Episode #88
We Accidentally Lived Through a Perfect Story Structure
What happens when your entire travel plan falls apart and you suddenly realize you're living through the exact kind of story structure you teach authors to write? In this episode of Pros Talking Prose, we do something a little different. After a travel day filled with changing gates, missing pilots, canceled flights, expensive mistakes, unexpected allies, and one very important business conversation, we realized our disastrous trip had accidentally become a near-perfect example of story structure, escalating conflict, try/fail cycles, character change, and the difference between plot and story. So we broke it down. Because one of the most common problems we see in manuscripts is that authors are too nice to their characters. Conflict isn't something you sprinkle into a story to make it exciting. Conflict creates stakes. Failure forces characters to react, change, make decisions, and eventually become capable of doing something they couldn't have done at the beginning of the story, and what your character wants from the journey isn't what they actually need to get from it. We talk about: Why try/fail cycles make stories stronger How escalating conflict keeps readers invested Why the dark moment needs to actually hurt Reactive characters versus proactive characters How minor characters can change the direction of a story Why every scene needs to move the character toward the climax How failure reveals character Why your protagonist should be capable of something at the end that they couldn't do at the beginning The surprisingly important difference between “and then” storytelling and “if/then” storytelling Sometimes the difference between a plot and a story really is only two words, and sometimes failure makes the better story. If you enjoy conversations about writing craft, publishing, author business, and all the strange things that happen along the way, subscribe to Pros Talking Prose and join us each week. And tell us in the comments: Are you making things hard enough for your protagonist, or are you still protecting them? LINKS & RESOURCES MENTIONED Wayfinder Summit WayfinderSummit.com The first 250 registered attendees will receive a Wayfinder Welcome Kit. Learn more about the virtual working retreat for authors and reserve your spot above. Craft Lab: Poisons with Troy Lambert https://theplotabides.com/free-plot-dude-webinars-2026 Power Sessions https://printtopro.com/powersessions-2026 Print to Pro PrintToPro.com We'll be at Killer Nashville this August, so if you're attending, come find us and say hello. #WritingCraft #StoryStructure #WritingTips #NovelWriting #ConflictInFiction #CharacterDevelopment #WritersCommunity #WritingAdvice #Authors #ProsTalkingProse
