Masterful Writing Tips

 Weiland’s Masterful Writing Tips

Hook: Start in the middle of some type of interaction within environment, statement, or internal angst to provoke reader curiosity.


Characteristic Moment: Reveal/show a personality trait of the Protagonist.


Setting Description of Scene: Start broadly, and then zoom in.


Symbolism: Small details set story’s tone and foreshadows its course.


The World Protagonist Inhabits: demonstrate character’s interior and exterior world.


Back Story: Intersperse with dialogue, don’t dump back story in long paragraphs in chapter


The Premise of Story: Present the Dramatic Question early on, involving the moral foundation, the impetus that drives the story forward.


Physical Actions: The physical movements of characters interspersed throughout dialogue increases depth of character traits.


Protagonist’s Belief: Once Dramatic Question is identified, writer presents obstacles for protagonist until she/he can relinquish belief/misconception and meet deepest needs.


Extraordinary Factor: What makes the Protagonist important? How at odds is protagonist in his/her world with others that creates friction, tension, and thus the central conflict of story premise.