Magical realism is an enthralling genre that somehow manages to illuminate truth by deviating from reality. If you've been curious about this fantastical literary style, here's everything you need to know.

Rising action takes up a massive chunk of your novel. About 50-70% of it, in fact. No wonder so many writers freeze up when it's time to tackle it. If you're one of them, this article can help.

While they can seem random, cliché, or epic, a surprising amount of thinking should go into what you name your characters. In this article, we break down why names are important, what you need to consider when picking one, and how to name your fictional characters.

The anti-hero is an undeniably compelling character archetype. It's also wildly complex and easy to confuse with other types of characters. Don't worry. You're about to get all the clarification you need to become a bonafide anti-hero expert.

A character sketch is a great tool to flesh out a character and keep your story engaging. In this article, we cover how to write a character sketch to make better characters.

What happens when your character's greatest antagonist is nature itself? Some pretty thrilling storytelling, usually. Here's everything you need to know to write a nail-biting character vs. nature conflict.

Ready to build some suspense and keep your readers frantically flipping pages? Then you'll want to check out this guide to foreshadowing.

A hook can be a great way to start a story, but it requires skill and a bit of finesse to pull off properly. That's why we've put together this guide to writing good hooks!

Want to create a disturbingly compelling negative character arc? The secret is to make your character's downfall feel plausible—even inevitable. Here's how.

The Lie Your Character Believes is the key to their character arc, the central conflict, and even the theme of your story. But, like... what does that mean exactly? And how do you come up with a Lie compelling enough to drive a whole novel? Here's everything you need to know.

There's a delicate balance when it comes to creating a protagonist readers will root for. Your main character has to be easy to like but also undeniably flawed. How do you pull that off? Here's everything you need to know.

Tension is such a powerful tool in gluing your readers to your book, but only if you know what you're doing. In this article, we discuss what you need to write killer tension.

Creating a whole fictional world can be a daunting task, but there's one tool you can use to make this fun, intricate process better: a worldbuilding bible. In this article, we discuss exactly what you need to create that document and give you a template to make one right here in Dabble!

Flashbacks and foreshadowing are great tools for creating a more immersive experience for your readers. But using them effectively is a craft unto itself. Here are some of the best techniques for putting these time-jumping devices to work in your novel.

English is whack. You should make something better. Here's how to make your own language in four simple steps, whether it's for a novel, show, your DnD group, or just a hobby.

We've got you covered with the best character template ever to help bring your story's characters to life!

Is the Nice Guy trope really all that bad? Why are we suddenly giving the side-eye to all our classic romantic heroes? Here's everything you ever wanted to know about the Nice Guy, from the trope's influence on culture to its evolution in a new age of storytelling.

Plot holes can quickly make Swiss cheese of your story, ruining all the carefully crafted character arcs, themes, and beautiful narrative you've worked so hard to create. So let's figure out how to identify, fix, and prevent plot holes!

Even if they aren't the star of the show, secondary characters can live rent-free in the minds of your readers long after your story is over. That's if you put in the work, though. So, in this article, we're going to figure out how to craft memorable Side Characters.

Oh hey, look at this! It's a free, downloadable character arc template to help you craft fascinating journeys for your characters. Plus, learn what it takes to create an arc-worthy character and how to weave their arc into your plot.

Snag this free, downloadable character development worksheet, designed to help you craft compelling characters and write an unputdownable story.

One of the coolest parts of writing a book with magic is creating your magic users. Here are nine different types of tried-and-true spellcasters you can use in your story!

Conflict is central to every story you write, but actually writing that conflict is tough. No need to fight for information, we've got all you need to write conflict!

One of the original story structures, Freytag's Pyramid is the foundation for dramatic stories and tragedies. Learn all about it with Dabble!

Themes add an important element to our stories, giving them meaning and adding extra depth. We'll cover some common book themes and how to write stories with them in mind.

The Nice Guy trope: it's gotten increasingly controversial in the last few years, but it is it all bad? What defines this trope and how do authors adapt it for the modern world? We've got those answers right here.

Fight scenes are what some readers live for, but writing them can be tough. Let's dissect how to write a fight scene in your novel.

Looking for a sad story idea that will absolutely destroy your readers (in a good way)? Here are 50 ideas you're free to steal, plus a few bonus tips on getting your audience to feel those feels.

