The most potent stories arise from the impossible choice

Cuppa: A hand-poured cup of the best ideas about writing I've tasted lately

Hey, y’all—

There’s nothing wrong with simple stories. A simple, well-written story can be refreshingly satisfying—and tricky to write, too, since there’s no hiding behind plot pyrotechnics or bamboozlery. (Is bamboozlery a word? It is now.)

But even simple stories can contain complex choices—and that’s where things get interesting.

“The most interesting c…