creative-writing-craft

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

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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?)

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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

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

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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."

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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]

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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

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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

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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

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References

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