People respond really well to symmetry in stories. This can range from having an object from the beginning reappear at the end to having the entire plot mirrored. But why does symmetry work so well, and how can writers use it intentionally? This week, we’re trying to answer that ...Show more
21.44: Why Are You Stopping? You’re Almost There!
Very often, writers get to the two-third or three-quarter mark of work and get stuck, sometimes abandoning it to move on to something shinier. Why does this happen? Well, it’'s a place at which we move from raising questions for the reader to needing to answer them. This change i ...Show more
21.43: The Not-Final Word on Endings
Today we're focusing on the mechanics of writing endings: what needs to be resolved, what can be left dangling, and how to give your reader a sense of what has changed. We talk about symmetry between beginnings and endings, giving important moments enough room to land, and how a ...Show more
21.42: Deconstructing the Heroine’s Journey
Psychotherapist Maureen Murdock invented the Heroine's Journey in response to Joseph Campbell's monomyth Hero's Journey. He reportedly said, "Women don’t need to make the journey, they are the place that everyone is trying to get to." This version of story structure is attempting ...Show more