Storytelling

In 1917, Russian Formalist critic Viktor Shklovsky introduced a concept that would fundamentally change how we think about art: ostranenie-defamiliarization, or “making strange.” His insight was radical: The purpose of art isn’t to make us comfortable. It’s to make us see again. We spend our lives on autopilot, perceiving the world through habits and categories. We don’t see a chair-we see “chair,” the concept. We don’t experience morning coffee-we execute a routine. ...

Ernest Hemingway had a simple rule for writing: if you know something well enough, you can omit it, and the reader will feel its presence like the bulk of an iceberg beneath the water. He called it the Iceberg Theory (or the Theory of Omission), and it’s perhaps the most powerful worldbuilding principle ever articulated. Show only the tip-10% of what you know. But you must know the other 90%. ...

“I love you,” she gasped. “Really?” he queried. “Yes!” she exclaimed. “But-” he stammered. “No buts,” she interjected. Stop. This is bad writing. And it’s bad for a very specific reason: the dialogue tags are working too hard. The golden rule: “Said” is invisible. Everything else calls attention to itself. And in 95% of cases, you don’t want readers noticing your dialogue tags-you want them immersed in the conversation. What Are Dialogue Tags? Dialogue tags (also called “attributions”) identify who’s speaking: ...

Perfect turn-taking is a myth. Real conversations don’t work like written dialogue usually looks: A: "I went to the store." B: "What did you buy?" A: "Milk and bread." Real conversations are messier: A: "I went to the store and-" B: "Did you get the milk?" A: "I was about to-yeah, I got-" B: "Because last time you forgot and-" A: "I got it! I got the milk." Real speech includes: ...

Watch any great dialogue scene and you’ll notice something: characters almost never directly agree with each other. Even when they’re on the same side, even when they ultimately want the same thing, they resist, deflect, challenge, or qualify. This is called “The No Game”-and it’s one of the simplest, most powerful techniques for creating dynamic dialogue. What Is the “No” Game? The principle: Characters instinctively resist what other characters say, even in small ways. ...

The writing advice is nearly universal: “Make your characters three-dimensional! Give them depth! Show their complexity!” And then you look at some of the most beloved stories ever told-fairy tales, myths, adventure films, genre fiction-and realize: many of their characters are flat as paper. And it works perfectly. James Bond doesn’t have a meaningful character arc across most films. Indiana Jones is the same person at the end as at the beginning. Sherlock Holmes remains fundamentally unchanged across decades of stories. ...

Walter White cooks meth and poisons a child. Amy Dunne frames her husband for murder with sociopathic precision. Jordan Belfort defrauds thousands and revels in his own depravity. And we can’t stop watching. This is the paradox of the unsympathetic protagonist: characters who violate our moral codes yet remain narratively compelling. They shouldn’t work-but in the right hands, they become cultural phenomena. The question isn’t whether you should write unlikeable protagonists. It’s how to make them watchable without sacrificing moral complexity. ...

A slow burn doesn’t explode. It smolders. It’s the story that starts with unease and, over hundreds of pages, transforms that unease into suffocating dread-without a single jump scare, twist, or explosion. This is the hardest narrative mode to execute. Because you’re asking readers to stay engaged while denying them the payoff of immediate action. But when done right, a slow burn is devastating. What Is a Slow Burn? A slow-burn narrative builds tension through accumulation rather than escalation. ...

Every compelling opening uses one of five fundamental hooks-or combines them strategically. These aren’t arbitrary categories. They represent the primary ways humans process story: through curiosity (question), assertion (statement), movement (action), voice (dialogue), or immersion (setting). Understanding each type lets you choose the right tool for your specific story. Hook Type 1: The Question What It Does Poses an explicit or implicit question that demands an answer. The reader’s brain can’t help but seek resolution. The gap between question and answer creates tension that pulls them forward. ...

There are two ways to enter a pool: dive into the deep end or wade in from the shallow. Stories work the same way. A cold open throws readers into the deep end-action, conflict, mystery-with no preamble. A warm open lets readers acclimate-introducing character, setting, voice-before complications arise. Neither is inherently better. The choice depends on what your story needs and what your reader expects. The Cold Open: Immediate Immersion Definition A cold open begins mid-crisis: ...