Write a story that starts with a traumatic event. The opening lines could be the catastrophe itself or its immediate aftermath. The event could be the death of a friend, a Dear John letter, an overflowing septic tank, or a fall into a ravine. A story could begin: “I’m sorry but I really have to

Write a story about a character engaged in a continuous, difficult, extended action. The character is in the midst of doing something arduous and sustained: climbing a cliff, running the last miles of a marathon, performing a long surgical operation. The action provides a strong forward thrust. Within that present-moment frame, you can place the

When you have your character do one thing and think about something else, you create not only tension, but also character. This technique—often called “juggling”—refers to the way you move back and forth between action and thought to build immediacy, deepen character, and sustain narrative momentum. For example, imagine your character is Loretta, a performer

A shape invites you to fill it. The shapes of fiction inspire by presenting ways to embody your experiences, memories, and imaginings. Some of these shapes are particularly suited to the creation of individual scenes, short stories, or single chapters. Others could be extended to developentire novels. The shapes form a sequence. Each will help