Character as Plot Driver Libbie Hawker uses character to describe how she builds her plots. Every story begins with a character, and that character must have a flaw. Hawker calls it a “pivotal” flaw to emphasize its importance. This flaw should exist deep in the core of the character. Consciously or subconsciously (probably subconsciously), this…

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Comparison of Story Structure Paradigms I digested (to varying degrees) the various structural paradigms contained within the texts mentioned in the last post. It’s clear that there are as many different approaches to story structure as there are writers making the approach. They all are valid interpretations, but, like the approaches to other aspects of…

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Raw Materials: Plot I know there are two schools of thought when it comes to approaching the blank page at the start of the novel: outlining and pantsing (ie. writing “by the seat of your pants”). I’ve tried pantsing in the past with short stories, and I’ve enjoyed it. It’s really fun to just start…

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