MRUs? Huh? An MRU is a Motivation Reaction Unit. It’s a term coined by the inestimable Dwight Swain, and it’s a magic key to keep your reader immersed deep in the story. It may not be DEEP POV, but it’s closely related. So, I’ll just give you a taste and send you off to Google…
Tag: Conflict
Trespass
I knew I was in trouble the second I saw him take a picture. He wasn’t coming up the hill to greet me. He wasn’t coming up the hill to say “Howdy, partner” or “You must be my new neighbor.” No. His climbing posture said it all. He was coming up the hill with a sense of…
Short Story Craft, Part 4: Conclusion
In preparation for the 2020 RMFW anthology, I’ve covered three critical elements of the short story: plot, character, and setting. These are the building blocks of short fiction; conquer them, and you’re guaranteed a good story. But a great story? A tear-in-the-eye, punch-in-the-gut, knock-it-out-of-the-park story? That requires a killer ending. In my opinion, the ending…
Short Story Craft, Part 1: Plot
Short stories are a whole different animal from novels. Many writers (including me, a few years ago) shy away from short stories because they can be so difficult and frustrating. But once you get the hang of them, they’re an excellent way to hone your writing skills, play with new techniques, and get your name…
‘Cause you got personality…
…Walk with personality. Talk with personality. Smile with personality. Charm with personality. Love with personality… Now that this song will be stuck in your head for the rest of the day, I’ll explain why it’s there. My employer decided everyone here should take an online personality test (stick with me, there’s a reason for this…