Ian Dawson's Blog, page 2
July 10, 2025
Writing Tip of the Week: Should Your Story Have Rules? – Part Two, Narrative Rules
Last time, we explored establishing certain Technical Rules for your story before you begin writing. Today, we’ll explore another rule worth considering during the early phases of your story’s journey.
Let’s explore the world of…
Narrative Rules
Knowing how your story unfolds and is told before you begin writing can go a long way to ensuring you don’t have to backtrack or start over when things get confusing. Remember, if you’re confused by elements of your story, the reader will be equally confused, if not more.
Timeline:
How long does the story last? A day? A week? A holiday season? Does it span years or decades? Figuring out the basic timeline of events will help you plot your story and determine when essential story elements need to occur.
Also, depending on the length of your story’s timeline, ask yourself if the timeframe you’ve chosen is too short, too long, or fits perfectly with the story you plan to tell.
Story Structure:
Plan out your story and your main character’s arc before you sit down to write. This will save you a great deal of time and prevent you from getting stuck. With a completed outline of the story’s structure, you’ll know where you’re going and should have an idea of how you plan to get to that next major story point.
Additionally, this is a good time to determine how many stories are being told and interwoven into the main narrative. While the main character is the primary focus, are there other characters who will be followed in their subplots that link to the main story? As you craft the overarching structure of your story, this is the ideal time to make those choices and determine where to incorporate these elements.
Know Where You’re Going:
Is this book a standalone, or do you want to write a series? Will each story of the series be its own narrative, or will they be interconnected? Determining this early on can help you as you craft the structure of the first book and plan how much information to reveal about the main character at the start.
What Can and Can’t Happen:
This applies to all genres and is crucial for maintaining consistency throughout your story. If your story is fantasy and contains magic, how powerful is the magic? What types of magic are present in the world of your story? What kind of magic does the main character possess (or eventually acquire)? The villain?
If it’s an action or crime thriller, can anyone die? Is the main character in danger of being killed off, making everyone in the story vulnerable?
If it’s sci-fi, flesh out the worlds you create and decide how each society functions, what technology they have, and what types of problems and conflicts the main character could run into when they arrive at each location. Even if it’s a dystopian society on Earth, deciding what can and can’t happen in that society will help you creatively as your characters navigate their surroundings.
These are a handful of examples, but take the time to consider these aspects of your story before you write. An excellent example of this is the original Star Wars trilogy. Lucas does a fantastic job of immersing us in the world he created, and he provides us with the rules and limitations of The Force, as well as its application for both good and evil.
Lucas sets up the rules for The Force in A New Hope, but then expands on and shows the audience how it’s used in the subsequent two films.
Aside from Star Wars, I recommend watching any movie and examining the story’s established rules. Is there ever a point where the story breaks its own rules?
Next Time…
In the next post, we’ll explore some Character Rules to consider while brainstorming and plotting your story. Happy writing, and I’ll see you next time!
Let’s explore the world of…
Narrative Rules
Knowing how your story unfolds and is told before you begin writing can go a long way to ensuring you don’t have to backtrack or start over when things get confusing. Remember, if you’re confused by elements of your story, the reader will be equally confused, if not more.
Timeline:
How long does the story last? A day? A week? A holiday season? Does it span years or decades? Figuring out the basic timeline of events will help you plot your story and determine when essential story elements need to occur.
Also, depending on the length of your story’s timeline, ask yourself if the timeframe you’ve chosen is too short, too long, or fits perfectly with the story you plan to tell.
Story Structure:
Plan out your story and your main character’s arc before you sit down to write. This will save you a great deal of time and prevent you from getting stuck. With a completed outline of the story’s structure, you’ll know where you’re going and should have an idea of how you plan to get to that next major story point.
Additionally, this is a good time to determine how many stories are being told and interwoven into the main narrative. While the main character is the primary focus, are there other characters who will be followed in their subplots that link to the main story? As you craft the overarching structure of your story, this is the ideal time to make those choices and determine where to incorporate these elements.
Know Where You’re Going:
Is this book a standalone, or do you want to write a series? Will each story of the series be its own narrative, or will they be interconnected? Determining this early on can help you as you craft the structure of the first book and plan how much information to reveal about the main character at the start.
What Can and Can’t Happen:
This applies to all genres and is crucial for maintaining consistency throughout your story. If your story is fantasy and contains magic, how powerful is the magic? What types of magic are present in the world of your story? What kind of magic does the main character possess (or eventually acquire)? The villain?
If it’s an action or crime thriller, can anyone die? Is the main character in danger of being killed off, making everyone in the story vulnerable?
If it’s sci-fi, flesh out the worlds you create and decide how each society functions, what technology they have, and what types of problems and conflicts the main character could run into when they arrive at each location. Even if it’s a dystopian society on Earth, deciding what can and can’t happen in that society will help you creatively as your characters navigate their surroundings.
These are a handful of examples, but take the time to consider these aspects of your story before you write. An excellent example of this is the original Star Wars trilogy. Lucas does a fantastic job of immersing us in the world he created, and he provides us with the rules and limitations of The Force, as well as its application for both good and evil.
