One of the most thorough resources on fiction writing is Matt Bird’s The Secrets of Story. It’s not about grammar, or a simple, general statement of “show don’t tell” which all writers have hear countless times. Instead, Matt breaks down the elements of storytelling including theme, character, character arc, dialogue, tone, and rewriting. He is the “Dr. Phil” of writing – sometimes you don’t like what he has to say, but you know he’s right. With each tip, Matt offers a checklist of questions and a section of “misconception” versus “au contraire” where he dispels common misunderstandings. While there are numerous examples I could give, and will give in future blogs, today I’ll start with his explanation of a main character (aka – our hero) choosing between two rights or between two wrongs, not between a right and a wrong. Sounds backwards, doesn’t it? Why would a good story consist of choosing between two rights – sounds like a win-win to me. But, as Matt explains, there must be an emotional cost to the choices. Matt writes, “the heroes should face a long succession of additional dilemmas throughout the story,” and then he references Casablanca as an example (273). No dumbing down here. Indeed, it is a tough pill for a writer to swallow when one realizes a major overhaul is needed because our beloved protagonist is currently choosing between good and evil, and clearly that is not the recipe for a compelling story. This is one of many points that Matt explains in great, convincing detail before telling his readers to forget everything he just said (but not really). Matt’s writing is fun to read, albeit exhausting at times for all the tips and examples. It is a necessity on any writer’s shelf.