Courses

Plot is the engine of story—and one of the hardest skills for writers to master. Popular outlining systems like Save the Cat! can feel too rigid and prescriptive for writers who consider themselves “pantsers," those who write by the seat of their pants, discovering the story as they go. This course offers an intuitive way to build plot from the inside out, starting with character. The most compelling plots arise from a character’s contradictions, desires, and emotional logic. Through weekly lessons and exercises, you’ll create vivid characters who drive tension and keep readers turning pages. We’ll explore how to introduce characters with specificity, subvert stereotypes, plant narrative questions that sustain curiosity, and structure backstory for emotional impact. This course benefits writers of short or long fiction as well as narrative nonfiction, and supports both drafting and revision. You’ll leave with a deeper understanding of how character fuels plot.