Fiction Craft Essays

Vera Kurian argues that an overemphasis on twists can detract from character development and the craft of storytelling. She discusses narrative techniques involving twists—such as withholding information from the reader, breaking established story rules, or using unreliable narrators—noting that these tropes are now overused and often poorly executed.

Suzanne Grove interweaves a personal experience—listening to Carver’s “Chef’s House” while grappling with the realities of loving people affected by alcoholism—to demonstrate how fiction can mirror and clarify our lived experiences. Carver’s understated portrayals of addiction and recovery resonate deeply, capturing not only dramatic moments but the fragile, quiet stretches in between. The essay concludes by analyzing the opening lines of several Carver stories, illustrating how each one establishes emotional stakes and curiosity right away. Ultimately, it encourages writers to move beyond formulaic hooks and instead craft openings that create meaningful connections with readers from the very first line.

Tommy Dean explores how Hannah Pittard masterfully crafts the first page of her novel Listen to Me to hook the reader—not with flashy prose or shocking events, but through subtle, character-driven tension. Dean argues that good storytelling mirrors oral storytelling traditions in that it relies on well-chosen details, emotional rhythm, and the ability to draw the audience in gradually. The first page acts not just as a hook, but as a microcosm of the entire novel’s themes and conflicts, setting up a narrative about fear, intimacy, and control.

Laura Spence-Ash explores the importance of surprise in writing, inspired by author Bret Anthony Johnston’s perspective that surprise should exist not just in plot, but in character behavior and language. Johnston asserts that if writing lacks the potential to surprise, it’s not worth pursuing or reading. The writer of the article agrees, noting that predictable characters and conventional sentence structures often weaken literary work. To keep readers engaged, writers should embrace unpredictability and surprise themselves first.