes and plot escalation. Story’s Theme
In The Art Of Dramatic Writing, Lajos Egri
says well-defined characters drive plots. He Ask these three questions to find your
emphasises the consistency of change in life. theme.
Characters have to adapt, evolve and
‘synthesise’ new philosophies. They do this 1. What is the story about?
after facing many overwhelming obstacles.
This is the plot of the story.
What is a theme?
Example: My story is about a man who
1. Theme is the central idea of the story. hunts down the men who were acquitted
2. It is better if it is a full statement, with a after they killed his family.
subject and a verb.
3. It sums up what the story shows us about 2. What is the meaning behind the story?
the human condition. It is not a moral. It
is simply a statement. This is usually an abstract result of his
Examples: actions.
1. Crime pays.
2. Honesty is the best policy. Example: My story says that when the
3. Who dares wins. system fails a person who has lost
4. Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. everything, he will find out how far he is
5. Home is where the heart is. prepared to go.
6. The past is a foreign country – they do
things differently there. 3. What is the lesson?
7. You never really know anybody.
8. People are predictable. This is a statement about the human
9. People with nothing to lose are condition.
dangerous.
10. Love conquers all. Example: People with nothing to lose are
11. Blood is thicker than water. dangerous.
12. You can choose your friends but you The Lajos Egri Theme Cheat
can’t choose your family. Sheet:
 2
Lajos Egri gives this simple formula to
develop a theme.
____________________ leads to
_______________________
Examples:
1. Your wife committing adultery leads
to you finding out you never really know
anyone.
2. Embezzling money from your company
and getting caught leads to you
understanding honesty is the best policy.
Everything Writers Need To Know About
Scenes And Sequels
Writers Write is your one-stop writing
resource. In this post, we explain what
scenes and sequels are, and why you need
them in your novel.
How To Master Scenes And Sequels
Our lives are made up of scenes and sequels.
We live through times of action and periods
of reflection. Some periods of our lives seem
completely action-packed and others are
relatively conflict-free.
Novels are also made up of these storytelling
units. As I wrote in a previous post:
1. Action scenes are ‘…where your
characters act. They mostly plan, seduce,
argue, escape, search, meet, talk, pursue
and investigate in scenes.’
2. Sequels are ‘ …where your characters
react. They think, reflect, process, rest,
accept, and make peace in sequels.
Sequels are also used to establish setting,
reveal backstory, and show theme.’
Tip: We can even break our days up into
these units. A good writing exercise is to
break up a day in your life into periods of
action and periods of reflection.
Breaking Down The Numbers
Human beings are hard-wired to respond
to conflict, especially if it is vicarious, so it
makes sense that successful books are made
3. A woman who meddles in other people’s
marriages leads to her realising that
fools rush in where angels fear to tread.
How A Theme Helps
Once you have a theme for your book, use it
to check if every scene fits in your novel.
Ask yourself: Does this scene build your
story’s theme?
up of two or three scenes to every one
sequel.
1. An average book is 365 pages long.
2. We can work on including 70 scenes and
sequels in every book we write.
3. If we use the ratio mentioned above, we
will have approximately 50 scenes
(action units) for every 20 sequels
(reaction units) we write.
4. Scenes are longer, generally 1200-1500
words.
5. Sequels are shorter, generally 300-800
words.
These are obviously only guidelines, but
they are useful if you want a framework on
which to build your plot. It is also easier
when you can break up a book into these
bite-sized chunks.
In Four Parts
Over the next four weeks, I am going to
write about mastering scenes and sequels.
1. In today’s post, I will explain the basics
of scenes and sequels.
2. In the second post, I will explain the
anatomy of a scene.
3. In the third post, I will explain the
anatomy of a sequel.
 3
4. In the fourth post, I will
include templates to help you plot these
units.
10 Important Things To
Remember About Scenes And
Sequels
1. There has to be a purpose. Every scene
and sequel in your book should have a
purpose. The purpose of every scene and
sequel should, in some way, make it easier
for your protagonist to achieve his or
her story goal. In an ideal world these scenes
and sequels should show character and move
the plot forward. Ask yourself these
questions:
1.
1. Why do I need this scene?
2. Does this scene reveal anything new
about a character or the story?
3. Am I repeating something?
4. Is there a better way to reveal this
information?
5. What is the benefit for the characters
and the reader?
2. Every conflict must be
believable. Avoid including conflict for
conflict’s sake. Like any good crime, if your
characters are going to have an argument or
a fight, you need to show means, motivation,
and opportunity. Remember that fiction is
not as aimless as reality. It must make sense
if you want the story to have substance.
3. Show. Don’t tell. If there are two
characters in the scene or sequel, use
dialogue and actions to tell the story. If the
character is alone, let him or her act while he
or she is thinking. [Read 60 Things For Your
Characters To Do When They Talk Or
Think]
4. Tell when you need to tell. Sometimes
the scene is too exciting or too intense to
show. This is a good time to tell us what is
going on. [Read: 5 Instances When You
Need To Tell]
5. Beginnings, Middles, Endings. Every
scene should have a beginning and an end.
The muddle in the middle is important too.
In next week’s post, I will talk about scene
goals, conflicts, and failures. Remember that
you can’t have happy endings at the end of
each unit. If you did this, you would have no
story to tell.
6. Try to set the scene. Use emotions and
physical descriptions to create a mood for
your scene or sequel. Let your character
react to the setting using the five senses. If
you want to create a bleak scene with a
character in despair, you can set it in a bleak
setting. Alternatively, you can place the
character in a happy setting, and allow his or
her reactions to the happiness to reveal his or
her true emotional state.
7. Create friction-free transitions. We do
not have to know everything a character
does and thinks between scenes and sequels.
It would be agonisingly boring if we did.
8. Use cliffhangers. Risk a bit of
melodrama. When it is appropriate, make
your readers wonder what will happen next
by using cliffhangers They should not be
able to put the book down. You can do this
by:
1.
1. Leaving the viewpoint character with
a decision to make.
2. Setting a timer.
3. Revealing new information.
4. Adding a twist.
5. Asking a question.
9. Pacing is important. Don’t overdose
with too much action or too much reflection.
Do not include dialogue just because you
think you need more white space. As a rule,
action scene follows action scene. Use your
sequels when your characters and readers
need a break. [Read: All About Pacing]
10. Involve your protagonist in every
scene. This does not mean he or she has to
be present in the scene or sequel, but the
other characters should reference this
character in some way. If you do this, your
story will not get side-tracked.
 4

