One of my favorite nautical terms is “brightwork.” When I first encountered this word, I assumed it meant the polished metalwork on boats, but I learned it also refers to highly varnished woodwork. Search for Chris-Craft vintage runabout and you’ll find some stunning examples of wooden brightwork.

I love the concept of brightwork because, like so many nautical concepts, it has a perfect analogy in the writing world. In the same way boatbuilders layer and polish the pieces of wood that make up the brightwork, we writers layer and polish description and dialogue to add depth and luster to our work. Just as a boat’s brightwork draws the eye of a discerning sailor, well-crafted description and dialogue draw our readers into our story. Perhaps it’s what draws us, the stories’ creators, in as well.

But no boatbuilder embarks on the painstaking process of installing wooden brightwork before the frame of the boat is in place. As writers, we should ensure the frame of our story is in place before focusing on our “prose brightwork.”

​Below are some of the places where I've discussed the idea of framing.

Creating Your Story Frame with Matty Dalrymple on The Prolific Author Podcast
Many thanks to host Liesel Hill for this fun conversation about using a story frame to stay on track; writing long vs. short fiction; bringing characters to life who feel real; staying focused; and the why of certain scenes.

July / August, 2022
Writer's Digest Article "Creating Your Story Frame"
I discuss the challenges I faced with Ann Kinnear Book 5: A Serpent's Tooth​, how I avoided those pitfalls by creating a story "frame" for Book 6, and how readers can apply the frame concept to their own work.