Category Archives: Creative Writing

“Narrative Space” describes the complete breadth and depth of subject matter in which you seek to define a story. Simply put, most authors don’t come to a story with a complete structure immediately in mind.  Rather, they are attracted to … Continue reading →

Hear the entire 16 minute program for free in streaming audio: “Be a Story Weaver – NOT a Story Mechanic!” http://storymind.com/content/audio/tips/Be%20a%20Story%20Weaver%20-%20NOT%20a%20Story%20Mechanic.mp3 Hear more free writing tips at Storymind.com

By Melanie Anne Phillips Here are two ways to approach the craft of writing. The first is to step into the role of each character and write it very personally, as if you were an actor portraying a part. The … Continue reading →

Sweet potatoes are the best.  And they are best described in Ralph Ellison’s story of a black man coming to terms with his identity entitled “Invisible Man,” in which he has always avoided eating his favorite childhood food, hot buttered … Continue reading →

By Melanie Anne Phillips In story structure there is a dramatic element called the Story Limit.  It has two varieties: the time lock and the option lock.  Some stories come to a climax because they run out of time, others … Continue reading →

By Melanie Anne Phillips Structuring before writing or anywhere in the beginning of the process hobbles the Muse and creativity stops and progress bogs down.  This can make it appear as if story structure is your enemy. But, if you … Continue reading →

By Melanie Anne Phillips The Muse explodes outward into a world of passion and possibilities. As a teacher of creative writing for twenty-five years, my experiences with many types of writers tell me that one should never consider structure at … Continue reading →

By Melanie Anne Phillips Remember blowing bubbles with that solution in the little bottles and the plastic wand? The craft of writing is a bit like blowing bubbles (life is like a box of chocolates!) This holds true not only … Continue reading →