Creative Writing Tips for Novelists and Dramatica Users

Most creative writing tips you'll find on the web or in books and courses are based on the collective experience of many writers, with a little traditional narrative theory thrown in.

Naturally, some sources are better than others, and not all of this wisdom has been put into a coherent system, but on the whole a beginning writer will find a lot of valuable information readily available – which is fantastic.

However, if you have an interest in Dramatica Theory (which is the most comprehensive story theory created to date), you will find that it uses many terms that are quite different from that of most writing teachers. And most creative writing teachers use terms not found in Dramatica. This is a barrier that is worth tearing down.

In the articles below, we discuss some of common and useful writing tips and show how your use of them can be improved by looking at them from the viewpoint of Dramatica.

Using Chekhov's Gun. This plot device involving objects or sometimes characters can help tie together the plot of your novel.

Beginning In Media Res Starting your novel in media res will grab your readers attention, but what if you feel you should establish your main character first? Here are some options.

External Conflict & Internal Conflict The two most important types of conflict in a story: how to tell them apart and how to use them.

Sagging Middle Syndrome Avoid the “sagging middle” syndrome, one of the biggest problems that can arise during novel writing.

Ticking Clock or Option Exhaustion Use either of these two type of limit to add tension to your novel plot.

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