Defiance Press sits down with acclaimed story structure expert Stan Williams to discuss the essential elements of compelling storytelling.

What advice would you give a new writer, someone just starting out?

Before you begin to write, read ten books in the genre in which you intend to write, and several of your favorite author in that genre. Read them slowly. While you read, highlight, take notes or write in the margins the techniques and grammar you want to copy. Of these books read one of them out loud while noticing the writer’s rhythm.

What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?

Natural Law Story Structure (see The Moral Premise), which includes a universally true moral premise that motivates an imperfect protagonist, called to an impossible quest, confronted by a pervasive antagonist.

What comes first, the plot or characters?

It doesn’t matter. A good plot (within a universal literary set of tropes) will always suggest the set of characters. A unique set of characters within a ironic setting will always suggest a plot.

How do you develop your plot and characters?

Following the technique in The Moral Premise and Storycraft Training. It’s too involved for a short answer, but carding (outlining) every scene according to the natural law of story structure (and literary tropes or genres) will always suggest the appropriate plot.

How do you handle writer’s block?

I never suffer from writer’s block because I outline my stories using the macro story structure process in The Moral Premise (my book on story structure) and the micro techniques in my on-line training Storycraft Training. Aside from that, see question 5 above. If you have writers block after doing these three things, you shouldn’t be writing.

How do you come up with the titles to your books?

Use a synonymy finder. Words in a title must be synonyms of the genre, literary tropes, protagonist, antagonist, and the noble goal to be achieved.

What are the tools of the trade?

On-line synonym finder, books on slang, quotation, and Google to check word usage. I cannot write with Grammarly on, but when I finish a draft Grammarly suggestions of punctuation and word usage is my focus. I accept only 50% of Grammarly’s suggestions out of preference for the style of writing I’m conducting.

How much ‘world building’ takes place before you start writing?

On historical or fantasy stories I spend months understanding the time and culture. Tolkien spent years creating languages before he wrote the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. I draw maps, study maps, create AI characters to put on my wall, draw house plans, or layout a city streets and tunnels. You have to live in the environment before you can write about it.

Is there lots to do before you drive in and start writing the story?

Always, unless it’s a memoir. You can only write about what you know.

Describe your perfect book hero or heroine.

Imperfect, but driven, to pursue an impossible quest for a noble purpose.