Writer's Digest July/August 2023 Digital Edition
Structure is an oft-discussed topic when it comes to writing books, with different writing instructors amplifying the version they see as most effective. From the three-act structure to the hero’s journey and more, structure can help you write your story and ensure readers get the reading experience they deserve. But there are other ways, less traditional ways, to consider structure too, including how something visually looks on the page, how authors structure their writing lives, and books whose settings take place in a single structure.
Articles include:
+ 5 Steps to Approach Writing Your Story’s Inciting Incident: Ran Walker explains what the inciting incident of a story is and five ways to execute it, so readers are hooked into the story with enough information at the right time. By Ran Walker
+ Structure at the Chapter Level: Jane K. Cleland explores the big bangs and cliff hangs that can begin and end chapters to capture readers’ curiosity and keeps them turning the pages. By Jane K. Cleland
+ 10 Ways to Craft the Connecting Tissue Your Story Needs: Elizabeth Sims delves into the connective tissue that keeps the structure of your novel together, things like datelines, chapter breaks, section breaks, POV changes, soliloquies, and more. By Elizabeth Sims
+ Writing a Dual POV Novel: Writing a novel with two points of view has specific challenges including two narratives, plotlines, and arcs. Brian Kennedy explains how. By Brian D. Kennedy
+ Pocket Guide to Pantsing: Most conversations about structure include tips for outlining and planning out a novel, but not everyone works that way. Michael La Ronn offers advice for writing a novel without an outline but with confidence. By Michael La Ronn
+ The Literature of Comic Books: Don Vaughan traces the rise of comic books from “disposable entertainment for children” to graphic novels telling the most important stories of our time. By Donald Vaughan
+ The WD Interview: Luis Alberto Urrea: Pulitzer Prize finalist and internationally renowned novelist Luis Albert Urrea talked with WD about his newest novel, Good Night, Irene, which was inspired by his mother’s World War II service on a Red Cross Clubmobile at the front lines. By Amy Jones
+ Writing Exercises for Your Left Brain and Right Brain: Improve your creativity and writing by giving your brain a workout based on which side of your brain you favor. By C. Hope Clark
+ Writers on Writing with Julia Bartz: The debut author of the thriller The Writing Retreat talks about her approach for writing a story which takes almost entirely in a single, remote mansion. By Julie Bartz
Plus, this issue also includes a primer on the three-act structure, the first in a mini-series on literary tourism, the Writer’s Digest Poetry Awards announcement, and more, all in addition to your favorite columns like For All Ages, On Nonfiction, IndieLab, Building Better Worlds, Level Up Your Writing Life, Publishing Insights, and much more.