Lucas sets up the rules for The Force in A New Hope, but then expands on and shows the audience how it’s used in the subsequent two films.
Aside from Star Wars, I recommend watching any movie and examining the story’s established rules. Is there ever a point where the story breaks its own rules?
Next Time…
In the next post, we’ll explore some Character Rules to consider while brainstorming and plotting your story. Happy writing, and I’ll see you next time!
July 8, 2025
Writing Tip of the Week: Should Your Story Have Rules? – Part One, Technical Rules
Rules. While it’s odd to think about, stories do come with their own sets of fixed rules and regulations that help the author know what can and can’t happen in a story. These can be simple or complex, but establishing a set of rules for your story and its characters can help you as you craft your narrative.
The best time to establish rules for your story is before you begin the outline/drafting process. This will help you have these guardrails in place as you venture out into the creative world of your story.
Over the next three posts, we’ll discuss the areas where you should establish rules beforehand. Let’s begin with…
Technical Rules
These are aspects that affect not just how you write your story, but how the reader experiences it. These include:
Point-of-View:
Will the story be told through first-person, second-person, third-person omniscient, or third-person limited narration? Will you use more than one point of view during the story?
Think about your story and what you want to establish about what the characters know and are aware of, and what you want the reader to know about your characters. Do you prefer the reader to hear directly from the character, or do you prefer an ever-present narrator to give insight into your characters’ lives and choices?
Tense:
I would venture to guess that most books are written in the past tense, where the story is being told to us after the fact. However, I have recently read a few books where the story is told in the present tense, placing the reader in the moment and experiencing things as the characters do, as the story unfolds.
Screenplays, plays, and TV scripts are written in the present tense. If you’re interested in experimenting with this story tense, I recommend reading some scripts or seeking out novels like Red, White, & Royal Blue by Casey McQuistion in this style to see if it would work for your story.
Basic Structure:
How will the story be told? In chapters? In sections (Part One, Part Two, etc.)? In a long-running narrative with no breaks? In chapters with segments?
Depending on the story being told, the majority of books utilize standard chaptering, but you can decide how you want to label the chapters (Chapter One or Chapter 1). Stephen King often has the main chapter, then sub-sections in those chapters designated by Roman Numerals.
The nice thing about novels versus screenplays is that there is no hard and fast rule about how long the book has to be. Screenplays are typically 110 pages, whereas a novel can be as long as needed to convey the story.
Next Time…
In the next post, we’ll explore some Narrative Rules to consider while brainstorming and plotting your story. Happy writing, and I’ll see you next time!
The best time to establish rules for your story is before you begin the outline/drafting process. This will help you have these guardrails in place as you venture out into the creative world of your story.
Over the next three posts, we’ll discuss the areas where you should establish rules beforehand. Let’s begin with…
Technical Rules
These are aspects that affect not just how you write your story, but how the reader experiences it. These include:
Point-of-View:
Will the story be told through first-person, second-person, third-person omniscient, or third-person limited narration? Will you use more than one point of view during the story?
Think about your story and what you want to establish about what the characters know and are aware of, and what you want the reader to know about your characters. Do you prefer the reader to hear directly from the character, or do you prefer an ever-present narrator to give insight into your characters’ lives and choices?
Tense:
I would venture to guess that most books are written in the past tense, where the story is being told to us after the fact. However, I have recently read a few books where the story is told in the present tense, placing the reader in the moment and experiencing things as the characters do, as the story unfolds.
Screenplays, plays, and TV scripts are written in the present tense. If you’re interested in experimenting with this story tense, I recommend reading some scripts or seeking out novels like Red, White, & Royal Blue by Casey McQuistion in this style to see if it would work for your story.
Basic Structure:
How will the story be told? In chapters? In sections (Part One, Part Two, etc.)? In a long-running narrative with no breaks? In chapters with segments?
Depending on the story being told, the majority of books utilize standard chaptering, but you can decide how you want to label the chapters (Chapter One or Chapter 1). Stephen King often has the main chapter, then sub-sections in those chapters designated by Roman Numerals.
The nice thing about novels versus screenplays is that there is no hard and fast rule about how long the book has to be. Screenplays are typically 110 pages, whereas a novel can be as long as needed to convey the story.
Next Time…
In the next post, we’ll explore some Narrative Rules to consider while brainstorming and plotting your story. Happy writing, and I’ll see you next time!
June 22, 2025
Summer Challenge: Reading Diverse Authors
As readers, we all have authors and genres that we gravitate toward because we know from previous experience that we’ll enjoy what we read. It’s easy to get into a reading cycle where we are laser-focused on what we’re comfortable with, but what if we switched things up once or twice a year?
Look, I know that most readers read what they do because they want to, and don’t like being told what to read, what authors to like, or what books they should be obsessing over during certain months of the year.
Humans are creatures of habit who often resist change to their routines, which can include the books they enjoy reading.
