All the skills you need to write a great chapter: master narration, dramatic build up, paragraph flow, and character development. Log in over here / Buy the course over there.
Writing Great Chapters
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Scenes and Chapters
32 Lessons
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Writing Great Chapters
The answer to this popular question is simple: one to two unicorns.
To write chapters that flow well: orient your writing around your protagonist's attempts to get what they want or avoid what they detest.
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Ideally, a chapter end is all about the reader.
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Start each scene by re-connecting the reader to the protagonist.
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Look at your novel's best scene: did you forget to include… THIS?
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Great scenes rely on two opposites: forward motion that keeps the protagonist working against the clock (plot) and sparks / pulses of character motivation that show the reader how the events are affecting their protagonist (narration). Here's how to blend them.
Novels aren't only about the plot. Some of the most memorable passages in a novel come from its lyrical moments.
A paradox: in order to keep raising the tension in a scene, you have to take breaks.
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What about novels where you simply MUST share a lot of information about the fictional world: historical fiction, fantasy, sci fi etc? Here's a more advanced technique for mingling drama and exposition.
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Here are two theories about human psychology: they are almost everything you need to create a great protagonist.
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If you notice you've let the reader drift away from the protagonist — use the next scene to deliver emergency first aid.
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How to make a bad character likeable?
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This is so simple: at the start of each chapter, just repeat.
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It's often a good idea to pull back at the start of a chapter.
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You can reveal anything as long as no one is paying attention.
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The best way to open a story?
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Here's an easy way to show that the story is changing your protagonist.
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Sometimes you just need to do an info-dump. Here's one way to make it work.
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Not all scenes advance the plot. Some, instead, clarify it.
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How to make a scene of internal choosing dramatic on the page.
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When it's time to deliver a dramatic, unforgettable scene — here are two great techniques.
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Give each minor character a dominant mood. After all, most people don't change!
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Heighten your setting description with drama and variety.
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Use the "heads and tails" trick when you're writing in a hurry.
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Okay. Don't get angry. But it doesn't matter what shade your love interest's eyes are.
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You've learned so much in this course. Let's use these lessons to sketch out a novel together, right now.
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Let's put these techniques together to write an unforgettable chapter
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Thank you so much for taking this course.
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About the teacher
Daniel
Daniel is the creator of the "character-first" approach and the host of his trio of annual summits. He writes a semi-daily newsletter to almost six-thousand writers around the world.
Hi Daniel, I bought this course is 2020, but it does not show up in my courses. I have the receipts if you need to see them, and communications from you thanking me for buying the course, etc. Please advise :)
Please email support@danieldavidwallace.com – we will take care of you!
Hi Daniel, Is this course up-to-date with the latest AI info? Or the latest isn't necessary since this is merely the basics? Also, I tried to sign up for the class, but I can't find the button.
Elizabeth
Hi Daniel. Is there a way to create a writing assistant for those of us too cheap to subscribe to the premium service? Perhaps a list of configuration instructions cut and pasted in at the start? Thanks!
You could try that! See how it works — tell Chat GPT (or another tool) I am going to provide you with an instruction set and then ask you to solve questions based on that set. You could put the instructions on a web page and ask the AI to view them (easier than copying and pasting) — let me know if that works!
Hi, I cannot access this course. AI Writing. I am logged on to my courses . The message I keep getting is to Sign up for the course. When I try, the new message is "You are already logged in". Can't win. June Thornton
We’ve had some weird bugs lately, June — we’ll look into this!
I can’t see the other comments.
Hi Daniel
I have signed up for the summit (using the "pre-summit" sign-up. I'm looking forward to this, as I have 3/4 of first draft on my 2nd novel and am interested in what I will learn that will help me move forward with this.
I'm open to nwe approaches – as well as to meeting fellow writers and sharing experiences.
Looking forwrd to this, as I've recently made a commitment to letting go of my other obligations (running an NGO on global water challenges) and letting my team take over on that so I can focus on my writing. This seeems like a good way to stick to that commitment. Thank you.
Simple yet profound teachings. My novel soared to new heights when I implemented on these lessons. Thanks.
I got the course through the Christmas Market and powered through watching all the WGC courses in one day, staying up until 2 am to finish.
I’m partway through draft 4/new first draft of a novel, but wanted to take advantage of this class as soon as possible. I didn’t take part in all of the written assignments just to save time, but LOVED the way they were integrated into the lesson. I look forward to trying the assignments later with my next project.
This course was worth at least triple what I paid, and I’m recommending it to all my writer friends.
It helped clarify many issues I’ve been having with scenes/sequels, endings and beginnings, and sorting through where I know I have blocks.
Thank you so much for this series of lessons!