S18:E02: Why Writers Need a Sense of Wonder in Fiction More Than Ever

We're living in a storytelling moment deeply fascinated by darkness—and for good reason. Stories have always helped us metabolize fear, trauma, and moral failure. But darkness is not meant to be the destination.

In this episode, I explore why writers need a sense of wonder in fiction, not as escapism or denial, but as a way of completing the story arc. Wonder is what allows stories to move through the descent rather than getting stuck there and to imagine a future still worth moving toward.

This is a reflection on how stories work psychologically and culturally, why so many books already carry hope with quiet integrity, and how writers (often without realizing it) contribute to building meaning, courage, and care through the stories they tell.

In This Episode, We Explore:

• Why dark stories play an essential role in storytelling

• The danger of getting stuck in the descent

• Why stories must complete the arc

• The sense of wonder in fiction as moral imagination

• How stories help us imagine a future worth moving toward

Links & Resources

📚 Writing craft & story theory:
https://helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/

✍️ Join my mailing list (weekly insights for writers):
https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/resources/free-e-book/

📖 Explore my books and resources for writers:
https://kmweilandstore.com/
(Including Writing Your Story's Theme, Structuring Your Novel, and Creating Character Arcs)

📷 Find me on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/authorkmweiland/

About the Host

K.M. Weiland is an award-winning and internationally published author of writing guides such as Structuring Your Novel and Creating Character Arcs. She mentors writers in story theory, technique, the deeper meaning of narrative, and all the wild and wonderful highs and lows of the writing life.