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.