Tailchaser’s Song, Tad Williams. 1985. Before we begin, beware of spoilers ahead. If you haven’t read the book, stop right now and pick up a copy. Six Core Questions 1. What is the genre? The External Genre is an Action – Adventure – Monster story. The Internal Genre is Worldview - Maturation. The external value … Continue reading A Story Grid Analysis of Tailchaser’s Song
Author: Julia Blair
Fantasy is not a genre
Except that it is. In the Story Grid universe, we editors talk a lot about genre. Genre defines the core of a story. Genre is how the writer meets reader expectations. From it we derive conventions and obligatory scenes. In a very real sense, genre is the heart of the Story Grid method. According to … Continue reading Fantasy is not a genre
Rags to Written
Someone asked me, "Why do you call your website Rags to Written?" Aside from the fact that it has a good ring to it, the phrase suggests a transformation from unfinished to complete, from tattered to done. It encapsulates a writer's journey and it is, in and of itself, a story. In a sense, it … Continue reading Rags to Written
All NaNo’s Eve
I'm always awed by the enthusiasm of writers this time of year. Whether you're a pantser or plotter or somewhere in between, right now - RIGHT NOW - you stand on the cusp of inspired creativity. During the course of the next 30 days, you will be changed. Some of us will have 50,000+ words … Continue reading All NaNo’s Eve
Using the Foolscap to Draft Your Next Novel
I’m a writer, and of all the methods and approaches I’ve studied about the craft, Story Grid is the one that makes the most sense to me because of its simplicity and scalability. I’m also a Story Grid Editor, because I believe that good writers are made, not born. I’d like to show you one … Continue reading Using the Foolscap to Draft Your Next Novel