The Anatomy Of A Scene

Writers Write is your one-stop writing Conflict
resource. In this post, on the anatomy of a In trying to reach the scene goal, the
scene we discuss everything you need to viewpoint character must meet with
know about writing a scene. resistance, which leads to conflict with
The Scene another character.
In my first post in this series on writing
scenes and sequels, I covered 10 important
This resistance could include:
things to remember about these storytelling
devices. In today’s post, I am going to cover
the anatomy of a scene. 1. Delaying
“In many cases when a reader puts a story 2. Fighting
aside because it ‘got boring,’ the boredom 3. Teasing
arose because the writer grew enchanted 4. Arguing
with his powers of description and lost sight 5. Seducing
of his priority, which is to keep the ball 6. Chasing
rolling.” ~Stephen King 7. Lying
We need to make sure that we have enough 8. Waiting
movement in our stories. The easiest way to 9. Searching
do this is to include the correct number of 10. Fleeing
action scenes (a.k.a scenes) in our novels. 11. Manipulating
12. Cajoling
13. Insisting
Scenes are generally 1200-1500 words long.
14. Taunting
15. Demanding
The Anatomy Of A Scene Example:
A scene can be divided into three parts: Scene Conflict: Hector has to drop his
teenage daughter at home first. When he
picks her up, she is late. They get into an
1. Goal argument and his daughter finally tells him
2. Conflict why she was late.
3. Failure Failure
Goal The character must experience a failure in
The action scene is where the viewpoint one of the following ways:
character tries to achieve a short-term goal.
The character believes this scene goal will
help him or her reach, or come closer to 1. He or she fails to achieve the scene goal.
reaching, his or her overall story goal. 2. He or she fails to achieve the goal and
learns of another problem that makes
things worse.
Every action scene should involve another 3. He or she achieves the scene goal but
character who has a reason to oppose the learns of another problem that must be
viewpoint character. Other characters can dealt with.
also be present. [Suggested reading: The 4 This failure must seem like a natural
Main Characters As Literary Devices] consequence of his or her efforts. It should
Example: not be coincidental, for example, someone
Overall Story Goal: Hector wants to leave who is arguing with a neighbour cannot lose
his wife and start a new life. the fight because a storm comes up and
Scene Goal: Hector needs to get to the forces them inside.
airport to stop his mistress from going home.
 5
Example:
Scene Failure: Hector fails to get to the
airport and he finds out that his daughter has
a life-threatening illness. (Option 2 of the
failures)
Most action scenes are followed by another
and another. Only if the action scene has a
The Anatomy Of A Sequel
Writers Write is your one-stop writing
resource. In this post, on the anatomy of
a sequel, we discuss everything you need
to know about writing a sequel.
The Sequel
In my first post in this series on writing
scenes and sequels, I covered 10 things
to remember about these storytelling
devices. In the second I covered the
anatomy of an action scene. In today’s
post, I am going to cover the anatomy of
a sequel (a.k.a a reaction scene).
“Life is not so much about beginnings
and endings as it is about going on and
on and on. It is about muddling through
the middle.” ~Anna Quindlen
The sequel is used when the character
reacts to his or her failure and thinks
about a new plan of action. The character
may be alone or with another character.
This is the perfect place to make use of
your confidant character.
Because we get bored when we spend
too much time trapped in a character’s
thoughts and feelings, we need to
remember that sequels are shorter than
scenes. Sequels are generally 300-800
words long. [Read Everything You Need
To Know About Scenes And Sequels]
Two Tips
1. Show the character’s reactions
through thoughts, body language, and
actions if he or she is alone.
devastating result should we move to a
reaction scene or sequel.
Look out for next week’s post: The Anatomy
Of A Sequel
Click here for your scene templates
2. If he or she is with another character,
use dialogue, thoughts, body
language, and actions to express
reactions.
Use the sequel:
1. If the character’s reaction to an event
is strong, for example, he or she is
devastated, bitterly disappointed,
furious, or grief-stricken.
2. If the character’s reaction requires
analysis or weighing his or her
options.
3. If the action scene is momentous or
life changing.
Remember that the sequel is cathartic. It
gives the character and the reader a
chance to rest and to take stock of what’s
happened.
The Anatomy Of A Sequel
The sequel consists of four phases, in
this order:
1. The emotional. He or she reacts with
his or her heart. He or she could feel
outraged, angry, insulted, frustrated,
or embarrassed.
2. The rational. He or she calms down
and reacts with his or her head.
3. The decision. He or she decides
what course of action to pursue to
 6
solve the new problem created in the
previous action scene.
4. The action. He or she sets a new
short-term goal that puts him or her
on the path to the next action scene.
Example: Following last week’s
scene where Hector found out that his
daughter was ill, we move into a sequel
where he has to deal with this news:
1. Emotional: Hector visits his best
friend and breaks down.
2 Perfect Scene Templates To Help You Plot
Your Book
Writers Write is your one-stop writing
resource. In this post, we give you two
perfect scene templates to help you plot your
book.
Over the past four weeks, I have written
about mastering scenes and sequels. In
today’s post, I have included scene templates
to help you plot these storytelling units.
Previous posts included the basics of scenes
and sequels, the anatomy of a scene, and
the anatomy of a sequel.
2 Perfect Scene Templates To
Help You Plot Your Book
How to use the scene templates
1. Keep the scenes in numbered sequence.
2. Print 60 copies of the scene template.
(This is a guideline.)
3. Print 30 copies of the sequel
template. (This is a guideline.)
4. Fill them in.
5. Stick them up on a wall, and move them
around as necessary.
These are the five most important
questions to answer in each scene:
1. Is it a scene or sequel?
2. Rational: They discuss what has
happened.
3. Decision: Hector decides that staying
with his wife is the only option for
now.
4. Action: He calls his mistress, leaves
a message, and heads home.
A sequel is ALWAYS followed by a
scene. You should never have
consecutive sequels. It is boring.
2. Who is the character with a scene goal?
3. What is that goal?
4. Who stops him or her from achieving it?
5. How does he or she fail? What is the
‘failure’ at the end of the scene?
You need the following information
for your scene templates:
1. Scene number (where does it fit into the
sequence of the book?)
2. Scene type: Is it a scene or a sequel?
3. Setting
4. Who is the viewpoint character (VPC)?
5. Who tries to stop the VPC from
achieving the scene goal? This is the
opposition character (OC) for the scene.
He or she is not necessarily the main
opposition character in the novel.
6. Who supports the character in a sequel?
This is usually the confidant or friend.
7. Other characters: If there are any in the
scene.
8. How will you create conflict?
9. Do you have enough dialogue in your
scene?
10. Will you have a ‘disaster’ at the end of
the scene?
Top Tip: Remember that you can create
your own scene templates to plot your book.
 7

