Conflict is inevitable. It crops up when we least expect it and certainly when we least need it. Then again, who would ever need conflict? Well, A STORY does. Conflict is an essential story element. Without it, there’s no inciting incident or catalyst for...
Who likes being put in a box? I don’t. Nobody puts Baby in a box! OK, the actual movie quote says “Nobody puts Baby in a corner” but I wouldn’t want to be in a box either. Boxed in is perhaps even worse than cornered in. At least you can watch...
One warm day last spring, I found a ladybug in my bathtub. It’s a large, jetted tub, infrequently used but perfect for soaking. Also an unlikely home for a ladybug. How did it get here? And more importantly, how would it get out? A bathtub is not an ideal...
You probably know the people to avoid at work. The woman who arrives late every day but announces your atypical early departure by calling out within earshot of the boss, “Heading home already? Lucky you, to have a short day!” The guy who looks for the...
Once upon a time, there was a fair maiden who hoped to meet a prince. And she did. And they moved into the castle and lived happily ever after. The End. That’s not how you recall the story, is it? Let’s try a more modern version: Once upon a recent time, there was an...
