Archive - The Narrative

What Is a Story?

There are ideas so basic, so recognizable and ever-present, that I find myself at a loss for words when asked for an explicit definition. How do you…

Aug 1, 2020 •

May 2020

The Habit that Destroys My Writing

I have a terrible habit as a writer. It’s awful, and at times I simply cannot escape it. When I take this behavior on a bender it destroys my…

May 19, 2020 •

March 2020

How a Story Really Starts

A great inciting incident ensures things will never be the same again

Mar 7, 2020 •

October 2019

Conflict in the Mundane

Conflict drives all narratives, even in poetry

Oct 21, 2019 •

Weekend Edition: Advice from a Legend

Interesting links and commentary for your weekend

Oct 13, 2019 •

August 2019

What Drives a Story, the Plot or the Characters?

Don’t confuse the process with the product

Aug 30, 2019 •

Don't Substitute a Cliché for Conflict

Why the same moment works in one story, but fails in another

Aug 26, 2019 •

It Wasn’t My Idea. It Was Better.

On deciding when to set a project aside

Aug 15, 2019 •

The best reads for your weekend mornings

Aug 11, 2019 •

Conflict Reveals Character

Conflict is far more than a plot element

Aug 10, 2019 •

July 2019

At the Heart of a Story

What must exist at the center of every good story?

Jul 26, 2019 •

Saturday morning reads + a new look

My favorite links and reads for your Saturday morning

Jul 20, 2019 •

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