Click here to download: Writers Write Scene Template

Click here to download: Writers Write Sequel Template

All About Pacing – 4 Important Questions To

Ask
Writers Write is your one-stop resource for 1. What is pacing?
writers. We have put together this post on Pacing is all about the manipulation of time
pacing to help you when you write. and controlling the speed and rhythm of a
story.
All About Pacing – 4 Important
Questions To Ask
 8
“Pacing is part structural choices and part
word choices, and uses a variety of devices
to control how fast the story unfolds.”
~Jessica Page Morrell, Crafting Novels &
Short Stories.
The elements of pacing can be broken down
into various structural devices that are used
to control the speed of a story.
These include:
1. Scene
2. Sequel
3. Dialogue
4. Reflection
5. Word choice
6. Sentence structure
7. Suspense
8. Cliff-hangers
9. Scene lengths
10. Chapter lengths
Most beginners overwrite and this influences
pacing. We all end up padding our first
stories with too much description. We tend
to summarise long parts of the story and
repeat sections. This is mainly because we
do not have a good enough plot.
2. How do I know if pacing is a
problem?
Mechanically, this exercise is an excellent
way to check on overall pacing problems.
1. Read your work out loud – and that
means every single word. If your voice
trips over a word or phrase –delete it
or revise it.
2. Circle every ‘is’, ‘was’, ‘are’, and
‘were’. Unless you are using the verb ‘to
be’ replace them with strong verbs.
3. Delete unnecessary adverbs.
4. Delete unnecessary adjectives.
5. Ensure that more than 50% of your book
consists of dialogue.
If you do not have many words left after you
have done this, you need to work on your
plot. You need to plan 60 relevant scenes
that will get your book from the beginning
through the middle to the end. If you still
cannot do this, you may not have a novel.
You may have a short story or a personal
essay.
3. How do I change pace?
Pacing differs with the needs of a story. For
example:
1. A fantasy epic can be written at a
leisurely pace, with action scenes and
important events highlighting and
speeding up the story.
2. A short story is usually three scenes, two
of those are action, and one is reflection.
3. A crime novel is written at a fast, action-
packed pace, with shorter scenes that
deliver moments of reflection and
respite.
You need to increase pace in action scenes
and slow down your pace in reflective
scenes (sequels). Understanding scene and
sequel and their structure is crucial to
perfecting pacing. We refer to scenes as
action mode and sequels as summary mode.
You need to ‘show’ most of the time when
you write, but you need to highlight
‘showing’ in scenes. Sequels are the time for
‘telling’.
Tip: You should work towards having 75%
of your novel in action scenes and 25% in
reflective scenes.
4. What are the mechanics of pacing?
Seven ways to increase pace:
1. Keep most of your sentences short.
2. Stay in the active voice.
3. Use fragments.
4. Take out unnecessary adverbs.
5. Do not use unnecessary adjectives.
6. Try to use the best nouns and the
strongest verbs.
7. Use lots of relevant dialogue.
Six ways to slow down:
1. Offer more setting details, but do not
induce a coma with this.
2. Make your sentences longer.
3. Use the passive voice.
4. Use some adjectives.
5. Always remember that a tiny pinch of
adverb goes a very long way.
 9
6. Include more internal reflection by the
viewpoint character, along with the
dialogue.
To perfect your pacing you will have to
work on all 10 of the structural devices I
5 Guaranteed Ways To Bore Your Reader
Most beginners overwrite – padding their
prose with unnecessary descriptions and
characters. Here are 5 guaranteed ways to
bore your reader.
There are times when I pick up a book and I
think, ‘I can’t carry on.’ Even though I try to
finish most of the novels I start, life is just
too short to read badly-written, boring
books.
Why are these books boring?
Most beginners overwrite – padding their
prose with unnecessary descriptions and
characters. This is mainly because they do
not have a structured story with well-drawn
characters and a cohesive, well-paced plot. I
have put together sure-fire ways that will
help you if you want to bore your reader to
tears.
Five Guaranteed Ways To Bore
Your Reader
1. Add heaps of backstory. Every page is
important. Readers, publishers and
literary agents make decisions about
whether to carry on reading a book based
on the first few pages. Do not waste
anyone’s time with unimportant setting
details and character histories. Introduce
your main characters. Tell us where we
are – briefly. Set up a great conflict with
an exciting inciting moment. And write!
2. Do not structure your novel. Reading a
book seems incredibly daunting if you
are lost in an inexperienced author’s
stream of consciousness. A great story
does not meander from one unrelated
event to another. It needs to follow a
path. Otherwise, readers will lose
interest. They will worry about wasting
mentioned at the beginning of the post. I
hope that the mechanics I have mentioned
here will help you start to fix your pacing
problems.
their time as you muddle through the
details.
3. Do not create empathetic characters. It
does not matter if you happen to love
your unsympathetic psychopathic hero.
The truth is that nobody will continue to
read a novel without having an
emotional connection to the main
characters. They can be heroes, anti-
heroes or villains, but they all need flaws
and redeeming qualities. Readers read
stories because they want to relate to
someone in the book. We want to know
why the characters are acting the way
they do.
4. Leave unnecessary scenes in the
book. I walk out of movie theatres when
I watch a film where nothing happens. I
stop reading books for the same reason.
Authors cannot simply place characters
on the page, add some dialogue and
description and not move the story
forward. Scenes should move your
characters and your plot to
the resolution of your story. If they
don’t, cut them. Removing scenes keeps
your story focused, your pace intense,
and creates tension so that readers can’t
stop reading.
5. Describe everything. You do not have
to tell readers everything. They are not
stupid. Reveal information through
action and dialogue. This does not mean
that you leave description out. It means
that you do not tell us what every
character, town, tree, or house, looks like
in mind-numbing detail. Your characters
should interact with the setting. A reader
should be able to see and hear and smell
the novel through the words on the page.
 10
Please do not make these five mistakes when
you write. Remember that you are
competing for a place in a crowded market.
The Internet, television, movies, and smart
phones have taken their toll and today’s
The Protagonist As A Literary Device
Writers Write shares writing tips and creates
writing resources for writers. This post on
using the protagonist as a literary device
will help you write your book.
Welcome to the first instalment in my series
on the four main characters and why
they are literary devices. Today I’m going to
write about the protagonist and his or her
role in our stories.
The Protagonist As A Literary
Device
If we want to create memorable protagonists,
we have to remember their purpose in our
stories.
“In nearly all good fiction, the basic — all
but inescapable — plot form is this: A
central character wants something, goes after
it despite opposition (perhaps including his
own doubts), and so arrives at a win, lose, or
draw.” ~John Gardner
As A Literary Device: The protagonist
exists as a sympathetic device to drive a
story. To be effective in this role, he or she
is usually there from the inciting moment to
the end.
Story Goal: His or her story goal is to find
a solution to a problem posed at the
beginning of the book.
Five Important Things To
Remember About Protagonists
1. A novel without a protagonist is like a
movie without a star. A protagonist is
the central character or leading figure
in any story. Readers often call this
character the hero or main character.
We need somebody to empathise (note
reader will not tolerate long flowery
sentences, insipid characters and pages of
boring backstory. Writing like this is a
guaranteed way to lose your reader in the
first few pages.
that I did not say sympathise) with in a
story – and the protagonist is usually the
literacy device that facilitates this.
2. Location. Location. Location. We find
protagonists in most of the scenes in a
novel. The story revolves around him or
her and the author usually uses this
character as a viewpoint character. He or
she is the character with the story goal
that drives the plot.
3. We are all fatally flawed. Protagonists
are not perfect. They are simply people
who find themselves in a difficult
situation that requires an action
or reaction. An antagonist
often defines a protagonist. Without an
adversary for your hero, there is little
reason to write a novel.
4. A little bit of charm goes a long
way. Your protagonist is usually
likeable, though, because it is difficult to
persuade readers to wade through 360
pages, rooting for a person they do not
like. Anti-heroes can also be
protagonists, but you need to be a skilled
author to pull this off. You will have to
find ways to make them
charming, charismatic, or believable.
5. No man is an island. For your story to
work at the most basic level, you will
need an antagonist who tries to stop
your protagonist, a confidant or friend
who is there as support, and a romantic
involvement who is there to complicate
his or her life. There will be other
characters who make shorter
appearances in your book.
How Do You Find Your Protagonist?
List three characters who would realistically
have a strong reason to drive your story goal.
 11
The character who has the most ‘yes’
answers would be the best choice.
Now complete this:
 The character who should pursue the
story goal is:
 The character I find most interesting is:
 The character I would most enjoy writing
about is:
 The character who would be the most
believable is:
One of your characters will dominate these
answers. This is the character you should
consider using as your protagonist.
If the second character differs from the
character you chose in the lists, you may be
The Antagonist As A Literary Device
Writers Write creates writing resources for
writers. This post on using the antagonist as
a literary device will help you write your
book.
Welcome to the second instalment in my
series on the four main characters and why
they are literary devices. Last week I started
with the protagonist. Today, I’m going to
write about the antagonist and his or her role
in our stories.
giving the leading role to the wrong
character.
Character Questionnaires Suitable
For A Protagonist
1. Complete this for your protagonist: The
Only Character Questionnaire You
Need to Complete – 94 Questions For
The Characters We Create.
2. If you want a more creative character
questionnaire, try using this post to get to
know your protagonist better than you
know yourself: 127 Prompts To Finish
Before You Write About Yourself
In my next post, I will write about
the antagonist as a literary device.
Happy writing!
The Antagonist As A Literary
Device
“He that struggles with us strengthens our
nerves, and sharpens our skill. Our
antagonist is our helper.” ~Edmund Burke
As A Literary Device: The antagonist exists
to put obstacles in your protagonist’s path.
 12
He or she is there to create conflict.
Without conflict, there is no plot
plot.
Story Goal:: The antagonist’s goal is to try
to prevent the protagonist from reaching his
or her story goal.
Five Important Things To
Remember About Antagonists
1. Everybody is the hero of his or her
own story.. Readers call these characters
villains or opposition characters, but they