However, as an avid reader, I have come across books by diverse authors in various genres that I have loved, making me a fan of their work. Casey McQuiston, Amy Harmon, Kennedy Ryan, and Grady Hendrix are all authors I’ve discovered by stepping out of my reading comfort zone and taking a chance on what these authors have to offer.
And I haven’t been disappointed yet.
I challenge all readers this year to read at least one novel by a BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, Latino or Latina, a female, or neurodiverse author, and see how a diverse perspective interprets your favorite genre. You might discover a new voice to add to your reading list.
This summer, get out of your reading comfort zone and read a book from a new author. I guarantee you’ll find something that will surprise and entertain you.
Happy Reading, and I’ll see you next time!
Look, I know that most readers read what they do because they want to, and don’t like being told what to read, what authors to like, or what books they should be obsessing over during certain months of the year.
Humans are creatures of habit who often resist change to their routines, which can include the books they enjoy reading.
However, as an avid reader, I have come across books by diverse authors in various genres that I have loved, making me a fan of their work. Casey McQuiston, Amy Harmon, Kennedy Ryan, and Grady Hendrix are all authors I’ve discovered by stepping out of my reading comfort zone and taking a chance on what these authors have to offer.
And I haven’t been disappointed yet.
I challenge all readers this year to read at least one novel by a BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, Latino or Latina, a female, or neurodiverse author, and see how a diverse perspective interprets your favorite genre. You might discover a new voice to add to your reading list.
This summer, get out of your reading comfort zone and read a book from a new author. I guarantee you’ll find something that will surprise and entertain you.
Happy Reading, and I’ll see you next time!
June 17, 2025
Reading Question of the Week: Where Are You Reading This Summer?
Summer officially begins on Friday, June 20th, which made me wonder what everyone might be reading this summer. With so many types of books to choose from, I thought we’d explore some of the options available for car rides, plane trips, or hanging out at the beach or by the pool.
Road Trips
If you’re the driver, reading a book is out of the question, but audiobooks are always a great option to utilize as you make your way from Point A to Point B. Depending on the length of your trip you can choose an audiobook that will take you to your destination, or break it up between traveling to and from where you’re going.
I would recommend choosing a book that will keep you engaged and awake, which also means finding an audiobook with an author who doesn’t put you to sleep as you drive.
If you’re the passenger, you can either have a say in what audiobook is chosen, or you can pick any book you wish to read on your road trip. An eBook is also an option, and having a variety of books to choose from can make the journey pass more quickly.
Leaving on a Jet Plane
Planes are good for audiobooks to drown out the other passengers, crying babies, fights, and other hindrances to your enjoyment of your flight. It’s a great way to fully immerse yourself in another world as you fly above ours.
If you choose a regular book, you may want to consider something light since you’ll be lugging it around with you. I would recommend avoiding 1000-page books and sticking with lighter fare for your trip. No need to add more weight to your carry-on and get charged an additional fee.
Like the car trip, an eBook is also an option, but if the flight has strict rules about electronics, this could put a damper on your eBook reading plans.
Beach or Pool
I would avoid bringing books with any value or that you don’t want to get wet (or, in the case of the beach, wet and sandy). Nothing ruins a first edition’s value faster than saltwater, chlorine, or wet sand.
If you want to read an eBook, make sure your device is in something waterproof so you avoid any technology versus water mishaps.
Staycation
Read whatever you want in whatever format you wish. You’re home, you’re in your own space and comfort zone. Enjoy the peace and quiet and immerse yourself in a book!
Have Fun!
No matter where you travel, make sure to put the book down long enough to take in your surroundings and enjoy the scenery. Make memories and enjoy your time with family and friends as you travel this summer, and don’t forget to pick up a new bookmark wherever you go!
Happy Reading, and I’ll see you next time!
Road Trips
If you’re the driver, reading a book is out of the question, but audiobooks are always a great option to utilize as you make your way from Point A to Point B. Depending on the length of your trip you can choose an audiobook that will take you to your destination, or break it up between traveling to and from where you’re going.
I would recommend choosing a book that will keep you engaged and awake, which also means finding an audiobook with an author who doesn’t put you to sleep as you drive.
If you’re the passenger, you can either have a say in what audiobook is chosen, or you can pick any book you wish to read on your road trip. An eBook is also an option, and having a variety of books to choose from can make the journey pass more quickly.
Leaving on a Jet Plane
Planes are good for audiobooks to drown out the other passengers, crying babies, fights, and other hindrances to your enjoyment of your flight. It’s a great way to fully immerse yourself in another world as you fly above ours.
If you choose a regular book, you may want to consider something light since you’ll be lugging it around with you. I would recommend avoiding 1000-page books and sticking with lighter fare for your trip. No need to add more weight to your carry-on and get charged an additional fee.
Like the car trip, an eBook is also an option, but if the flight has strict rules about electronics, this could put a damper on your eBook reading plans.
Beach or Pool
I would avoid bringing books with any value or that you don’t want to get wet (or, in the case of the beach, wet and sandy). Nothing ruins a first edition’s value faster than saltwater, chlorine, or wet sand.
