There were certain aspects of good storytelling that Disney+’s Falcon and the Winter Soldier did well. The villain, Karli, is sympathetic yet also evil. Karli is confused, hurt, and willing to hurt others if it will supposedly make things right. The series resolved several open threads from both protagonists’ character arcs, including Bucky’s struggle over…
Vindication is not only an action, but a very strong emotion. For decades, screenwriters and authors have utilized this tool to pull in their viewers (or readers) and encourage them to cheer for their protagonists. We hear story after story of a brave hero who’s misunderstood and underestimated by his world or society, and only…
We are thrilled to announce that the Story Fortress is live! From DuckTales to Wednesday Addams to Newsies, we’re launching with a wide variety of articles focusing on case studies from every genre. We have nine articles up all ready, and we have many, many more in the making. We’ll post here weekly, as well…
Johnny Tremain is one of my (Mara’s) very favorite pieces of fiction. Ester Forbes crafted a character that captured my interest and sympathy from the very first page and didn’t let go until the very last. This is ironic because Johnny is, at least in the beginning, one of the most arrogant characters I have…
We’ve all had an epiphany. That moment when you realize what you’ve been missing this entire time, and begin to set out to fix it. Those moments can be some of the most powerful, emotional moments of our entire lives. And that is what makes them so important in stories. The epiphany is the moment…
Princess Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee is one of those characters who deeply lacks confidence. We’ve all seen those types of characters before. You start a movie or flip open a book and find yourself faced with the same old self conscious protagonist who feels woefully inadequate. As she goes on and on about how she isn’t…
If you’re like me, you tend to struggle with incorporating humor in novels that are meant to be serious. Your story takes your protagonist to her limit. You find the two things she cares for most, and make her pick one. You watch her struggle through the painful process of rooting out a flaw that…
There is so much to love and criticize about the Harry Potter series. Some praise J. K. Rowling’s skill weaving suspense and mystery so seamlessly into a fantasy series, while others point out the countless plot holes that her world building fails to address. The Harry Potter series is like most things — some good…
At the Story Fortress, we believe you can learn something from every story. Whether its characters are flawless, the plot is boring, or its the best-written mystery of all time, we believe that you can become a better writer through analyzing any story — and that’s what we’re here to help you with. From the…