STORY DECONSTRUCTION: Learning to Write by Taking Apart a Story

BySylvie Kurtz

by Sylvie Kurtz Story Deconstruction Story deconstruction means taking a story apart to see how it works (or doesn’t.) I’m always amazed at the number of people who want to write, but say they don’t read. That makes no sense to me. A big part of learning what makes a story tick is reading what…

RISING TO THE OCCASION: How a Story’s Final Battle Gives it Meaning

BySylvie Kurtz

by Sylvie Kurtz Rising to the Occasion Story theorists often use the word “battle” to describe the final clash between the main character and the main opponent. The word implies violence, a fight to the death. But battle can give your story so much more than physical fireworks. The final confrontation can add meaning. A…

PLAYING WITH THE MUSE

BySylvie Kurtz

by Sylvie Kurtz Playing with the Muse Playing with the Muse will allow you to harness her creativity. Artists often describe the muse as fickle. I think of her more like a child with ADD. I picture her a bit like Tinkerbell, bright and bouncy, flitting here and there, her attention diverted by anything that…

YOUR CHARACTER’S COMFORT ZONE: How to Put Him in a Box to Free Him

BySylvie Kurtz

by Sylvie Kurtz Your Character’s Comfort Zone Your character’s comfort zone; he has one. We all do. That’s what tames life’s chaos and allows us some degree of feeling in control. Everyone’s box comes in a different shape and size, but everyone has one. Your characters “lived” a life that got them to the starting…