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AUTHOR NATION FOUNDATIONS · TALK RESOURCES
Both tools from the talk are below — no signup required.
The scene-by-scene mapping template I use to chart a novel's tension arc — annotate it as you read or draft.
Open the SpreadsheetA worksheet to help you build a story spreadsheet of your own novel — what to capture, how to score it, and what to ask the graph.
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Dive deeper into how tracking intensity or story questions can help you analyze your own fiction
Craft Analysis
A close read of how Cosby keeps both the plot and the emotional stakes moving simultaneously.
Read the Issue →Craft Analysis
How Liz Moore deploys and resolves story questions across multiple timelines to keep tension taut.
Read the Issue →Craft Analysis
How Layne Fargo uses chapter endings to control a novel’s intensity.
Read the Issue →I’m Kristen Tate — a developmental editor and the author of Novel Study, a close-reading project examining how contemporary novelists construct captivating fiction. I hold a PhD in English literature and work with writers at all stages, from first drafts to final polish.
Learn more about Novel Study and my editorial work at thebluegarret.com/novelstudy.