need not be evil or even bad people. If
the roles were reversed, the
he protagonist
could become the antagonist. Their story
goals are in direct opposition with the
protagonist’s story goal. This leads to
direct conflictt with the hero.
2. Give him or her a face.. The word,
antagonist, comes from the Greek word
‘antagonistēs’, which means opponent,
competitor, or rival. He or she should be
a person, rather than a force of nature
(earthquake, flood), a group (gang, big
company), an illness,, or a general life
condition (poverty, corruption). When a
hero is fighting a system,
the representative of that system or
company becomes your antagonist.
(Example: Neo fought Mr Smith in The
Matrix.)
.) In a good disaster story, one of
the characters will become the human
antagonist who tries to stop the hero.
3. Your protagonist is shaped by your
antagonist.. He or she should be equal in
strength to, if not stronger than, your
hero. This character must have the
resources and resilience to fight a good
fight. Create a character whose reason
for opposing thehe protagonist’s story goal
is as strong and logical as the
protagonist’s is for wanting to achieve it.
[Read 7 Essential Things To Remember
Reme
About Very Important Characters]
Characters
4. The stranger beside you.you The best
antagonist is someone who already plays
a part in your character’s life, for
example, a spouse, a boss, or a business
colleague. They should also have another
connection to the protagonist.
protago They may
have known each other in the past, they
may have a mutual acquaintance, or they
could have shared an important event in
the past. [Read 10 Ways To Create
Dangerously Nuanced Antagonists]
Antagonists
5. Motivations matter.. The antagonist
believes that his or her motivations are
valid and his or her actions are justified.
The antagonist does not have to work
from a negative motivation. Never create
an antagonist
nist who exists merely to
obstruct the protagonist. This will lead to
a shallow stereotypical character.
[Read 15 Questions Authors Should Ask
Characters]
How Do You Find Your Antagonist?
Which character would not want your
protagonist to achieve his or her story goal?
List three characters who would have a
strong motivation to oppose your
protagonist.
 13
The character with the most suitable role
who has the most ‘yes’ answers would be
the best choice.
Now complete this:
 The one with the greatest potential for
direct conflict with the protagonist is:
 The one I find most interesting is:
 The one I would most enjoy writing about
is:
 The one who would be the greatest
obstacle is:
Why Revenge Is Such A Brilliant Plot For
Beginner Writers
Writers Write creates writing resources and
shares writing tips. This post is about why
revenge is a brilliant plot for beginner
writers.
If you’re looking for a plot for a first novel,
we always recommend revenge.
Why Revenge Is Such A
Brilliant Plot For Beginner
Writers
1. It works in every genre.
2. It helps beginner writers focus on a story
goal.
3. It requires an antagonist – something
most beginners ignore.
If a character wants revenge it usually means
that he or she is motivated to act. This is
good. Reactionary characters are not
One of your characters will dominate these
answers. This is the character you should
consider using as your antagonist. If the
second character differs from the character
you chose in the lists, you may be giving this
crucial opposition role to the wrong
character.
In my next post, I will write about the
confidant as a literary device.
Happy writing!
interesting to readers, and they usually can’t
drive a plot. It also means that something
interesting has happened and that more
interesting things are likely to happen.
Revenge also builds a framework or plot for
a story with a beginning, a middle, and an
end.
Six Examples of Stories of Revenge:
1. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre
Dumas (Crime)
2. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
(Fantasy)
3. Hamlet by William Shakespeare (Play)
4. Carrie by Stephen King (Horror)
5. The Iliad by Homer (Literary Fiction)
6. The First Wives Club by Olivia
Goldsmith (Chick-Lit)
 14
Source for Image: Tom Gauld
Consider this…
Because the hero’s quest for revenge often
goes outside the limits of the law, you have
to manipulate the feelings of the reader by
letting the hero avenge an injustice. If you
want your reader to empathise with a
protagonist who seeks revenge, remember
these three points:
1. Your protagonist should be morally
justified to seek revenge. They should
have tried traditional, lawful channels
before they resorts to vigilante tactics.
The Top 10 Tips For Plotting And Finishing A
Book
Writers Write is your one-stop writing
resource. In this post, we write about the top
10 tips for plotting and finishing a book.
If you are looking for help in writing your
story it is probably because you have tried to
just sit down and be creative. This seldom
works.
You have probably stalled after a few
chapters, or halfway through your book. You
may have managed to finish a book and been
2. Show how the antagonist has destroyed
the protagonist’s life in emotional and
physical ways.
3. Your protagonist should remember that
the punishment must fit the crime. Don’t
let them go overboard and become an
evil creature whose behaviour is worse
than the antagonist’s.
Whether the protagonist succeeds or fails,
the reader should feel better that he or she
has at least tried to do something about the
situation. This is cathartic for readers who
often feel powerless in similar situations.
rejected. You probably have no idea where
you have gone wrong.
Maybe, you’ve realised that you need help
with plotting to finish your book.
I created Writers Write many years ago by
finding a way through these problems. My
writing courses are goal oriented. They give
you practical tips. They give you the tools to
write, and finish, a book. They inspire
writers to persevere.
 15
These are my Top 10 Tips for plotting your
story.
The Top 10 Tips For Plotting
And Finishing A Book
(© Amanda Patterson)
1. Write the ending first.
This gives you a destination. You may
eventually change the ending but having a
goal is more helpful than you can imagine.
Read: 7 Extremely Good Reasons To Write
The Ending First
2. Choose your antagonist before you
choose your protagonist.
Beginner writers tend either to have a story
idea without an antagonist, or they create
one-dimensional villains who do not suit the
hero’s story.
3. Give your characters physical
story goals.
A physical story goal is one that can be
experienced through the five senses. Your
protagonist and antagonist should have story
goals in opposition to one
another. Example: The villain wants to
destroy the hero’s company. The hero wants
to save his company. The intangible story
goals, such as ambition or finding inner
strength, will be revealed as a result of this
conflict.
4. Decide on a genre and stick to it.
It is disappointing to a reader if he or she
picks up a romance novel and it turns into a
serial killer thriller. Research genre
expectations, word count, etc.
5. Write a synopsis.
The synopsis should not be longer than two
pages. Tell the whole story. Do not include
back story. If you cut out unnecessary details
here you will save time. You will also be
able to stick to the story. It sounds romantic
when writers say they let the characters
show them the story. I have found these
writers seldom finish novels as they are
always trying out new things. This sounds
creative but it is disheartening when you are
trying to become a published author.
6. Be disciplined with settings.
Introduce major settings in the first quarter
of your book. It is unnerving when authors
introduce a new setting a few chapters from
the end of the novel.
7. Stick to two supporting characters.
Amalgamate extra characters into one
person. Your protagonist does not need
three best friends and five love interests. The
rules of story-telling require simplicity.
Readers get bored when they are introduced
to too many characters in one book.
8. Break your story into scenes.
Become a film director and construct
the scenes. Ruthlessly cut out any you don’t
need to move the story forward.
9. Wrap it up and write ‘The End’.
End the story as soon after your protagonist
has achieved his or her story goal as
possible. Don’t explain what has happened
and summarise the plot. Your reader is not
stupid.
10. They win, but…
The best endings in commercial and
literary fiction, as well as memoirs, are
when the protagonist achieves his story goal
but…
Examples:
1. Clarice Starling catches Buffalo Bill
in The Silence of the
Lambs but Hannibal escapes.
2. The pigs take over the farm from the
humans in Animal Farm but they have
become indistinguishable from them.
3. In Long Walk To Freedom, Nelson
Mandela achieves a free South
Africa but ends the book with the
message that there is another long walk
ahead.
 16
The One Thing You Need To Know About
Plotting A Series
Writers Write is your one-stop writing
resource. If you are planning to write a
series, there is one important thing you
should always do.
The One Thing You Need To Know
About Plotting A Series
It is important to write the first book as a
stand-alone novel with its own plot.
If you don’t, you will place too much
emphasis on scenes and characters and sub-
plots that only become important as the
series progresses.
It is frustrating, as a writing teacher, to help
an author who tells me, ‘It will make sense
in the next book.’ The problem is that if it
doesn’t make sense now, I won’t even finish
the current book. Readers who get
confused have lots of other options,
including many well-written and well-
plotted books, to occupy their time.
Finish Book One and make sure your readers
feel as if they have read a complete story.
Concentrate on getting the plotting essentials
of crisis, conflict, and consequence correct
in the first book. We know that a good novel
leaves some questions unanswered and some
possibilities open. These leave the door open
for your series.
This image from Plotting a Series by JA
Huss, author of the Rook and Ronin series,
explains it perfectly.
 17
If I have been entertained in the world you’ve created and the story you’ve told in your first book,
I will be eager to spend money on your next book.
Plot Builder – 3 Steps To Spark A Satisfying
Story
Writers Write creates and shares resources
for writers. In this post, we look at the plot
builder where we need to follow three steps
to spark a satisfying story.
The Plot Builder
To make sure you have a strong
enough plot to carry the weight of the story
from beginning to end, you need to make
sure you have these three vital elements.
Plot Builder – 3 Steps To Spark A
Satisfying Story
1. Show a character facing an
imminent crisis.
2. Throw as much conflict and as many
obstacles in his way.
3. Make sure there are consequences for his
actions or inaction.
1. Crisis
Always start with the main character and the
situation he finds himself in at the start of
the story. Strong characters drive a story
plot. Flawed, interesting, heroic, struggling,
sweating, beautiful – it doesn’t matter. Make
this character dynamic, a character who is at
the point of dramatic change or someone
who will face consequences if he doesn’t
change.
2. Conflict, conflict, conflict
Give him something he wants—something
he wants badly—and move him as far away
from this thing as possible for as long as
possible. There are people trying to stop
him. There are circumstances trying to stop
him. There is something within himself
trying to stop him. The conflict must be with
him every step of the way.
3. Consequences
And, lastly, there must be massive
consequence if he doesn’t resolve the crisis
he is in. This is probably the most important
element. Why? Because it keeps the
