The Skeleton Draft

The Skeleton DraftNavigating a path from start to finish of a novel can be hard for both plotters and free-writers; enter the Skeleton Draft.

The Skeleton Draft is an idea-dump. Maybe you outlined the novel using a story structure such as the Hero’s Journey or any of the five, seven, seventeen or twenty-four point methods. Or maybe you have a scant clue of your story without a real structure in mind. The Skeleton Draft is a means to dive into the story and explore characters, conflicts and events without getting hung up on prose before you really have the idea worked out. …

Fantasy is no Different

Fantasy is no differentFor all the world-building and lore, I realise Fantasy is no different from any other story structure. All genres contain world-building and lore. Except in other genres we call it setting and history. All stories have it, even contemporary ‘real-world’ stories. Because they’re not real. ‘Real worlds’ in stories are edited and highlighted fictional versions. The author decides what to include and what to leave out. …

Unlock the Power of Imagination

Unlock the Power of ImaginationIt’s almost miraculous how a book can unlock the power of imagination.

Few things fire the imagination like a story. Whether you read it for yourself or someone else tells you a tale, humans are so hardwired for story we can’t help but imagine the people and events. The best stories unlock the power of imagination within the reader.

Now here’s the kicker: that power is unique and unpredictable within every reader.