“No one talks about story—which, as we have just seen, is the very thing that readers are hardwired to respond to. Story is treated as something elusive, something that magically appears when you nail the mechanics and learn to “write well.”” (Lisa Cron, Story Genius)
Writing Exercise: Beyond Mechanics—The Engine of Story
Key Writing Techniques Illustrated by the Quotation:
1. Causality and Emotional Logic – A compelling story is not a sequence of well-written moments; every action must feel like the organic result of what came before. The protagonist’s choices should stem from their internal struggles, ensuring the scene is driven by necessity rather than convenience.
2. Character-Driven Narrative Momentum – A strong story does not rely on plot mechanics alone. Instead, it unfolds naturally based on who the protagonist is and what they need or fear. The reader should feel that the story could not have happened any other way.
3. Subtext Over Surface Prose – Effective storytelling is not just about well-crafted sentences. A scene should resonate with unspoken tension, revealing the deeper stakes without over-explaining or relying on exposition.
Writing Prompt (500 Words):
Your protagonist is about to make a decision they cannot take back. The moment itself may seem small—a phone call, a message left unsent, a glance held too long—but for them, it is monumental. The reader must feel the weight of this choice, even if they do not fully understand why at first.
Write a scene that reveals:
• What is at stake emotionally for the protagonist
• Why they cannot turn back from this choice
• How the external world subtly reflects the pressure they feel (without being overtly symbolic)
The challenge is to ensure that the story is not just a well-crafted passage, but something that feels inevitable and necessary because of who this character is.
Evaluation Criteria for a Successful Response:
1. Emotional Causality – The decision should feel earned and inevitable, stemming naturally from the character’s fears, desires, and past experiences rather than feeling imposed by the writer.
2. Narrative Tension – Even if the scene is quiet, there should be an undercurrent of suspense—an awareness that something irreversible is happening.
3. Subtext and Depth – The strongest responses will show more than they tell. The protagonist may not directly articulate their emotions, but the reader should still feel them.
Examples of Weak vs. Strong Execution:
Weak Response:
Maria sits in her parked car, staring at her ex’s phone number on the screen. Her thumb hovers over the call button. She thinks about everything that went wrong, about how much she misses him. She sighs, locks the phone, and tosses it onto the passenger seat. Rain streaks the windshield. She leans back, feeling empty.
Why it’s weak: The emotions are vague, and the moment lacks tension. The reader is told Maria is torn, but nothing in the writing conveys why this choice matters deeply to her. The rain is a generic backdrop rather than an active force in the scene. There’s no specificity to make this moment feel necessary.
Strong Response:
Maria grips the steering wheel, her knuckles bloodless, as her phone buzzes against her thigh. She already knows who it is. The number is saved under a name she hasn’t spoken aloud in months. The air in the car is thick, too warm, but she doesn’t lower the window. She should leave. Instead, she rereads the last message she sent him—just three words, careful, final. Now, his name glows on the screen, as if daring her to undo it.
Outside, a couple argues on the sidewalk, their words sharp and staccato. A car alarm blares, relentless. The world presses in, impatient. The phone stops vibrating. Maria exhales, presses her forehead to the steering wheel. A moment later, the screen lights up again.
Why it’s strong: The tension is immediate and immersive. Maria’s internal struggle is shown rather than explained through her physical reactions, the oppressive atmosphere, and the external world subtly mirroring her inner turmoil. The phone’s repeated ringing creates urgency, making the moment feel alive and inescapable. The reader senses that Maria’s next action will define something critical about who she is.
Follow-Up Questions for Workshopping and Revision:
1. Does the scene feel like a crucial turning point, or could the character walk away unchanged?
2. Is the protagonist’s emotional state clear through action, description, and subtext, rather than direct explanation?
3. Does every sentence serve the story’s momentum, or are there moments of indulgent prose that slow the tension?
4. If the reader didn’t know anything beyond this scene, would they still feel the weight of the decision?
Recommended Reading:
• The Fat Girl by Andre Dubus – A masterclass in how small, personal choices carry immense emotional weight, with every decision feeling inevitable.
• The Ledge by Lawrence Sargent Hall – A story that builds its emotional and narrative momentum through unspoken tension and an unfolding sense of inevitability.
• A Temporary Matter by Jhumpa Lahiri – A quiet but deeply affecting story where character-driven decision-making shapes the emotional arc, making even the smallest moments resonate with finality.
This exercise should help writers go beyond surface-level “good writing” and into the deep mechanics of storytelling—where plot, character, and emotion are inseparable.
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