character motivated to keep going, to keep
trying—no matter how many times he gets
knocked down. It also keeps the reader
hooked, invested in your character and the
story. Will he win? Lose? These questions
will keep them turning the pages.
Examples:
1. A depressed detective investigates a
brutal crime in which his estranged
lawyer wife may be involved. The victim
was the public prosecutor. There is
pressure on him to find the killer, and a
need to clear his ex-wife, to resolve the
conflicts of his marriage and his own
emotional predicament. There’s a lot
happening here, right? We want to find
out how he gets out of this mess.
2. A successful architect discovers her
husband has been having a long-term
affair—with her younger sister. She feels
immobilised, but knows she needs to
regain her self-worth and her career,
while looking after her children. When a
work colleague starts helping her, she
falls for him. She has to reassemble her
family and rebuild her nest. There’s a
personal consequence she can’t ignore.
There’s a chance at happiness she has to
take.
 18
9 Ways To Make Readers Care For An Amoral
Protagonist
Writers Write is your one-stop resource
for writers. This post will help you to
make your amoral protagonist more
likeable.
Sometimes there’s a hero who is even
darker than an anti-hero. This character
is amoral or morally challenged. In fact,
he or she is usually a psychopath.
It is fascinating to read a book with this
type of protagonist. When the author gets
it right, you will find yourself rooting for
a criminal.
We found this article on io9.com and we
thought they came up with some great
ideas to get your readers on this type of
character’s side.
Nine ways to make readers care:
1. Make their ends noble even if their
means are evil.
2. Ensure there is a line even they won’t
cross.
3. Give them someone or something
they care about.
4. Show us how they lost their moral
compass.
5. Make everyone else worse than they
are.
6. Give them a sense of humour.
5 Really Good Reasons To Outline Your Novel
Before You Write A Word
Writers Write is your one-stop writing
resource and in this post, we will give you
five really good reasons to outline your
novel before you start writing.
7. Make them lose.
8. Falsely accuse them of worse crimes.
9. Make everyone hate them.
Examples of books with amoral
protagonist:
1. The Dexter series by Jeff Lindsay.
Dexter is a serial killer, but he is
different because he only kills other
killers.
2. The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia
Highsmith. Tom Ripley wants to be
wealthy and he kills a rich friend to
gain access to his monthly trust fund
cheques. There is something
charming about him and we root for
him as he evades capture. The rich
friends are often worse than Tom
himself.
3. The Book of Evidence by John
Banville. Freddie Montgomery’s
wife and child are held as collateral
when a debt comes due. He returns to
Ireland to steal a painting and
accidentally kills a girl in the process.
He goes on the run, but he truly
believes he has done nothing wrong.
Read the full article here: 10 Ways to
Make Everyone Root for Your Amoral
Protagonist
Outlining isn’t a necessity, but there are so
many advantages to it that even die-hard
‘pantsters’ should think twice about rejecting
it. I have taught many people to write and
 19
most of those authors who finish writing
their books have used an outline or plot of
some sort. (Most of the authors I’ve
interviewed also use outlines.)
On our creative writing course, we teach you
that outlining or plotting does not mean that
you have to put in every detail. (Note: There
are some outliners like Jeffery
Deaver and Jeffrey Archer who do include
everything.) It does mean that you have a
map to help you navigate and finish a first
draft.
Types Of Outlines
Outlines can be:
1. 50-page detailed plans.
2. A reworking of The Hero’s Journey.
3. A simple series of index cards with a list
of characters, major scenes, and sequels.
4. Structured timelines.
5. A series of character
questionnaires showing development,
motivations, flaws and strengths.
6. Story maps.
7. One-page chapter-by-chapter outlines.
8. One-page synopses.
9. 60-80 scenes and sequels
using templates.
Some authors have plotted their stories for
decades in their heads, making notes in
journals. As George RR Martin, creator of A
Song of Ice and Fire says:
“All the major things have been planned
since the beginning, since the early ’90s, the
major deaths and the general direction of
things. Obviously, the details and the minor
things have been things that I’ve discovered
along the way, part of the fun of writing the
books is making these discoveries along the
journey. But the general structure of the
books has been in my head all along.”
What are the advantages to outlining your
novel before you start writing?
Five Really Good Reasons To
Outline Your Novel
1. There is very little chance of writer’s
block. Getting stuck in a rut or losing the
plot are the most common reasons
people join our course. They have tried
the ‘pantser’ method and failed. None of
these writers have outlined or worried
about whether they have a plot that is
strong enough to see them through. Once
they join Writers Write, and work out
that they need a plan, they are much
happier and mostly more successful. If
you get stuck, you simply look at the
outline and move on.
2. You reduce the number
of rewrites and edits. Outlining is
similar, in many ways, to a first draft. If
you spend time planning the book, you
will have already written at least one
rough draft before you start on the
manuscript. You will also be able to
write more quickly because you have a
plan. The freedom of having an outline
allows you to be more creative when
you’re writing scenes. You can use your
writing skills to craft the story instead of
frantically trying to think about what
happens next.
3. You spot problem areas before you
begin. It is easy to write yourself and
your characters into impossible
situations. It might be fun, but you may
 20
have to scrap an entire book and begin
again if you can’t write yourself out of it.
4. It improves creativity. By thinking
everything through and planning your
story you’re stimulating the creative
process. Even if you write the first draft
without referring to your outline, you
will have a head start with your story.
You will also be able to thread ideas
through the story and
to foreshadow more effectively. You
7 Extremely Good Reasons To Write The
Ending First
Writers Write creates and shares resources
for writers. In this post, we look at seven
extremely good reasons to write the ending
first.
This post is about why I think it’s a good
idea to write the ending first. When we
teach Writers Write, one of the first things
we ask students is: How does your story
end?
Let’s look at why we try to define an ending
at the beginning.
(Note for pantsters: If you are happy with
the way you write and don’t want help with
the methods you use to finish a book, please
write any way that works for you. I am not
trying to convert you to writing with a plan.)
However, if you are struggling to finish
writing a book where the plot works out, I
would love you to carry on reading.
Why should you write the ending
first?
For two reasons:
1. Firstly, as much as some people love the
idea of working with meandering
storylines, I’ve noticed that those writers
seldom finish writing a book.
2. Secondly, most people who go to
workshops or sign up for courses are
truly looking for help, and I’ve learned
can’t foreshadow if you don’t know what
is going to happen next.
5. You develop compelling characters
with clear story goals. This allows you
to imagine how your character will
develop over the course of the story.
Because you know what happens, his or
her arc will never be out of step with the
rest of the manuscript.
What do you have to lose by outlining?
that the best way to succeed in anything
in life is to have a plan. Successful
people will tell you that you need to
know where you’re going before you
begin.
Smell the roses
This does not mean that you can’t take time
to smell the roses, or explore hidden paths
along the way. It simply means that you
always have a lifeline and, when you get
lost, it will be easier for you to find your
way back again.
Remember that readers like destinations.
They love beginnings, middles, and endings.
Why do you think fans are terrified
that George R.R. Martin will die before he
finishes A Song of Ice and Fire. They want
to know how the story ends.
7 Extremely Good Reasons To
Write The Ending First
1. Characterisation. If you know who
the characters are at the end of the
story, you will know how much you
should reveal about them at the
beginning.
2. Backstory blues. You will be forced out
of the ‘backstory hell’ that beginner
 21
writers inhabit and into the story the
reader wants to read.
3. Hindsight. We all know how different
life seems when we’re looking back. We
can often tell where a problem began.
We think about the ‘what ifs’ with the
gift of hindsight. You can use this to
your advantage in fiction writing.
4. Goals. You will have something to work
towards. Instead of aimlessly writing and
hoping for the muse to show you the
way, you will be able to pull the
characters’ strings and write the words
they need to get them from the beginning
through the middle to the end.
5. Time. Plotting from the ending
backwards saves you so much time
because you will leave out stuff that isn’t
meant to be there. You will not have to
muddle through an overwritten first
draft.
6. Facing reality. Writing the end forces
most of us out of our comfort zones. We
have to confront the reality of what we
are doing. It might not be as romantic as
flailing around like a helpless maiden,
but if you want writing to be your
profession, it’s good to make the
outcome visible. This is a way to show
The Author’s Promise – 2 Things Writers
Should Do
Writers Write is a resource for writers. If
you are starting a book, we have put
together a post on the author’s promise to
help you finish it.
‘The first duty of the novelist is to entertain.
It is a moral duty. People who read your
books are sick, sad, travelling, in the hospital
waiting room while someone is dying.
Books are written by the alone for the
alone.’ ~Donna Tartt
I have read thousands of books and reviewed
many of them – 800 according to
my Goodreads profile. Sometimes, I finish a
book, and I think, ‘Wow! I loved that. I
yourself that you are serious. The end
gives you a goal to work towards.
7. The importance of ending well. The
ending is as important as the beginning.
Good beginnings get people to read your
first book. Great endings get readers to
buy your second book. [Read: The Sense
Of An Ending]
Writers who don’t plot
There are a handful of famous authors,
like Stephen King and George R.R. Martin,
who say they don’t plot. I think they just
don’t realise they are those rare authors –
natural born storytellers, and that plotting is
instinctive for them.
I have interviewed many successfully
published authors and the majority of them
do believe in plotting. They outline, in
varying degrees, before they begin. And yes,
most of them know what their ending will
be.
Why not try it?
Why don’t you try to write the ending first?
What have you got to lose? I truly hope this
helps you write, and finish, your book.
wonder what else the author’s written.’
Sometimes, I finish a book, and toss it aside
with great force, and sometimes, I discard it
without a second thought.
I have spent hours thinking about what
makes me turn the page, pushing sleep away,
determined to finish the story. I have spent
just as much time thinking about what makes
me want to throw the book away so that
nobody else has to go through the literary
torture I endured.
I believe it’s simple. I want to be
entertained, and I want to learn something.
 22