If you want to read an eBook, make sure your device is in something waterproof so you avoid any technology versus water mishaps.
Staycation
Read whatever you want in whatever format you wish. You’re home, you’re in your own space and comfort zone. Enjoy the peace and quiet and immerse yourself in a book!
Have Fun!
No matter where you travel, make sure to put the book down long enough to take in your surroundings and enjoy the scenery. Make memories and enjoy your time with family and friends as you travel this summer, and don’t forget to pick up a new bookmark wherever you go!
Happy Reading, and I’ll see you next time!
June 5, 2025
Writing Exercise of the Week: What’s Your Favorite Holiday?
There are a lot of holidays on the calendar these days. Aside from the big ones like Easter and Christmas, it seems as if each day has some designated event associated with it, whether it’s official or not. Did you know that January 29 is Puzzle Day, March 19th is Let’s Laugh Day, and June 7 is VCR Day? I’ve provided a link to the list at the end of this post.
With official and unofficial holidays in mind, let’s get to today’s writing exercise!
Exercise # 1 - Pick Your Favorite Holiday
The sky’s the limit on which to pick, but pick one you get excited about celebrating. Make a list of five to ten things that you like about the holiday. It could be food, decorations, the people you see, the weather, etc.
Now, using the first-person POV, write a few paragraphs describing your ideal moment during this holiday in detail. If it’s Christmas, maybe it’s your kids opening presents Christmas morning. If it’s Halloween, perhaps it’s handing out candy and seeing the various costumes.
Whatever moment you choose, go into detail and use your five senses.
What do you see, hear, feel, taste, and smell during this particular holiday moment?
How do these positive emotions impact how you write about your chosen holiday?
Exercise #2 - Pick Your Least Favorite Holiday
Everyone has that one holiday they can’t stand, and now is your time to rant about why you dislike it so much. List five to ten things you dislike about your chosen holiday.
Again, using the first-person POV, pick a moment during that hated holiday and write a few paragraphs describing in detail why you feel this way. This is for your eyes only, so let the disdain flow from your fingers as you describe everything you can’t stand about this awful holiday in detail.
Maybe you can’t stand Halloween because of all the violence and gore around. Perhaps you don’t like New Year’s Eve because the fireworks and loud noises bother your pets. Whatever the reasons, craft a detailed story where you discuss the sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and tactile aspects of the holiday that you can’t stand.
How do these negative emotions impact how you write about your chosen holiday?
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Check out the link for a list of annual unofficial holidays.
With official and unofficial holidays in mind, let’s get to today’s writing exercise!
Exercise # 1 - Pick Your Favorite Holiday
The sky’s the limit on which to pick, but pick one you get excited about celebrating. Make a list of five to ten things that you like about the holiday. It could be food, decorations, the people you see, the weather, etc.
Now, using the first-person POV, write a few paragraphs describing your ideal moment during this holiday in detail. If it’s Christmas, maybe it’s your kids opening presents Christmas morning. If it’s Halloween, perhaps it’s handing out candy and seeing the various costumes.
Whatever moment you choose, go into detail and use your five senses.
What do you see, hear, feel, taste, and smell during this particular holiday moment?
How do these positive emotions impact how you write about your chosen holiday?
Exercise #2 - Pick Your Least Favorite Holiday
Everyone has that one holiday they can’t stand, and now is your time to rant about why you dislike it so much. List five to ten things you dislike about your chosen holiday.
Again, using the first-person POV, pick a moment during that hated holiday and write a few paragraphs describing in detail why you feel this way. This is for your eyes only, so let the disdain flow from your fingers as you describe everything you can’t stand about this awful holiday in detail.
Maybe you can’t stand Halloween because of all the violence and gore around. Perhaps you don’t like New Year’s Eve because the fireworks and loud noises bother your pets. Whatever the reasons, craft a detailed story where you discuss the sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and tactile aspects of the holiday that you can’t stand.
How do these negative emotions impact how you write about your chosen holiday?
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Check out the link for a list of annual unofficial holidays.
June 3, 2025
Writing Exercise of the Week: What’s Your Ideal Vacation?
Vacations, road trips, and weekend adventures—we’ve all experienced them at one point in our lives, and most of us have had one or two that have been truly memorable. As we near the time of year when many people go on vacation, I thought a writing exercise in that vein would be fun to do.
So, pack your bags and let’s go!
Exercise #1 – Your Ideal Vacation
Brainstorm a list of all the places you’d love to go on vacation. Pick one of those places, then research places to stay, things to do, and where you can eat while there. Next, decide who you’d like to take on the trip with you (it’s 100% fine if you want to go alone).
Now, write a short story (500 words) about arriving at your ideal vacation spot. Why did you choose this place? Describe the sights and sounds as you take in this new and exciting place. How do you feel inside as you arrive at your ideal vacation destination?
Exercise #2 – Your Favorite Vacation Moment
We’ve all had a vacation that we were sad to see end, and those vacations always have a few key moments that make them a memorable experience.
