You have the idea. Now what? This step-by-step process helps writers get their story out of their head and onto the page — using journalism's 5 Ws, inverted pyramid structure, five-act story structure, and a gap-filling exercise to build a solid plot before you draft.

Character names carry more meaning than you think. Here's how to choose names that fit your characters' backgrounds, time periods, and personalities—and how to create convincing pseudonyms.

Too many characters and readers lose track. Too few and the story feels empty. Here's how to find the right cast size—and what to do when you have too many.