1. I do not want a lecture. Show me a story
driven by great characters, and let me
come to my own conclusions.
2. I do not want contrived literary
manipulations, and obscure, incoherent
writing. I am your reader, not your
therapist.
3. I also do not want to get lost in your
unplotted stream of consciousness. I am
not your editor. Please take some time
to plot your novel.
Sometimes, magic happens and writers are
able to produce that special something, that
novel effect. Those are the books I will keep
on my bookshelf and never forget. I know
most books don’t fall into this category and
don’t expect them to. I do expect to feel as if
I haven’t wasted my time.
In the end, I think we’ve summed it up
perfectly on our Writers Write – how to
write a book – course. We suggest writers
make this author’s promise to their readers,
and try to keep it.
The Author’s Promise
‘I, the author, undertake to fulfil your
expectations on both an emotional and
intellectual level. I will begin with this
promise and I will try to overcome all
obstacles in a satisfying, meaningful way
through the middle of my book until I can
discharge my side of the contract. I
guarantee that in the end you will have either
gained new insights, have your dreams
confirmed or spent a thrilling vicarious
journey with my characters.’
As a writer, you enter into an agreement on
two levels:
1. The emotional – you will provide an
entertaining, inspiring story for your
reader
2. The intellectual – you will give your
reader a new insight and a new outlook
and takes him on a journey to another
world, be it internal or external
If I have been entertained, informed, and
inspired, I am a happy reader who will
gladly spend money on your next book.

