How Dickens shaped a Christmas story that still resonates
A Christmas Carol became definitive through tight structure, unforgettable characters and a hopeful arc that still resonates.
How Western storytelling changed with us
How shifting from communal tales to individual heroes reshaped our sense of magic, selfhood and what a story is even for.
9 things Western storytelling never warned you about
Discover how non-Western story traditions – cyclical, communal and porous – can expand your writing beyond the usual linear arc.
Why stories are the glue that holds us together
From fireside myths to modern fiction, stories helped us survive by teaching empathy, choices, consequences and how to live as a group.
The spark is in the space between characters
Great stories live not in the characters themselves, but in the relationships – the charged, shifting dynamics that bind or break them.
The secret power of origin stories and why we crave them
Origin stories strip heroes back to their raw selves, adding peril, depth, and insight into how they became the legends we know. Why do we love them so much?