Character Arcs

A story without a big inner transformation isn’t a story but an anecdote—a string of events that go nowhere. Over the course of the story, your external plot must cause a major internal change in your protagonist (think: nerdy Walter White becoming the vicious Heisenberg in Breaking Bad) so that by the last page they’re wholly transformed, entirely different from who we meet on page one.

In Medias Res

By starting page one “in the midst” (Latin: in medias res) of a crucial event from the middle of your story, instead of at its beginning, you instantly captivate readers, jumping right into the heart of the narrative. This immersive storytelling experience, used as far back as Homer’s The Odyssey, makes us eager to unravel the events leading up to that critical midpoint.

Arrive Late / Leave Early

Likewise, by starting each scene as late as possible and exiting it as early as possible, we keep readers engaged and focused on the essential moments of the story, avoiding unnecessary details and thereby intensifying the reader’s interest.

Exposition as Ammunition

Since the background info that’s necessary to understanding the plot can often be dull and tedious compared to the action, this dialogue technique of seamlessly incorporating essential info into character conversations transforms boring “exposition” into engaging “ammunition” that propels the story and deepens the characters.

Iceberg Theory

Popularized by Ernest Hemingway, this technique likens a story to an iceberg, with only a small part visible above the water (explicit details) and a larger part hidden below (deeper meanings and subtext). This creates intrigue and engagement by trusting readers to fill in the gaps and discover the underlying themes and emotions on their own.

Kill Your Darlings

Hard as it is, good writers must be willing to delete the most cherished parts of their work whenever these “darlings” don't serve the overall story. By trimming unnecessary, redundant, or distracting elements, you will improve the flow, making things more focused and engaging. As the great American crime writer Elmore Leonard put it: “Try to leave out all the parts readers skip.”

Inner Worlds

Characters come alive through their inner feelings, thoughts, desires, motives, etc. Rather than just describing their outward actions and body language, as if transcribing the visuals of a film, it's crucial to express your protagonist's impressions at every turn. By foregrounding their reactions to each revelation or event, you will keep readers constantly invested and leave a lasting impression.