What’s The Difference Between A Commercial

And A Literary Plot?
Writers Write is a resource for writers. If shorter shelf life, and fewer readers, than
you’re wondering about popular fiction and writers who do plot.
literary fiction, read this. We’ve put together
a post on the difference between a
My greatest wish as a reader is that more
commercial and a literary plot.
literary writers would learn to plot. Can you
There aren’t many authors (who actually sell
imagine the incredible books we would have
books) who can get away without plotting.
to read? There are some literary authors who
Best-selling authors, like Stephen King, who
do this. Kate Atkinson writes beautifully,
say they don’t plot, don’t realise that they
and her books have plots.
actually do it without realising it. They have
an innate plotting talent. They just need less
help than the rest of us. What’s The Difference Between A
I have noticed that even talented literary Commercial And A Literary Plot?
authors, who obviously don’t plot, have a
 23
What is a literary plot?
1. Generally, literary plots are full of
isolated characters without a clear goal.
2. They are slow and full of ambiguities.
3. The author concentrates on the inner
journeys of the characters and their
psychological setbacks.
4. The endings are often inconclusive and
they mostly don’t end happily.
The bottom line? There are fewer book
sales and the author makes less money,
unless he or she wins a literary prize.
What is a commercial plot?
1. Generally, commercial plots are driven
by characters with a well-defined story
goal.
2. There is lots of action and the author
deals with the interior and exterior
worlds of the characters.
13 Ways To Start A Story
Writers Write is your one-stop resource for
writers. In this post, we give you thirteen
ways to start a story.
If you want an audience’s attention, you
have to get them interested. You have to get
them to care about what has happened to
somebody (your protagonist) and wonder
what will happen next. If you don’t, they
will move on.
The beginning of your story must be vivid
and important enough to create empathy in
readers. They want riveting stories (with
intriguing characters) that have negative
beginnings, complicated (not boring)
middles, and generally positive endings.
Readers do not want to be bogged down
with backstory and prologues and flashbacks
. They want you to introduce a likeable
character who is in trouble and they want the
story to move forward.
Stories start when something
different happens. This something has
consequences for your characters and things
cannot carry on as they always have. I have
created this post to give you ideas on ways
to start your stories.
13 Ways To Start A Story
3. There are physical and emotional
setbacks.
4. The endings generally suit the genre of
the story.
The bottom line? More of these books are
sold and the author makes more money.
There is no chance of winning a literary
prize.
I think the way forward for modern writers
is to marry the two.
1. If you write literary fiction, spend some
time on plotting and add some pace.
2. If you write commercial fiction, make
your characters more complex and add
small twists to the endings of your
stories.
Happy writing.
1. A bolt from the blue – An otherworldly,
seemingly ‘magical’ event, challenge or
revelation makes carrying on with your
life as it is seem
impossible. Examples: Life after Life by
Kate Atkinson, Harry Potter by JK
Rowling, The Lion, The Witch and The
Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis, A Christmas
Carol by Charles Dickens, The
Magician by Raymond E. Feist
2. Be careful what you wish for… You
are given the opportunity to do what
you’ve always wanted to
do. Examples: The Firm by John
Grisham, Charlie and the Chocolate
Factory by Roald Dahl
3. Everything is not as it seems – A fact
about your past or who you really are
changes your life. Examples: The Prince
of Tides by Pat Conroy, Night Film by
Marisha Pessl
4. Exposed – Your darkest secret or
deepest fear has been
exposed. Examples: Midnight in the
Garden of Good and Evil by John
Berendt, The French Lieutenant’s
Woman by John Fowles
5. Help me! Someone who is worthy of
assistance needs your
 24
help. Examples: To Kill a
Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Erin
Brockovich, The Fault in our Stars by
John Green
6. How much do you want it? – You have
to face a challenge to get what you want.
You may have to battle your own
demons or win a battle of wits with an
opponent. Examples: Candide by
Voltaire, The Silence of the Lambs by
Thomas Harris, The Old Man and The
Sea by Ernest Hemingway
7. By invitation only – You try to join an
exclusive group, institution, service, club
that embodies your dreams and
aspirations. What will you have to
do? Examples: The Devil Wears
Prada by Lauren Weisberger, The
Circle by Dave Eggers
8. Opportunity knocks – An opportunity
in the middle of a life-changing event
offers you a way out. Examples: Time
and Time Again by Ben Elton. Hugh, a
grieving widower is giving the
opportunity to go back in time to change
history. The Good Luck of Right Now by
Matthew Quick
9. Rescued – You are saved but what you
face afterwards may be as difficult as the
situation you found yourself
in. Examples: Room by Emma
Donoghue, The Language of Flowers by
Vanessa Diffenbaugh
10. Soul mates – You meet someone who
could change your life, but there may be
The Importance Of Inciting Moments
Writers Write creates writing resources for
writers. We have put together this post on
inciting moments to help you write your
book.
Have you thought about where you will start
your novel? Do you have a treasure trove of
inciting moments from which to choose? I
hope you do.
When I taught our Writers Write course, I
found that students seldom want to know
many problems standing in the way,
including existing relationships, distance,
class barriers. Examples: Pride and
Prejudice by Jane Austen, Mister God,
This Is Anna by Fynn, Fried Green
Tomatoes at The Whistle-Stop Café by
Fannie Flagg, Brokeback
Mountain by Annie Proulx
11. Standing up for what’s right –
Something happens to someone you
love, or to you, in your workplace,
educational institution, medical
institution that makes life unbearable.
You have to take
action. Examples: Little Lies by Liane
Moriarty, Things Fall Apart by Chinua
Achebe, Animal Farm by George Orwell
12. Under attack – Something or someone
threatens you or your loved
ones. Examples: Gone Girl by Gillian
Flynn, The Hunger Games by Suzanne
Collins, Cry the Beloved Country by
Alan Paton, The Count of Monte Cristo
13. Stripping your identity – Removing, or
threatening to remove, whatever your
sense of worth, safety or well-being is
based on. This could be a job, a
relationship, a friendship, a sporting
ability, a musical
talent. Examples: White Oleander by
Janet Fitch, A Man in Full by Tom
Wolfe, Anybody Out There? By Marian
Keyes, The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
how to write a perfect beginning. They think
they already have that one in the bag.
Generally, they had decided that it will be
a prologue, usually a flashback that will
show the reader something he or she needs
to know in the future. Then they start at the
beginning with backstory. They must,
because ‘the reader won’t understand the
story if I don’t show who the characters are’.
Sound familiar? Don’t be too hard on
yourself. We all start writing that way. We
 25
were taught exposition at school. We had to
set up the story before we could begin. As a
fiction writer you need to un-learn
everything you were taught about story-
telling as a child.
The Importance Of Inciting
Moments
Adults want to read a book that begins with
a bang. They want to land in the middle of
the action, identify with the protagonist,
side against the antagonist, and take a
thrilling vicarious ride to a resolution.
We can learn how to do this. We don’t need
to hang on to bad writing habits that bore
readers. The backstory belongs in
your character profiles, your timelines, and
your first draft. After that, we have to get rid
of most of it, and start where things change.
So what are the elements of a good
hook?
1. Change is always a result
of CONFLICT. Something happens that
causes your protagonist to react.
Something changes. He or she is
presented with a situation that can’t be
ignored. You hook the reader with action
and reaction. Leave out how you got
there. You want to get the reader
interested.
2. Begin in a moment of CRISIS,
THREAT, or OPPORTUNITY. This
creates a situation that has to be dealt
with. It is exciting, stimulating, and
absorbing – especially if it’s vicarious.
This critical moment could be real or
imagined, internal or external, negative
or positive. It is easier for first time
writers if it is real, external, and
negative. This gives your protagonist
purpose, motivation, opposition, and
a goal. It forces change.
3. Cover the basics in this
moment. Introduce the characters by
giving us their names and telling us
where they are (setting). You want to get
the reader oriented. Where are we,
what’s going on, who’s involved?
Readers who feel confused go
somewhere that’s more comfortable.
As always, I believe that if you are a
brilliant, gifted writer, you can write
anything without help. You could also get
away with a prologue, or a flashback, or
backstory as a beginning for a novel.
However, if you’re the writer who wants to
learn the craft, the first option is a better
choice. You could also try a combination,
such as an imagined negative threat.
Five Examples of Inciting Moments
that Hook Readers
1. In The Fault in Our Stars by John Green,
Hazel, who is dying of cancer, is sent to
a support group by her mother because
she believes Hazel is depressed. Hazel’s
life changes because of the boy she
meets there.
2. In Life After Life by Kate Atkinson,
Sylvie has a stillborn baby, and we go
back to moments before the birth, again
and again, until Ursula is born alive.
3. In Night Film by Marisha Pessl, Scott
McGrath is forced to confront his old
obsession with the reclusive film
director, Stanislas Cordova, when the
director’s daughter, Ashley, who seems
to have been stalking him, commits
suicide – or did she?
4. In The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, Theo
Decker’s mother is killed in a bomb
explosion in a museum. Everything
changes for the worse in a moment.
5. In Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, Amy
Dunne disappears from her home. Her
husband, Nick’s life is turned upside
down.
Please note that I deliberately chose
examples from recent novels. It does not
help you to base the beginning of your book
on a novel that was written 30 or 50 years
ago. I would love it if you would add
examples of your favourite inciting moments
in the comments section below.
Look out for The Two Types Of Inciting
Moments
 26
The Two Types Of Inciting Moments
Writers Write creates writing resources for
writers. We have put together this post on
the two types of inciting moments to help you
write your story.
Inciting Moments – Winter Is Here
Every problem has a moment – a beginning
point – where everything changes. Your
world is off balance. You are acutely aware
that something is different. You can feel it,
taste it, see it, smell it. You can no longer
ignore it, if that was your coping
mechanism. In hindsight, it is easy to
identify. If you were recounting the story to
a friend, this is where you would begin. This
would be an inciting moment.
Every problem also has a solution. The
solution is usually a process you have to go
through to solve the crisis. To solve a
problem you need to make a decision about
what you are going to do next. You need a
goal. Whether or not you reach your goal, or
find another solution, is part of the journey.
The stories we write are no different to the
problems we face in real life. Something
happens that changes your character’s
life. The inciting moment in real life or
fiction is about change that leads to conflict,
or conflict that leads to change.
This moment is interesting and important
enough to create a response in you or your
protagonist. It makes you act.
We don’t want you or your protagonist to
wallow in victim mode, frozen in your
inability to react. We don’t want you to be
passive or indifferent. We want to find out
how you solved the problem, what you faced
(include the antagonist here), how you felt,
and what you learnt about yourself.
There are two types of inciting
moments:
Major – nothing is ever the same
again:
This inciting moment is external and can be
immediately linked to the main plot.
For example:
1. An antagonist kidnaps your protagonist’s
child.
2. A sniper kills an important politician
who is being guarded by your
protagonist.
3. A husband walks in on his wife who is
having sex with another man.
4. A man is told that he is terminally ill and
has a few weeks to live.
5. A teenage girl’s parents are killed. The
killers tell her that she is really the heir
to a fantasy kingdom and they plan to
use her as leverage in a war.
This type of inciting moment involves
immediate major conflict, action, change and
a reaction from a reasonable protagonist.
Or we can go back a few scenes and start the
stories here:
Minor – a glimpse into the ordinary
world before the change:
This inciting moment can begin earlier. It is
either internal or external, and shows us
more about the characters. In older books,
more time was given to this setting up of the
protagonist’s ‘ordinary world’. If you want
to go this route, make sure you keep it short
and make sure it is important.
For example:
1. A protagonist almost has a car accident
because she is distracted. She ends up
being late to pick up her child.
2. A bodyguard can’t sleep. He is having a
crisis. His girlfriend has left him, his
father is ill, and he wonders if he is still
good enough to do his job.
3. A man’s business flight is cancelled.
Annoyed, the workaholic decides to go
home and do some work from home. It’s
closer to the airport.
4. A man is fighting with his wife because
her mother is interfering in their
 27
marriage. He walks out, late for a
doctor’s appointment.
5. A teenage girl is bullied by other
children her age. She has always felt as if
she does not belong and wishes that a
dragon would spirit her away.
This type of inciting moment involves a
slower beginning with a minor conflict
(bearing in mind this is relative to the
storyline). This gives you a chance to get to
know the characters, but don’t go back
further than this. The major inciting moment
must occur soon after this.
Why does it matter?
1. The inciting moment is vital because it
gives your protagonist a story goal. It
doesn’t matter which one you choose as
long as you get to the point sooner rather
5 Times When We Are Pro The Prologue
I’ll advise you not to use a prologue 99% of
the time. That said, I know there are authors
who have used it and used it well, and we
are pro the prologue – sometimes.
When can you use a prologue?
5 Times When We Are Pro The
Prologue
At Writers Write we teach that you can use a
prologue:
1. To bridge a time gap. In The Edge of
Normal by Carla Norton, the prologue
takes place six years before the story
starts. Reeve was abducted when she
twelve and held captive for four years.
The prologue tells of how she escaped.
The inciting moment takes place six
years later when her therapist asks her to
help a young girl who has had a similar
experience.
2. When it is the ending of your
story. This makes the entire novel a
flash back. Consider Water for
than later. If you don’t, you run the risk
of losing the reader.
2. Once the story has started, and I care
about the character, I want to know what
happens next. All your backstory can be
woven into the rest of your story
with dialogue, memories (don’t overdo
these) and the occasional flashback (one
per novel is plenty).
3. Remember that the inciting moment is
just the beginning. Everything should
continue to change.
Add conflict, suspense, and action.
Show how this changes your character
until we reach the moment of crisis and
ultimately a resolution. Did you solve
your problem? Does he or she achieve
his story goal? That is up to you.
Elephants by Sara Gruen. She uses a
scene from the end of the book, but she
changed a word or two.
3. When it is written from a different
viewpoint that is never used
again. Think the opening sequence
of Star Wars. It sets the scene.
4. When it is a real document. You can
use a letter, a will or even a business
card. In The Luxe, a young adult novel,
Anna Godbersen starts her story with an
obituary notice. Throughout the novel,
she uses invitations, society columns and
diary entries to weave her tale.
5. When it is integral to the whole of the
story, but is not immediately
obvious. In The Wreckage by Michael
Robotham we are introduce to a killer
named The Courier and he is instructing
someone to execute the person in the
next room. No emotion. No setting. No
motive. Just dialogue. My first thought
was: WTF? My second thought was: I
have to know what is going on.
 28
A prologue should advance your story. It
should take nothing away from your opening
scene. There should be no other way to
convey the information. Sometimes it is
referred to as ‘backstory in disguise’. Make
sure you absolutely need your prologue.
How To Write A Beginning And An Ending
That Readers Will Never Forget
Writers Write is your one-stop writing
resource. In this post, we show you how to
write a beginning and an ending that
readers will never forget.
Billy Collins, former Poet Laureate of the
United States, says, ‘The first line is the
DNA of the poem; the rest of the poem is
constructed out of that first line. A lot of it
has to do with tone because tone is the key
signature for the poem.’
How To Write A Beginning And An
Ending That Readers Will Never
Forget
The same is true for your novel. The first
lines are a promise to your reader. They set
the tone for your book. Will it be lyrical,
crisp, caustic, humorous, or business-like?
They also allow readers to create a picture of
the coming story in their minds.
Your final sentences should resonate with
that promise. They should echo the tone and
the images from the beginning in some way.
They should show change, woven with
words, moods and senses that answer the
promise.
The exercise
When I teach Writers Write, I always use
this exercise:
1. I ask students to pick two random
characters from my character box, a
setting from the setting box, and I give
them a first line.
Happy writing.
Suggested reading: How To Write A
Beginning And An Ending That Readers
Will Never Forget
2. I then ask them to write
a beginning, using at least two of
the five senses.
3. I ask them to ground it with the objects
in the setting.
4. I suggest putting the protagonist in the
picture.
5. I then ask them to highlight the nouns
and senses they have used.
6. Then I ask them to write
an ending, using some of these words.
How does this work?
Example 1
White Oleander by Janet Fitch (1999) begins
with these lines:
“The Santa Anas blew in hot from the desert,
shrivelling the last of the spring grass into
whiskers of pale straw. Only the oleanders
thrived, their delicate poisonous blooms,
their dagger green leaves. We could not
sleep in the hot dry night, my mother and I. I
woke up at midnight to find her bed empty, I
climbed to the roof and easily spotted her
blond hair like a white flame in the light of
the three-quarter moon.”
Fitch ends the book like this:
“In the dark palm print, I could see the
blurred image, but also my mother’s face
shimmering on a rooftop over an
unknowable city, talking to the three-quarter
moon. I wanted to hear what she was saying,
I wanted to smell that burnt midnight again,
I wanted to feel that wind. It was a secret
wanting, like a song I couldn’t stop
humming, or loving someone I could never
 29

