My Rule for Standing Ovations

Q: What does a standing ovation mean in Vancouver? A: The show’s over. Sometimes it can feel like that, anyway. And, to be fair, it’s not just Vancouver; North America is standing-O crazy. Studio audiences leap to their feet when talk-show hosts arrive...

A Tool not a Rule

The three-act structure is a useful tool. It can help you to structure your story in the early stages of writing, and it’s a great lens through which to examine a draft. That said, not every successful story is going to fall neatly into the three-act structure....

Short-Story Structure

Authors sometimes ask me about the structure of short stories. In my experience, this can vary wildly. Some short stories may include elements of the three-act structure that’s the underpinning of many novels and screenplays—a Call to Adventure, a Refusal of the...