WRITING CRAFT · PRACTICE · REVISION
Fiction Fundamentals
Writing isn’t magic. It’s a skill you can learn.
Clear, practical lessons for middle-school, high-school, and developing writers who want stronger plots, memorable characters, sharper dialogue, vivid worlds, and drafts that actually hold together.
START WHERE YOU ARE
Choose the path that fits you.
I’m a Writer
Use short lessons to strengthen the story you are already writing—or finally begin the one you keep thinking about.
- Plot and pacing
- Characters and arcs
- Dialogue and point of view
- Description and worldbuilding
- Revision and editing
I’m Teaching Writers
Use individual videos to introduce a concept, reinforce a lesson, launch discussion, or give young writers a concrete revision target.
- English and creative-writing classrooms
- Homeschool instruction
- Library and community programs
- Parents supporting young storytellers
What You’ll Learn
Ideas & Premises
Turn a spark of inspiration into a story question with enough conflict, possibility, and momentum to sustain a complete draft.
Plot, Structure & Pacing
Build meaningful beginnings, escalating middles, satisfying endings, and scenes that move at the right speed.
Characters & Arcs
Create people with goals, fears, strengths, flaws, and believable reasons to change—or refuse to change.
Dialogue & Point of View
Write conversations that reveal character and choose a viewpoint that gives readers the right information at the right time.
Description & Worldbuilding
Make settings vivid without stopping the story, and build worlds whose details support the characters, conflict, and theme.
Revision & Editing
Diagnose weak scenes, fix inconsistencies, strengthen prose, and turn a rough draft into a story readers can follow and enjoy.
For Writers
Start Where You Are
You do not need a completed novel, a perfect outline, or years of experience. Bring the story you are working on—or the story you hope to begin—and use each lesson as one practical next step.
- Middle-school and high-school writers
- New and developing adult writers
- Writing clubs and critique groups
- NaNoWriMo participants and independent learners
For Teachers & Families
Make Writing Instruction More Concrete
Use individual videos to introduce a concept, reinforce a lesson, start a discussion, or give young writers a clear model before they revise their own work.
- English and creative-writing classrooms
- Homeschool writing instruction
- Library and community writing programs
- Parents supporting enthusiastic young storytellers
Meet Your Writing Guide
Michael D. Young
Michael D. Young is a published author, educator, and instructional designer who has spent years writing fantasy, picture books, devotionals, poetry, scripts, and interactive learning experiences. He holds a degree in teaching as well as master’s degrees in instructional design and educational leadership. Fiction Fundamentals combines the craft lessons he has learned as an author with the clear, step-by-step teaching approach he uses as an educator.
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Download Sir George and Count Drake as a free PDF—no signup required. The story page also includes an optional invitation to join Quest Dispatches, Michael’s monthly reader newsletter, for occasional release news, project updates, writing notes, and future free stories.
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