have. No matter where I went, my compass voice isn’t angry. It’s hollow, which is
pointed west. I would always know what worse. Already the boy with the bread is
time it was in California.” slipping away from me.

I take his hand, holding on tightly, preparing

Source for image
The lesson? Can you see how the ‘three-
quarter moon’, the ‘rooftop’, ‘midnight’,
‘my mother’ echo the beginning. The tone is
sad – wistful and restless in the beginning,
wistful and wiser in the end.
Example 2
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
(2008) begins like this:
“When I wake up, the other side of the bed is
cold. My fingers stretch out, seeking Prim’s
warmth but finding only the rough canvas
cover of the mattress. She must have had bad
dreams and climbed in with our mother. Of
course, she did. This is the day of the
reaping.”
Collins ends with:
“Out of the corner of my eye, I see Peeta
extend his hand. I look at him, unsure. ‘One
more time? For the audience?’ He says. His
for the cameras, and dreading the moment
when I will finally have to let go.”
The lesson? Can you see the repetition of
Katniss reaching out? Her fingers? His
hand? The ‘cold’ in the beginning echoes
with the ‘hollow’ at the end. The tone is
bleak, matter of fact and loaded in the
beginning; bleak, less clipped and sad at the
end.
Why it works
This is a powerful writing tool. It does not
matter if the ending is happy or sad, if there
is a resolution or not. The power is in the
echo – in the images being reinforced. Even
if the readers are unaware of what you have
done, they will feel as if the story circle is
complete.
As Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said,
‘Great is the art of beginning, but greater is
the art of ending.’

Contents
3 Steps To Help You Find Your Story’s Theme ........................................................................................ 1
What is a theme? ........................................................................................................................... 1
3 Steps To Help You Find Your Story’s Theme ......................................................................... 1
The Lajos Egri Theme Cheat Sheet: ........................................................................................... 1
Everything Writers Need To Know About Scenes And Sequels .............................................................. 2
10 Important Things To Remember About Scenes And Sequels ............................................. 3
The Anatomy Of A Scene ........................................................................................................................ 4
The Anatomy Of A Scene ............................................................................................................. 4
The Anatomy Of A Sequel ....................................................................................................................... 5
The Anatomy Of A Sequel............................................................................................................ 5
 30

2 Perfect Scene Templates To Help You Plot Your Book ........................................................................ 6

2 Perfect Scene Templates To Help You Plot Your Book ......................................................... 6
All About Pacing – 4 Important Questions To Ask .................................................................................. 7
All About Pacing – 4 Important Questions To Ask ................................................................... 7
5 Guaranteed Ways To Bore Your Reader .............................................................................................. 9
The Protagonist As A Literary Device .................................................................................................... 10
The Antagonist As A Literary Device ..................................................................................................... 11
Why Revenge Is Such A Brilliant Plot For Beginner Writers.................................................................. 13
Why Revenge Is Such A Brilliant Plot For Beginner Writers ................................................ 13
The Top 10 Tips For Plotting And Finishing A Book .............................................................................. 14
The Top 10 Tips For Plotting And Finishing A Book .............................................................. 15
The One Thing You Need To Know About Plotting A Series ................................................................. 16
Plot Builder – 3 Steps To Spark A Satisfying Story ................................................................................ 17
9 Ways To Make Readers Care For An Amoral Protagonist .................................................................. 18
5 Really Good Reasons To Outline Your Novel Before You Write A Word ........................................... 18
Types Of Outlines ....................................................................................................................... 19
Five Really Good Reasons To Outline Your Novel .................................................................. 19
7 Extremely Good Reasons To Write The Ending First ......................................................................... 20
Why should you write the ending first? .................................................................................... 20
7 Extremely Good Reasons To Write The Ending First .......................................................... 20
The Author’s Promise – 2 Things Writers Should Do ............................................................................ 21
What’s The Difference Between A Commercial And A Literary Plot? .................................................. 22
13 Ways To Start A Story ...................................................................................................................... 23
13 Ways To Start A Story........................................................................................................... 23
The Importance Of Inciting Moments................................................................................................... 24
The Importance Of Inciting Moments ...................................................................................... 25
The Two Types Of Inciting Moments .................................................................................................... 26
There are two types of inciting moments: ................................................................................. 26
5 Times When We Are Pro The Prologue.............................................................................................. 27
How To Write A Beginning And An Ending That Readers Will Never Forget ........................................ 28