Plotting doesn’t have to feel like wrangling an octopus into a cardigan. In this episode of Master Fiction Writing, we turn to Pixar’s Story Spine - seven simple prompts that reveal your story’s engine: who we meet, what upends the status quo, how cause-and-effect escalates, where the climax hits, and what the change means. We unpack each beat (from “Once upon a time…” to “And ever since that day…”) and keep things focused with just two “Because of that…” moves to force clean causality. You’ll hear quick, recognisable examples and leave with a concise spine you can expand into scenes—without drowning in index cards.

You’ll learn:

• How to define your story’s “normal,” inciting incident, and rising consequences

• Why limiting yourself to two causal beats sharpens momentum

• How to aim your climax at your character’s internal shift

• How to land an emotionally clear resolution

How much time passes between Page 1 and “The End” - and where, exactly, do you begin and finish? In this episode of Master Fiction Writing, we pair Step 12 (Story Timeline) and Step 13 (Opening & Closing) to shape your novel’s container and its proof of change. You’ll learn how to define your story present (the “now” of your narrative), pick a time span that supports tension, and design opening/closing scenes that mirror each other to reveal transformation.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What “story present” is—and why tense and chronology aren’t the same thing

• How different time containers (day, season, year, decades) change pacing and stakes

• The “mirror technique” for opening/closing scenes that land emotionally

• Common pitfalls (timeline mush, flashback overload, soft starts) and quick fixes

• Mini exercises to name your container and draft before/after snapshots

Leave with a clear time frame, a purposeful opening, and a closing image that proves how your protagonist changes.

In this episode of Master Fiction Writing, we'll delve into the intricacies of narrative voice and perspective, focusing on the importance of point of view (POV) and time stance in storytelling.

We'll discuss various narrative techniques, common pitfalls to avoid, and practical exercises to help writers refine their craft.