Pick one of those favorite moments and write about it in detail. What happened right before this moment? Who were you with? What was the weather like? What do you recall about your emotional reactions to this perfect vacation moment? What made it so ideal for you and anyone else who was there? What happened right after this perfect moment? Did the high of the experience stick with you, or did it vanish soon after?
Exercise #3 – Your Worst Vacation Moment
Vacations have their ups and downs, but what about those moments that suck so bad you want to escape the vacation and go home immediately? Negative vacation moments can be as memorable as those we cherish, whether car trouble, a bad hotel room, dealing with other tourists, or the attitudes of workers we encounter.
Pick one of these “worst” moments and write a story about it. What led up to the bad series of events? Who was there with you? Who was the leading cause of the problems you faced? What moment bothered you most and made you want to run away? How were things resolved? Were they resolved? What emotions and feelings did you have during the series of bad events? Did you learn anything from what happened?
Why Am I Doing This?
We can learn a lot about ourselves through our good and bad life experiences. While the negative experiences are ones we wish to forget, they can also be highly relatable to an audience.
Thinking back and journaling about your experiences is an excellent way to have reference material for your work and to give you plenty of real-life stories to inspire you and your writing.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
So, pack your bags and let’s go!
Exercise #1 – Your Ideal Vacation
Brainstorm a list of all the places you’d love to go on vacation. Pick one of those places, then research places to stay, things to do, and where you can eat while there. Next, decide who you’d like to take on the trip with you (it’s 100% fine if you want to go alone).
Now, write a short story (500 words) about arriving at your ideal vacation spot. Why did you choose this place? Describe the sights and sounds as you take in this new and exciting place. How do you feel inside as you arrive at your ideal vacation destination?
Exercise #2 – Your Favorite Vacation Moment
We’ve all had a vacation that we were sad to see end, and those vacations always have a few key moments that make them a memorable experience.
Pick one of those favorite moments and write about it in detail. What happened right before this moment? Who were you with? What was the weather like? What do you recall about your emotional reactions to this perfect vacation moment? What made it so ideal for you and anyone else who was there? What happened right after this perfect moment? Did the high of the experience stick with you, or did it vanish soon after?
Exercise #3 – Your Worst Vacation Moment
Vacations have their ups and downs, but what about those moments that suck so bad you want to escape the vacation and go home immediately? Negative vacation moments can be as memorable as those we cherish, whether car trouble, a bad hotel room, dealing with other tourists, or the attitudes of workers we encounter.
Pick one of these “worst” moments and write a story about it. What led up to the bad series of events? Who was there with you? Who was the leading cause of the problems you faced? What moment bothered you most and made you want to run away? How were things resolved? Were they resolved? What emotions and feelings did you have during the series of bad events? Did you learn anything from what happened?
Why Am I Doing This?
We can learn a lot about ourselves through our good and bad life experiences. While the negative experiences are ones we wish to forget, they can also be highly relatable to an audience.
Thinking back and journaling about your experiences is an excellent way to have reference material for your work and to give you plenty of real-life stories to inspire you and your writing.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
May 20, 2025
Writing Tip of the Week: Humanizing Characters Through Conflict
When someone is put under pressure and forced to react to conflict or some emergency, you often see a different side of the individual. They may panic, or they might stay level-headed during this time of crisis. They may lash out and become angry or violent, or escape the situation and leave the problem for someone else.
Conflict can reveal a lot about a real person and a fictional character as well. Increasing the pressure, tension, and opposition on your main character can help you craft a stronger narrative as you decide how your hero deals with stressful situations.
It’s easy to avoid conflict and keep to yourself in the real world, but your main character doesn’t have that luxury. In fact, they should be thrown into the deep end of conflict as soon as possible once their goal has been established. They don’t have time to avoid anything; they have a journey to take and a problem to solve.
How they deal with conflict at varying levels can tell the reader or viewer a lot about your main character, and create empathy or sympathy for them, depending on the situation. This is an excellent opportunity to humanize your main character by putting them under pressure and showing the audience how they handle themselves and their opponent.
Do they joke their way out of the situation? Do they use force to end the conflict? Do they run away to avoid getting hurt? Any of these gives us insight into who this person is and creates a more relatable character.
Take two characters from a story you’re working on, put them in a room, and give them something to argue about. How does Character A deal with the conflict? How does Character B? How is the conflict resolved? Did they resolve the initial conflict, or did it escalate into a larger conflict between them?
Exploring how your main character and other characters in the story deal with conflict can make them relatable to an audience and make them more human in dealing with the many problems they encounter in your story.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
Conflict can reveal a lot about a real person and a fictional character as well. Increasing the pressure, tension, and opposition on your main character can help you craft a stronger narrative as you decide how your hero deals with stressful situations.
It’s easy to avoid conflict and keep to yourself in the real world, but your main character doesn’t have that luxury. In fact, they should be thrown into the deep end of conflict as soon as possible once their goal has been established. They don’t have time to avoid anything; they have a journey to take and a problem to solve.
