StoryFlint is here to give you story templates and guides to plan your plot, characters, and world—so you can stop second-guessing and start writing. 👉 Articles, guides, Notion templates, and curated tools/resources for storytellers.
The One Editing Skill That Fixes Most Story Problems
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​ Plot Spine Diagnosis: Cut the Fluff, Keep the HeartYour Story Has a Spine. Is It Broken?Every story has a backbone—the major plot beats that carry everything else. But when you’re knee-deep in rewrites or staring at a bloated middle, it’s hard to tell which scenes matter... and which are just filler dressed in clever dialogue. This is where plot spine diagnosis saves your draft. How to Find the Core of Your PlotA clean narrative usually hits these four essential beats:
If a beat doesn't lead to, strengthen, or react to one of those four—you probably don’t need it. The D.I.M.E. Test for Every SceneHere's a quick diagnostic:
Every scene must either push the plot forward, reveal character, or raise stakes. If it’s not doing at least two of those, it’s dragging your story down. Don’t Just Cut—RestructureSome scenes aren’t bad—they’re just in the wrong place. Sometimes what feels like fluff becomes essential when it shows up earlier, later, or from another POV. Editing isn’t always subtraction. It’s reshaping. A Quick Test for Boring BeatsAsk yourself:
The answers will tell you what’s actually working. And if you're still not sure? Just blue-pencil it. Keep a copy. You can always bring it back if it turns out to be the missing puzzle piece. ​ That's all for now. Thanks for being a subscriber! – Kevin from StoryFlint ​ Check out these Recommended Creators:​ ​ |
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StoryFlint is here to give you story templates and guides to plan your plot, characters, and world—so you can stop second-guessing and start writing. 👉 Articles, guides, Notion templates, and curated tools/resources for storytellers.
The One Thing They’d Never Do You know that moment in a movie where the character stares down a choice so hard it could break them? That’s what we’re talking about today. The “What Would They Never Do?” framework is one of the best tools I’ve found for writing truly compelling character arcs. Let’s break it down. What’s Their Moral No-Fly Zone? Every character has a line they won’t cross. A belief so central that going against it would wreck their identity. Maybe it’s “I’d never hurt a...
The Clock is Ticking: Use This Plot Device to Build Tension Fast What Makes a Story Feel Urgent? Picture this: your protagonist has 24 hours to save the town. Boom. You’ve got your audience’s heart rate up before page 2. That’s the power of a countdown device. And no, it’s not just for action thrillers. It’s a plot technique that taps into your audience’s psychology—and it works like a charm across every genre. The Ticking Clock: A Plotter’s Secret Weapon We’re wired to pay attention when...
The Secret to Stronger Character Arcs? Start with What’s Broken Quick poll: Would you use an AI prompt (to use in ChatGPT) to help you figure out how to plan your story? Yes Absolutely not I don't know The Problem with Perfect Characters You ever read a story where the main character just... has it all together? Me neither. Even superheroes need therapy these days. Audiences aren’t looking for perfect—they’re looking for real. And nothing says “real” like a flaw that’s holding your character...