Creative Writing Craft

Transform ideas into compelling prose.

Story Architecture

Three-Act Structure

ACT I (25%)     │  ACT II (50%)              │  ACT III (25%)
Setup           │  Confrontation             │  Resolution
────────────────┼────────────────────────────┼─────────────────
Hook            │  Rising Action             │  Climax
Inciting Event  │  Midpoint Shift            │  Falling Action
First Plot Point│  Second Plot Point         │  Resolution

Scene Structure

Goal → Conflict → Disaster → Reaction → Dilemma → Decision

Each scene should have:

POV character with a clear goal
Obstacle preventing the goal
Stakes if they fail
Outcome (usually not what they wanted)

Story Beats

| Beat | Percentage | Function | |------|------------|----------| | Opening Image | 0-1% | Establish world/tone | | Theme Stated | ~5% | Hint at meaning | | Setup | 1-10% | Ordinary world | | Catalyst | ~10% | Inciting incident | | Debate | 10-20% | Hesitation | | Break into Two | ~25% | Commits to journey | | B Story | ~30% | Subplot, often thematic | | Fun and Games | 30-50% | Promise of premise | | Midpoint | ~50% | False victory/defeat, stakes rise | | Bad Guys Close In | 50-75% | Increasing pressure | | All Is Lost | ~75% | Lowest point | | Dark Night of Soul | 75-80% | Despair | | Break into Three | ~80% | New plan/revelation | | Finale | 80-99% | Climax, resolution | | Final Image | 99-100% | Echo opening, show change |

Character Development

Character Dimensions

| Layer | Question | Example | |-------|----------|---------| | Surface | What do they show? | Confident, funny | | Behavior | What do they do? | Helps strangers, avoids calls | | Motive | What do they want? | Success, approval | | Need | What do they actually need? | Self-acceptance | | Ghost | What wound drives them? | Abandoned as child |

Character Arc Pattern

Lie they believe → Want (conscious goal) → Need (unconscious)
     ↓                    ↓                      ↓
Truth they learn ← Confrontation ← Cost of lie

Voice Development

To develop distinct character voice, vary:

Sentence length and complexity
Vocabulary level and specificity
Speech patterns (fragments, run-ons)
Topics they notice/mention
What they omit or avoid
Metaphor domains (what do they compare things to?)

Point of View

First Person

I walked into the room and immediately regretted it.

Pros: Intimacy, voice, unreliable narrator potential Cons: Limited perspective, "I" fatigue

Third Person Limited

She walked into the room and immediately regretted it.

Pros: Flexibility, intimacy without "I" Cons: Can drift into head-hopping

Third Person Omniscient

Sarah walked into the room, unaware that three people 
were already watching her from the shadows.

Pros: God's-eye view, irony Cons: Distance, harder to master

Second Person

You walk into the room. You immediately regret it.

Pros: Immediacy, unusual Cons: Can feel gimmicky, reader resistance

POV Rules

Stay in one head per scene (for limited)
Only show what POV character perceives
Filter through their psychology
Match POV to story needs

Prose Style

Sentence Craft

Vary length:

Short sentences punch. They create urgency. Impact.

But longer sentences, with their flowing clauses and 
subordinate phrases, can lull the reader into a rhythm, 
carrying them forward on a wave of prose that builds 
and builds until—

Strong verbs over adverbs:

❌ She walked quickly across the room.
✅ She darted across the room.
✅ She bolted across the room.

Concrete over abstract:

❌ He felt sad.
✅ His chest ached. He couldn't swallow.

Show vs Tell

Telling (has its place):

She was angry.

Showing:

Her jaw tightened. She set down her fork—carefully, 
deliberately—and folded her hands in her lap.

When to tell:

Transitions
Unimportant information
Pacing through slow periods
Emotional summary after intense scene

Dialogue

Subtext: Characters rarely say what they mean.

"Nice weather," she said.      (Text)
[I don't want to talk about it] (Subtext)

Attribution:

✅ "I'm leaving," she said.
✅ "I'm leaving." She grabbed her coat.
⚠️ "I'm leaving," she exclaimed angrily.

"Said" is invisible. Use it.

Beats over tags:

"I'm leaving." She grabbed her coat. "Don't wait up."

Description

Sensory Writing

| Sense | Often Used | Underused | |-------|------------|-----------| | Sight | Very common | - | | Sound | Common | - | | Touch | Uncommon | Temperature, texture | | Smell | Rare | Memory trigger | | Taste | Rare | Atmosphere |

Layer senses:

The bar smelled like spilled beer and regret. Neon 
buzzed overhead, painting everyone the same shade of 
desperate pink. Someone fed the jukebox, and Patsy 
Cline started breaking hearts again.

Meaningful Detail

Choose details that do double duty:

❌ The room had a desk, a chair, and a filing cabinet.
   [Inventory]

✅ Dust furred the family photos on his desk—all 
   turned to face the wall.
   [Character revelation + atmosphere]

Revision Framework

Levels of Revision

| Level | Focus | Questions | |-------|-------|-----------| | Structural | Story architecture | Does the plot work? Are scenes in right order? | | Scene | Individual scenes | Does each scene have conflict? Purpose? | | Paragraph | Flow and pacing | Transitions smooth? Rhythm varied? | | Sentence | Prose quality | Verbs strong? Sentences varied? | | Word | Precision | Right word? Unnecessary words? |

Revision Passes

Pass 1: Story

Does the beginning hook?
Is the ending earned?
Does the middle sag?
Are stakes clear?

Pass 2: Character

Distinct voices?
Consistent motivation?
Arc completed?
Relationships clear?

Pass 3: Scene

Each scene has purpose?
Conflict present?
Sensory grounding?
POV consistent?

Pass 4: Line

Cut filler words (just, really, very)
Strengthen verbs
Vary sentence structure
Check dialogue tags

Pass 5: Polish

Read aloud
Check spelling/grammar
Format consistency
Final typo sweep

Common Problems

Pacing Issues

| Symptom | Cause | Fix | |---------|-------|-----| | Drags | Too much description | Cut, add conflict | | Rushed | Not enough scene | Slow down, add beats | | Confusing | Time jumps | Add transitions | | Boring | No stakes | Raise consequences |

Dialogue Issues

| Problem | Example | Fix | |---------|---------|-----| | On-the-nose | "I'm angry at you!" | Subtext | | Talking heads | Dialogue without action | Add beats | | Info dump | Explaining plot | Conflict over info | | Same voice | All characters same | Differentiate |

Description Issues

| Problem | Fix | |---------|-----| | Purple prose | Simplify, cut adjectives | | No setting | Ground in physical space | | Floating heads | Add action, gesture | | Info dump | Distribute, dramatize |

Forms

Short Story

1,000-7,500 words typical
Single effect/impression
Limited scope
Often one POV

Flash Fiction

Under 1,000 words
Implication over exposition
Often twist or resonance
Every word counts

Novel Chapter

2,000-5,000 words typical
Mini-arc or cliffhanger
Advances plot AND character
Varies with genre

Personal Essay

First person reflection
Particular to universal
Scene + reflection
"So what?" answered

References

references/story-structures.md - Alternative structures
references/genre-conventions.md - Genre expectations
references/revision-checklist.md - Detailed checklist