How they deal with conflict at varying levels can tell the reader or viewer a lot about your main character, and create empathy or sympathy for them, depending on the situation. This is an excellent opportunity to humanize your main character by putting them under pressure and showing the audience how they handle themselves and their opponent.
Do they joke their way out of the situation? Do they use force to end the conflict? Do they run away to avoid getting hurt? Any of these gives us insight into who this person is and creates a more relatable character.
Take two characters from a story you’re working on, put them in a room, and give them something to argue about. How does Character A deal with the conflict? How does Character B? How is the conflict resolved? Did they resolve the initial conflict, or did it escalate into a larger conflict between them?
Exploring how your main character and other characters in the story deal with conflict can make them relatable to an audience and make them more human in dealing with the many problems they encounter in your story.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
May 15, 2025
Writing Tip of the Week: Conflict & Stakes
Over the last several posts, we’ve discussed conflict and its importance in a story. One way to escalate conflict in a story is to raise the stakes for the main character and increase the difficulty of their journey.
Let’s talk about it!
What will the main character lose if they fail to reach their goal? This is what’s “at stake” for the main character as the central conflict shifts into gear. Even with what’s at stake established, the main character will have to deal with several conflicts and problems that often lead to increased stakes and make their journey even more of a challenge.
It’s not enough that they have one problem to solve; they must also deal with opposing forces that continually prevent them from getting where they need to go. Every move and decision leads to a new problem or conflict, and these only lead to higher stakes for the main character, which either makes them more determined to fight or question if they should give up.
Nothing should ever be easy for the main character. They must constantly push through problems and difficult situations as they seek their goal. Even when they think they have a chance to achieve their goal, the rug should be yanked out from under them, tossing them back into the conflict and increasing the stakes once again.
If you raise the stakes, you ratchet up the tension, keeping the conflict alive and the energy running through the story. If you’ve ever watched a movie or read a book that has kept your attention until it’s over and you collapse in an exhausted heap when it ends, the stakes in that story were likely high enough to keep you fully engaged.
A great example of escalating stakes is the movie Speed. While it’s a basic premise – if the bus goes below 55 miles per hour, it will explode – the levels of conflict, tension, and how the stakes are raised throughout the film keep us watching. So many obstacles and problems are thrown at our hero, Jack, that it’s hard to breathe as the story escalates to its climactic finale. If you haven’t seen the film, I highly recommend watching and observing how the filmmakers keep upping the stakes as the story unfolds.
It's also important to layer stakes for the hero to fight against. Having them deal with one issue at a time can become repetitive, but having many problems thrown at them simultaneously keeps them active and the audience interested. How will they deal with all these problems? What will get resolved first? Will all these stakes be enough to break the main character and make them give up, or will they find the strength to keep fighting?
Giving your hero something to lose if they don’t reach their goal establishes what’s “at stake” for them as the story begins. As the story unfolds, escalating the conflict and the stakes for the main character increases the suspense and tension, and keeps the reader or viewer engaged with the story as the main character fights to achieve what they’ve set out to do.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
More conflict-based posts are on the way, all throughout the month of May!
Let’s talk about it!
What will the main character lose if they fail to reach their goal? This is what’s “at stake” for the main character as the central conflict shifts into gear. Even with what’s at stake established, the main character will have to deal with several conflicts and problems that often lead to increased stakes and make their journey even more of a challenge.
It’s not enough that they have one problem to solve; they must also deal with opposing forces that continually prevent them from getting where they need to go. Every move and decision leads to a new problem or conflict, and these only lead to higher stakes for the main character, which either makes them more determined to fight or question if they should give up.
Nothing should ever be easy for the main character. They must constantly push through problems and difficult situations as they seek their goal. Even when they think they have a chance to achieve their goal, the rug should be yanked out from under them, tossing them back into the conflict and increasing the stakes once again.
If you raise the stakes, you ratchet up the tension, keeping the conflict alive and the energy running through the story. If you’ve ever watched a movie or read a book that has kept your attention until it’s over and you collapse in an exhausted heap when it ends, the stakes in that story were likely high enough to keep you fully engaged.
A great example of escalating stakes is the movie Speed. While it’s a basic premise – if the bus goes below 55 miles per hour, it will explode – the levels of conflict, tension, and how the stakes are raised throughout the film keep us watching. So many obstacles and problems are thrown at our hero, Jack, that it’s hard to breathe as the story escalates to its climactic finale. If you haven’t seen the film, I highly recommend watching and observing how the filmmakers keep upping the stakes as the story unfolds.
It's also important to layer stakes for the hero to fight against. Having them deal with one issue at a time can become repetitive, but having many problems thrown at them simultaneously keeps them active and the audience interested. How will they deal with all these problems? What will get resolved first? Will all these stakes be enough to break the main character and make them give up, or will they find the strength to keep fighting?
Giving your hero something to lose if they don’t reach their goal establishes what’s “at stake” for them as the story begins. As the story unfolds, escalating the conflict and the stakes for the main character increases the suspense and tension, and keeps the reader or viewer engaged with the story as the main character fights to achieve what they’ve set out to do.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
More conflict-based posts are on the way, all throughout the month of May!
