The Art of Narrative Omission: Engaging Readers through Negative Space
The human brain is wired for completion. Show it the right shapes and it will conjure a sphere from nothing. Fiction works on exactly the same principle. In this piece I walk through the four elements where omission does the most work: action, information, motivation, and interiority.
The Case for Messy Character Motivation
It’s acceptable—maybe even preferable—to be a little foggy about your characters’ motivations. Rather than put them through questionnaires and personality assessments, put them into situations which reveal true character.