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Author Archives: Melanie Anne Phillips
How Art is Made (The Battle Between Heart and Mind)
Realize that your mind is a narrative-generating machine. That is why narratives exist in the first place: because they mirror the processes of the mind. But the mind is also a repository of topical information – subject matter – and … Continue reading
Posted in Creative Writing
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The Four Main Kinds of Stories
You can make your story a lot more focused and targeted if you know what kind of a story you are creating. A good place to start is to figure out which of the four basic types of stories yours … Continue reading
Posted in Story Structure
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Plot Points – Static vs. Sequential
Some time ago I wrote an article explaining how plot wasn’t the order in which events appeared in a story, but the order in which they happened to the characters. The storytelling order can be all mixed up for effect. … Continue reading
Posted in Plot, Story Structure
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Character Change vs. Character Growth
Main characters don’t have to change to grow. They can grow in their resolve. It is a common misconception among authors that the main character in a story must change in order to grow. Certainly, that is one kind of … Continue reading
Posted in Main Character, Novel Writing, Story Development
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Writing Prompt Level: Expert!
Here is a writing prompt picture I posted recently and the amazingly creative response by writer Bill Williams Bill Williams – This is actually pretty easy to explain. *sips coffee* The cats in the front are feline overlords. They were … Continue reading
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Smothered in an Avalanche of Ideas
One of the writers I coach recently wrote to me about getting drowned in a sea of ideas for his story, unable to organize his material, make choices, or more forward. Here is the note I wrote him in response … Continue reading
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A Brief Introduction to Archetypes – Part 3
Archetypes are the spine of any story, whether you use them in a monolithic manner or sculpt them into more complex variations. Understanding archetypes will help you to ensure your structure is human and complete. In part 1 of this … Continue reading
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A Brief Introduction to Archetypes – Part 2
In my previous article, A Brief Introduction to Archetypes – Part 1, I defined what an archetype is, and what it is not. Here in Part 2, we’re going to expand on that understanding by revealing where archetypes come from … Continue reading
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A Brief Introduction to Archetypes – Part 1
Writers and narrative theorists often speak of Archetypes. When they do, Jung and Campbell and the Hero’s Journey quickly come to mind. And yet, if pressed, most writers would admit they don’t really have a solid grip on what an … Continue reading
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Character Development Tricks!
Here are a few of my best tricks for creating characters from scratch and for developing characters you’ve already created. Coming up with characters is as simple as looking to our subject matter and asking ourselves who might be expected … Continue reading
Posted in Characters, Story Development
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