May 13, 2025
Writing Tip of the Week: A Conversation About Conflict – Part Three
In the last two posts, we discussed various ways conflict should be utilized in a story. We discussed how conflict equals drama and how it drives a story forward. We also explored how conflict keeps our attention, and how it can be large or small depending on the story being told.
Today, we’ll look at two more aspects of conflict. Let’s get started!
Conflict Can Be Internal or External
A main character is a vessel that helps a writer tell a compelling and engaging story. Essentially, they are the stand-in for the reader or viewer as the adventure unfolds, meaning they should be more than just a one-dimensional being. The main character is tasked with completing a goal, dealing with conflict, and evolving by the end of the story.
Their evolution comes from two sources: External and Internal conflict. In a story, both should be linked to one another in some way so that the main character can work on one as they resolve the other.
In Mrs. Doubtfire, Daniel Hillard’s divorce and separation from his kids are external conflicts that lead him to become Mrs. Doubtfire so he can be with them. His internal conflict is his struggle to evolve and change from an immature and irresponsible man-child into a competent and trustworthy adult and parent.
Both lead to further conflicts as Daniel becomes a better person, but Mrs. Doubtfire’s presence creates further conflict in his life as his ex-wife refuses to fire the nanny and lets Daniel take the kids after school. These warring factions escalate and lead to the film's climax, with Daniel’s internal and external conflicts colliding. In the end, Daniel has evolved as a person and parent to warrant the time he wanted with his kids, and both the external and internal conflicts have been resolved.
External conflict is essential, but giving your main character an internal conflict to work on and resolve also adds dimension to their character and can make them more relatable to an audience.
Conflict Should Have a Resolution?
Yes, a story's conflict should have a resolution. This doesn’t mean the main character wins, but leaving things open-ended without any conclusion is a surefire way to upset an audience.
A lot has happened since the main character set out on their journey. They’ve evolved as a character, been through many complex challenges that have tested them as a person, and have continued despite setbacks and problems to push toward their goal and get where they need to go. Once they arrive at the final showdown, the big conflict, the major resolution to the problems introduced at the story's beginning, the last thing that should happen is…nothing.
Audiences want that final fight. They crave that moment where the hero and the villain finally are in the ring together to finish things. If this doesn’t occur and the conflict goes unresolved, audiences feel their time has been wasted.
And you never want to be accused of wasting an audience’s time!
In Gladiator, the opposing forces of Maximus (hero) and Commodus (villain) finally get their shot at each other in the literal ring as they battle one-on-one in the Coliseum. Commodus has already dealt Maximus a fatal blow before this final fight, but in the end, both men end up dead, and Maximus is celebrated as the hero that he is.
If the two men didn’t fight, if the movie ended with some random character killing off either character, or if they decided to hug it out and be besties, the established conflict wouldn’t be resolved in a satisfying manner.
Like the scale of the conflict, the resolution should be scaled to match the conflict established between the hero and villain. The resolution in a rom-com will be much different from that in an action movie based on the scale of the conflict.
Final Thoughts
Conflict in a story matters. It’s a key ingredient that keeps the story moving and gives the main character opposition as they work toward their goal. Whether they win or lose, it’s essential that the main character encounters a series of roadblocks, problems, and issues that escalate the conflict and help them evolve as a character.
As you write your stories, consider how to add the appropriate amount of conflict to each scene to propel the story and the main character forward.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
More conflict-based posts are on the way, all throughout the month of May!
Today, we’ll look at two more aspects of conflict. Let’s get started!
Conflict Can Be Internal or External
A main character is a vessel that helps a writer tell a compelling and engaging story. Essentially, they are the stand-in for the reader or viewer as the adventure unfolds, meaning they should be more than just a one-dimensional being. The main character is tasked with completing a goal, dealing with conflict, and evolving by the end of the story.
Their evolution comes from two sources: External and Internal conflict. In a story, both should be linked to one another in some way so that the main character can work on one as they resolve the other.
In Mrs. Doubtfire, Daniel Hillard’s divorce and separation from his kids are external conflicts that lead him to become Mrs. Doubtfire so he can be with them. His internal conflict is his struggle to evolve and change from an immature and irresponsible man-child into a competent and trustworthy adult and parent.
Both lead to further conflicts as Daniel becomes a better person, but Mrs. Doubtfire’s presence creates further conflict in his life as his ex-wife refuses to fire the nanny and lets Daniel take the kids after school. These warring factions escalate and lead to the film's climax, with Daniel’s internal and external conflicts colliding. In the end, Daniel has evolved as a person and parent to warrant the time he wanted with his kids, and both the external and internal conflicts have been resolved.
External conflict is essential, but giving your main character an internal conflict to work on and resolve also adds dimension to their character and can make them more relatable to an audience.
Conflict Should Have a Resolution?
Yes, a story's conflict should have a resolution. This doesn’t mean the main character wins, but leaving things open-ended without any conclusion is a surefire way to upset an audience.
