Case study

Is There Such A Thing As A Good MacGuffin? - In a scene reminiscent of Pulp Fiction, a character opens a glowing briefcase.
Writing
Robert Wood

Is There Such A Thing As A Good MacGuffin?

A MacGuffin (or McGuffin, or Maguffin) is a plot device common to some of the most successful stories ever written. Your characters will obsess over how to find it, search jungles and alien worlds to get their hands on it, and kill to keep it, and yet many people will tell you it has no

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6 Secrets To Writing A Thrilling Argument – Part 2 - Two characters scream at each other.
Writing
Robert Wood

6 Secrets To Writing A Thrilling Argument – Part 2

In part 1 of this guide to writing a thrilling argument, I touched on character motivation, reader interest, and the central truth that an argument follows almost all the same rules as a fight scene. We paused on the idea that your characters should want to win, and they may rush past lesser arguments to

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Your Quick And Easy Guide To Theme, Allegory And Symbolism - A writer sits at their laptop, considering images such as an eye, a flower, a clock and a skull.
Writing
Hannah Collins

Your Quick And Easy Guide To Theme, Allegory And Symbolism

A Christmas Carol, The Catcher in the Rye, Heart of Darkness. Other than stellar writing and compelling characters, what makes a story stand the test of time? How do certain novels achieve the lofty ‘classic’ status while others fade into relative obscurity? The answer is all in the subtext. Authors like Charles Dickens, J.D Salinger and

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Your Book Is Crying Out For A Volta – Here's How To Deliver - A character, somewhat confused, vaults over a book titled 'Tall Tales'.
Writing
Robert Wood

Your Book Is Crying Out For A Volta – Here’s How To Deliver

Good writers are always looking for ways to improve their craft, but great writers are prepared to beg, borrow and steal so long as it gets them the best advice and the most effective devices for telling their story. That’s why in this article I’m going to mug poetry, rifle through its pockets, and bring

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