Getting to the *Heart* of the Story

Taking some time off recently has allowed me the opportunity to see my work in a new light. So, I revised the The Little Artichoke and really nailed down the heart of the story (yes, right down to the artichoke heart).

Where before I was focused on the main character riding from one issue to the next, this post on pansters and plotters helped me to marry the strange gray place where character and narrative arc overlap. In a nut shell, Lisa Cron's post suggests that all events in a story should ride on the character's internal struggle. Ah ha! If you do that, then you have a work that's based ". . . why she (your main character) makes those decisions and how she (your main character) changes as a result."

 

Although the post is meant for longer works (aka novels), I still think it holds true for any story. I challenge you to try it on short stories, poems, comics, etc... See below, practice illustrations from my picture book, Me! The Little Artichoke. Enjoy and A bientot!