A lot has happened since the main character set out on their journey. They’ve evolved as a character, been through many complex challenges that have tested them as a person, and have continued despite setbacks and problems to push toward their goal and get where they need to go. Once they arrive at the final showdown, the big conflict, the major resolution to the problems introduced at the story's beginning, the last thing that should happen is…nothing.
Audiences want that final fight. They crave that moment where the hero and the villain finally are in the ring together to finish things. If this doesn’t occur and the conflict goes unresolved, audiences feel their time has been wasted.
And you never want to be accused of wasting an audience’s time!
In Gladiator, the opposing forces of Maximus (hero) and Commodus (villain) finally get their shot at each other in the literal ring as they battle one-on-one in the Coliseum. Commodus has already dealt Maximus a fatal blow before this final fight, but in the end, both men end up dead, and Maximus is celebrated as the hero that he is.
If the two men didn’t fight, if the movie ended with some random character killing off either character, or if they decided to hug it out and be besties, the established conflict wouldn’t be resolved in a satisfying manner.
Like the scale of the conflict, the resolution should be scaled to match the conflict established between the hero and villain. The resolution in a rom-com will be much different from that in an action movie based on the scale of the conflict.
Final Thoughts
Conflict in a story matters. It’s a key ingredient that keeps the story moving and gives the main character opposition as they work toward their goal. Whether they win or lose, it’s essential that the main character encounters a series of roadblocks, problems, and issues that escalate the conflict and help them evolve as a character.
As you write your stories, consider how to add the appropriate amount of conflict to each scene to propel the story and the main character forward.
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
More conflict-based posts are on the way, all throughout the month of May!
May 7, 2025
Writing Tip of the Week: A Conversation About Conflict – Part Two
Last time, we explored three aspects of conflict and how conflict impacts a narrative. Today, we’ll explore three more reasons conflict is essential to any story and ways to utilize it. Let’s continue.
Conflict Keeps Our Attention
Have you ever watched a movie or read a story where nothing interesting happens? Your eyes glaze over, you check your phone to see how long you have before the movie ends, or you close the book and find something else to read.
If there’s conflict, you’re more likely to draw a reader’s or viewer’s attention and keep it as things escalate during the scene or chapter. You want to keep them hooked and focused so they keep reading or watching to see how things are resolved.
In Captain America: Civil War, many conflicts are established early in the story. As these conflicts unfold, a series of related conflicts keeps us watching and curious about how things will ultimately play out by the end of the story: the final battle between Iron Man, Captain America, and the Winter Soldier.
Conflict Can Be Small or Large
Conflict can be as small as two characters disagreeing about where to spend the holidays, or as big as trying to stop Thanos from collecting all six Infinity Stones. The critical thing to remember is that opposing views or forces should lead to a conflict between characters in a story.
Whatever the size of the conflict, both sides have to feel strongly enough about their positions that it leads them to fight over it.
On All in the Family, Archie Bunker is in constant conflict with his son-in-law, Mike, about politics and social issues. This is a minor conflict when compared to a film like Dirty Harry, where the hunt is on to stop a serial killer who’s murdering people at random in San Francisco.
The conflict should be reasonable within the world of the story, and should be scaled up or down accordingly. The conflict in an episode of Frasier will be much smaller than in an episode of Game of Thrones, but there should still be enough conflict between the opposing viewpoints of the characters to keep things interesting.
Next Time…
We’re just getting started! More conflict-based posts are on the way, all throughout the month of May!
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
Conflict Keeps Our Attention
Have you ever watched a movie or read a story where nothing interesting happens? Your eyes glaze over, you check your phone to see how long you have before the movie ends, or you close the book and find something else to read.
If there’s conflict, you’re more likely to draw a reader’s or viewer’s attention and keep it as things escalate during the scene or chapter. You want to keep them hooked and focused so they keep reading or watching to see how things are resolved.
In Captain America: Civil War, many conflicts are established early in the story. As these conflicts unfold, a series of related conflicts keeps us watching and curious about how things will ultimately play out by the end of the story: the final battle between Iron Man, Captain America, and the Winter Soldier.
Conflict Can Be Small or Large
Conflict can be as small as two characters disagreeing about where to spend the holidays, or as big as trying to stop Thanos from collecting all six Infinity Stones. The critical thing to remember is that opposing views or forces should lead to a conflict between characters in a story.
Whatever the size of the conflict, both sides have to feel strongly enough about their positions that it leads them to fight over it.
On All in the Family, Archie Bunker is in constant conflict with his son-in-law, Mike, about politics and social issues. This is a minor conflict when compared to a film like Dirty Harry, where the hunt is on to stop a serial killer who’s murdering people at random in San Francisco.
The conflict should be reasonable within the world of the story, and should be scaled up or down accordingly. The conflict in an episode of Frasier will be much smaller than in an episode of Game of Thrones, but there should still be enough conflict between the opposing viewpoints of the characters to keep things interesting.
Next Time…
We’re just getting started! More conflict-based posts are on the way, all throughout the month of May!
Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!
