How a Premise Can Help Your Writing.

A premise is ideally a single statement—a moral, value, or declaration the story illustrates. Stories that endure, that captivate and haunt us, all share one thing in common: a clear premise.

So, what is a premise? It arises from a strong feeling the author holds. In *Romeo and Juliet*, Shakespeare’s underlying conviction is that love conquers all—even death. He didn’t sit down intending to preach this lesson; he believed it so deeply that the story flowed from his conviction. He wasn’t trying to convince us of his belief—he was compelled to express it.

Because the author already embraces the premise wholeheartedly, the resulting story naturally persuades readers, whether or not the writer cares if they’re “won over.” The premise isn’t the point; it simply galvanizes the emotive strength of the story.

Don’t Start with the Premise.

If you’re beginning a story, forget about your premise—at least for the first draft. Writing to a preconceived statement often makes the writing ring false. Instead, let the narrative emerge organically. Once you have a complete draft, identify the underlying premise and use it to sharpen your focus, decide what to remove, and give your story stronger direction.

A Great Story Comes from Passion, Not Premise. For the writer, premise comes after passion. You may have heard, write what you know. A similar statement will help you write with passion: write about what triggers an emotional responce in you. Write about what frightens you, makes you excited, makes you want to learn more...

A compelling story and a strong premise both stem from the author’s passion. Shakespeare cared deeply about love’s power, and that passion generated *Romeo and Juliet* and its premise. He may have later used the premise to refine the play, but it wasn't the starting point.

In short, when you begin writing, don’t worry about crafting a premise. Write freely and let your convictions reveal themselves in subsequent drafts. Only then should you distill and sharpen your premise to guide the story’s final shape.

Try this writing tip: write slowly on purpose. I know it sounds counter intuitive, but writing can be one of the most mentally demanding things we do. When I’m in the zone and typing at top speed, my brain feels like it’s sprinting a marathon, desperately craving energy to keep all those neurons firing. Sure, there are moments when words flow out effortlessly, but relying on that state sets you up for frustration when it doesn’t happen.

Instead, develop the habit of deliberately slowing down. If you feel resistance—if the words suddenly dry up or you tense with urgency—pause. Step away from the keyboard. Think through the next tiny step, then tackle just that one small piece. You might start glacially, pick up to a medium pace, or even gush again—but when you sense friction, dial back to that deliberate crawl. Writing slowly on purpose gives you room to breathe and sidesteps the blockers that make writing feel like a grind.

Imagine approaching writing the way you’d work on a jigsaw puzzle. You’re sipping coffee, calmly scanning the pieces, trying one, then another, with no rush. That’s the pace to aim for. Even if you can sprint through a draft, force yourself—at least once a day—to move at puzzle speed. It’s a tool in your writing toolbox: the more you practice, the more instinctive it becomes.

Over time, writing slowly not only eases the pressure but also makes the process more enjoyable. You’ll still hit those exhilarating flow states, but you’ll experience far less stress, fatigue, and resistance. When writing feels fun and relaxed, that joy seeps into your words, making your work more engaging to readers. The best writers know when to “dance lightly” and when to rocket ahead—both modes have their place.

So next time you sit down to write, remember: optimizing for ease and enjoyment is just as important as speed. Practice slow writing regularly. You’ll find it not only preserves your energy but transforms writing into something you look forward to—and that’s one of the greatest creative achievements you can unlock.

Hi. Today’s topic is how to make dialogue flow.

One of the best ways to make dialog convincing it to give it flow. Real life dialog happens in the moment. Listeners get once chance to take in the words.

That means your dialogue needs to be easy to follow and digest in the moment. If you include too many complex ideas or pack in a lot of information at once, it forces the audience to mentally pause and process — which breaks the flow. If your dialogue pulls their attention in too many directions, they’ll miss the key ideas. Good writing isn’t about cramming in as much as possible. It’s about pacing and clarity. Think of it like diluting information so your viewer has time to absorb each piece.

Some TV and film scripts go too far in the other direction, reducing dialogue to bare-bones phrases like, “How are you?” “Fine,” “Okay,” “See you later.” While these lines may flow smoothly, they often lack depth. I’m not suggesting you dumb things down to that level — but be careful not to overload the dialogue either.

It’s tempting to use dialogue to reveal a lot about a character — their background, what makes them who they are. But stick to the main topic. Characters reveal themselves accidentally and as a side effect of working toward their goals. Narural dialog often has a strong purpose driving it. Let your character reveal themselves but don't get distracted.

Hinting at is more powerful that saying out right. If your character is planning to rob a bank they shouldn't say, "I am planning to rob a bank tonight." Instead have them say something like, "Here are the masks. Does everyone have their weapon?" Your reader can figure out what your character is planing. Audiences are naturally good detectives and can pick up clues.

So before writing a scene, ask yourself: What is the one key idea I want to communicate here? What goal is my character focused on?

Be an actor when you write dialog. Say dialog out loud as you write and say it in the voices of your character. Imagine yourself to be that character as you say the dialog. If your character is chronically sad, imagine yourself to fee the way they do as you say the dialog. Try this technique, it may surprise you how well it works.

Try writing only the dialog first. Here's an example. First I write, "why didn't the alarm go off?" "I don't know. It's not my phone." "Well, that screws everything up."

When I'm done writing that I can go back and add the rest: Millie jumps out of bed. "Why didn't the alarm go off?" She glares as she pulls her blue genes on.

Alber rolls over slowly and groans. "I don't know. It's not my phone."

Milli grabs her trumpet. "Well, that screws everything up."

Writing the dialog first will help you focus on dialog flow. Incidentally, I find it to be an easier and funner way to write.

Your imagination is like a virtual reality and you can enhance the virtual reality in your mind through creative writing. Why are some characters so convincing? Because their creators could “become” the character. Take the time to imagine yourself as other people.

If your developing characters or need a creative boost, listen to this episode. There is no right way to create a character. Some seem to lives lives of their own. Hopefully this episode will spark a few new ideas for you.