Magic is a staple of many genres, but a spellbinding book needs a good magic system. In this article, we cover what a magic system is and why you should care!

The protagonist vs. antagonist relationship is what makes your story a story. Learn how to craft each of these characters brilliantly and create conflict your readers will keep thinking about long after "the end."

Maybe you've heard of foil characters before, but what exactly do these types of characters do? How can you make a good one? Don't worry, we cover everything you need to know about foil characters in this article.

Here's everything you wanted to know about all the types of characters in fiction. Learn how to define and write tertiary characters, protagonists, foils, and everything in between.

Our three-act structure worksheet makes it easier than ever to plot a novel with this classic story framework.

One of the primary reasons people don’t finish a book is because the characters didn’t feel real to them. They couldn’t relate to them. They felt like caricatures or templates, rather than breathing, thinking, living beings on the page. 

We spend a lot of time thinking about our characters—what they look like, how they talk, their backstory, and their emotional wounds. But one thing you might not have given as much thought to is how they earn a living every day.It’s just a fact of life that most of us have a job of some kind to bring home the bacon (or perhaps tempeh, if you’re a vegetarian), no matter the setting or time period we live in. A roving knight works as a mercenary for a corrupt king. A billionaire manages properties while he’s busy whisking his lover all over the world. Or a ragged survivor of a dystopian nightmare works as the leader of a rebellion (some jobs definitely pay better than others). In some cases, the job is the story. Think about a detective or an office romance. Without the work, there’s no story. 

Magic is an incredible addition to fantasy stories, and there are a lot of different options you can choose when building your magic system. In this article, we look at the ten different categories of magic to use in your writing.

Story structures are the frameworks that tie your story together. A story structure can help guide your book to be the best it can be!

It's easy to dismiss your book's theme as an afterthought - or not a thought at all. Let us convince you why theme is important for your story.

When you start to draft or plot a new novel, you probably have a vague idea of who your characters are or will be. A lot of people start with the basics first, such as age, sex, gender, and hair, eye, and skin color. And that is a very good place to start. But to create memorable characters that leap off the page, you’re going to need a little more. Probably a lot more, in fact.

Conflict. It’s the lifeblood of any story. Without it, all you’ve got is a bunch of people wandering around aimlessly. Conflict is the source of tension, excitement, suspense, and drama. It drives your plot, gives your characters motivation, and sometimes allows you to hold up a mirror to the world. 

Remember the last book you read where you couldn’t stop thinking about the characters? They felt real and three-dimensional, with fully developed personalities, and their actions made sense. Or if they didn’t, then you knew why they didn’t. Chances are you were reading a character-driven story.

Need original character questions to inspire your work in progress? Dig deep with these one-of-a-kind character interview questions.

Character fears drive conflicts, motivate character behaviors, connect with readers, and make a character arc feel more victorious and satisfying. Here's how to harness the power of fear to write a captivating story.

Not all protagonists are heroes. In fact, some of the best stories feature villains as the main character. But writing a villain protagonist isn't easy, so let's break down exactly what you need to know.

Readers craze three-dimensional, deep, complex characters, but writing them can be daunting. In this article, we break down how to write complex characters in your novel.

Save the Cat is one of the most popular ways of drafting screenplays and novels in modern storytelling.

Characters are the most important part of any story. They are the beating heart and the blood that flows through your novel’s veins. Yes, your plot and world and story structure are also important, but most people will fall in love with a book because they love the characters.

So you want to write a story with two protagonists. Cool. I mean, if you want to be an overachiever like that, then I’m here to help you. Maybe it’s not really overachieving though and is actually really critical to your story. I buy that.There are definitely certain stories that are ideal for dual protagonists. Romance would be a good example, when you have two love interests and are both exploring the coming together and coming apart and falling in love from two points of view.Of course, you don’t have to be writing a romance to have two protagonists. You might be writing a mystery or a fantasy novel where two main characters exist on alternate timelines and their destinies verge at some point. Or maybe they’re just in two different places and have a bone to pick with one another.

Part of the technical side of writing is figuring out how long your book should be. This includes understanding how many scenes should be in a novel, which is what we discuss in this article.

Lover archetypes embrace the love they hold for friends, family, their gods, or simply the world around them.

Five types of internal conflict, endless story possibilities. Learn how to weave a compelling inner battle into your next novel.

