The First Draft Pro Blog

We freaking love stories

You do too? Well, well, well. That smells like BFF potential.

An image showing a stage play.
Writing Tips
3 min read

How to know what you can leave out/not dramatize

Identifying non-essential elements that can be omitted from the narrative.
A man resting the back of his hand on his forehead.
Writing Tips
3 min read

How to use internal monologues effectively

Crafting insightful and impactful internal reflections.
A single figure walking down a snowy street.
Writing Tips
3 min read

A short guide to the unreliable narrator

Understanding and implementing narrators with compromised reliability.
An illustration of a road leading up to a mountain.
Writing Tips
3 min read

How to use repetition to support your narrative

Employing repetition as a tool for emphasis and theme development.
An illustration of a meadow filled with flowers.
Writing Tips
3 min read

7 things to include in every chapter

Essential elements for crafting compelling chapters.
An illustration of a mountain range with a rising moon.
Writing Tips
3 min read

How sequences make up acts

Analyzing the larger structural elements of a narrative composed of sequences.
An illustration of a forest with a mountain range over the top.
Writing Tips
3 min read

How scenes make up sequences

Examining how scenes form cohesive sequences within a narrative.
An illustration of of a scenic landscape.
Writing Tips
3 min read

How beats make up scenes

Analyzing how individual beats contribute to the overall scene structure.
An illustration of a flowing river.
Writing Tips
3 min read

Understanding a story beat

Examining the individual events or moments that make up a narrative.
An illustration of fantasy structures.
Writing Tips
3 min read

How to build a narrative

Structuring and developing a cohesive and engaging story.
An illustration of two romantic partners.
Writing Tips
3 min read

Tips for writing romantic scenes

Strategies for creating authentic and impactful romantic moments.
An illustration of two characters in a novel dancing.
Writing Tips
3 min read

How to give your story rhythm

Techniques for creating a harmonious flow within your narrative.