Characters are the meat of any story. They’re the beating heart and the blood that flows through your novel. You can have the most amazing plot, setting, worldbuilding, and prose, but what sticks with most readers are memorable characters. Fleshy characters. Ones with mass and density and layers and tissue. 

The eight-point story arc is a versatile novel-planning structure that's both pantser and planner friendly. Here's how you can use it to write your next book.

While the terms "story" and "plot" are often used interchangeably, they are actually two distinct elements of narrative, and understanding the difference can be a useful tool in your storytelling arsenal. You’re going to need some of both to create a compelling book that’ll have your readers coming back for more. 

There are few things as thrilling to read as a well-composed sword fight. But there are few things as complex, too. In this article, we cover all you need to know to write some incredible fight scenes with swords (or other melee weapons).

Theme—it’s a short, fancy word that often describes the larger scope of what your novel is about. Sure it might be about aliens or cowboys or alien cowboys, but what it’s really about is good always triumphs over evil or karma is a…bad thing. 

Worldbuilding is the subtle backbone of your story. It won’t make or break your novel like the characters or plot might, but it’s necessary for building a believable setting that your readers will embrace. If they’re distracted by inconsistencies in your setting then they might have a hard time focusing on the story. And we don't want that.

The caregiver archetype is more than a saint. Learn how to craft a fascinating, flawed, and deep-souled caregiver for your story.

The Creator Archetype breathes life into their art, often to an obsessive level. Learn all about using this archetype in your writing!

Villains are the characters we love to hate. Or sometimes our love for the villain is equally strong as it is for the protagonist. Why? Because it can be fun to root for the bad guy (speaking in general terms here–not just guys can be bad, obviously). But readers only root for the villain if you’ve given them a reason to do so. A villain needs depth and development, just like any of your more heroic characters. They need motivation and faults and weaknesses to make them full and complete characters.

The Common Person or Everyman is a powerful archetype that can instantly relate to your readers. Learn how to use it in your writing!

Being told your character is "one-dimensional" can feel like a slap to the face. But what does that even mean? And is there a place for one-dimensional characters in books? We discuss all that and more in this article.

The Orphan archetype makes for both inspiring heroes and unsettlingly sympathetic villains. Learn how to use this archetype in your story.

Are you looking for a little inspiration to write your own system of magic? In this article, we examine seven examples of the most popular magic systems in literature.

When you make up fictional people, you're going to become an expert on them. You'll know them more than you know some of your friends. But what do you absolutely need to know about them before you start writing? Let's break it down.

There are a lot of pieces of writing advice you can ignore, but here’s one you shouldn’t: you need to include character goals in your story.

Dystopian fiction is one of the darker subgenres of science fiction and fantasy. It takes us into dark, foreboding worlds, where oppression and bleak landscapes are the norm. Books like 1984 by George Orwell, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley have become classics that shine a light on political corruption, environmental disaster, and societal collapse.Why do we love these stories? Maybe it's because dystopian fiction allows us to explore worst-case scenarios, to grapple with the idea that the world we know and love could be lost forever. It's a way for us to confront our fears and anxieties about the future, to see what could happen if we continue down a certain path.

Magic is an essential part of most fantasy stories, but creating your own magic system can be tough. We break down everything you need to write your own magic system in this article.

We tend to give a lot of thought to our characters when we’re writing. Their likes and dislikes. Their appearance and disposition. Hopefully their wants, goals, motivations, flaws and all the things that make them feel like real people. But how much thought do you give to actually introducing them to your readers? A strong introduction to a character can help make or break that character and the way your reader perceives them. So what’s in an introduction, anyway?

Looking for some good villain motivations to drive your evil-doer's dastardly deeds? Find inspiration here... as well as some great tips for creating a compellingly wicked Why.

Perfect characters are boring. Every character needs a flaw or twelve, not just because it’s more realistic, but because they help deepen your story. Character flaws make your characters more interesting and give you leverage to create conflict, plot, goals, and motivations. If your characters are perfect and have nothing to strive for or nothing they wish to attain, then your story is going to feel a little (or very) flat. Flaws can include a wide range of traits, from something as simple as talking too loudly to as complex and serious as being wildly arrogant. There are degrees of flaws where some will have little to no impact on your story and some will have a significant impact. 

Why does character motivation matter? Find out why a thrilling plot is not enough and how to design motivation that resonates with readers.

Plot holes: those pesky little mistakes that can fall anywhere between a simple accident in eye color all the way to messing up your entire story. We’ve all been there. You thought you wrapped up everything so nicely, but then you go back to edit, or a friendly and well-meaning beta reader asks you “what about this?” and suddenly you’re struck with a sense of impending doom.

Do your main characters tend to steal the show in your novels? Don’t worry, that’s not a trick question. They should be doing that. In fact, you should be putting lots of thought and development into protagonists because that’s who the story is about. But how much thought have you given to your tertiary characters? They can be important too.If you want to breathe life into your stories, it's time to give tertiary characters a little love. These small but mighty players can add depth, complexity, and a fresh perspective to your plot. They give you the chance to offer comic relief, a dash of wisdom, and just some good old fashioned friendship. 

Need character ideas for your next story? Find a ton of original ideas and brainstorming questions right here!

Sidekick characters. The unsung hero of so many stories. They're the Robin to your Batman, the Luigi to your Mario, the Samwise Gamgee to your Frodo Baggins. They're the ones who are always there to lend a helping hand, crack a joke, or provide some much-needed emotional relief. And let's be real, sometimes they don’t go unsung. Sometimes they're more interesting and lovable than the main characters themselves and end up stealing the show. 

Perfect characters are boring. Readers want characters who struggle through, endure, and overcome the obstacles you throw at them. To do that, we need to give them weaknesses. In this article, we discuss what character weaknesses are and how you can integrate them into your writing.

The Sage archetype is an important one in all storytelling—one that can either help or hinder the protagonist's journey in your book.

Internal conflict is essential for a great story, but what makes great internal conflict? In this article, we dissect what you need for a character's inner struggle and look at some examples of incredible internal conflict in media.

The seven basic plot points offer perhaps what is the most open-ended of the structure archetypes with broad, high-level descriptions.

We break down Randy Ingermanson's Snowflake Method, a type of outlining that can make writing your book much easier and faster.

The Seducer/Seductress archetype can help you craft unforgettable villains and surprisingly sympathetic anti-heroes. Learn how.

What is the Jester archetype? Find out what you need to know to give your funniest character true purpose and depth.

Here are sixty-five character development questions, plus tips on how and when to interview your characters. Get inspired and get unstuck!

Character archetypes can help you write complex, three-dimensional characters. Learn more about them, including 14 common types, with Dabble.

Secondary characters make your fictional world complete and give your protagonist something to care about. But how do you develop these compelling side players without overshadowing your main character? Here's what you need to know.

Supporting characters often become the best loved, least forgettable players in a novel. But how do you create supporting characters that are interesting enough to be adored without overshadowing the protagonist? Here's what you need to know.

The Magician archetype is one of the most popular archetypes in writing. In this blog, we explain everything you need to know about Magicians!

What is three-act structure? Learn why this story structure is so effective and whether it can help you plot your novel.

A character flaw is a fault, limitation, or weakness that can be internal or external factors that affect your character and their life.

The Chosen One. It’s a trope that many people love to hate despite its pervasiveness across popular culture. If you’re unfamiliar with the Chosen One, it’s a popular trope or narrative device used across books, TV shows, and movies where a character is destined to fulfill a certain role or mission, often because they have unique abilities or traits. These traits are frequently tied to magic, meaning you’ll see this trope a lot in fantasy and other types of speculative fiction, especially those with a young adult audience.

Giving your characters a believable and compelling backstory is one of the best ways to bring them to life on the page. Making it nice and traumatic also doesn’t hurt.

The Hero's Journey is a classic story structure. Learn why it's so popular among writers and how to apply it to your own storytelling.

Antagonists are some of the most important types of characters in stories, but also some of the most difficult to write. Let's breakdown what makes a good antagonist.

A New York City story coach shares her best tips on how to create compelling characters. She walks through each step in the process.

Looking for the ultimate worldbuilding guide? You found it. From mapping worlds to dodging Worldbuilder's Disease, this how-to covers it all.

It isn't easy to write a good villain, at least not without the right ingredients. Let Dabble give you the perfect recipe for a villain!

Learn about Dan Harmon's Story Circle—what it is, how it can help you plot your novel, and whether it's right for you.

Character motivation is essential in creating characters your readers will care about. Learn about the types of motivation with Dabble!

Want to learn how to write a depressed character realistically and respectfully? Hoping to avoid bad clichés and harmful stereotypes? We can help.