Set your story during a massive upheaval (like the Martels fleeing the Soviet advance in 1944).
The story shouldn't just be a list of tragedies. Sullivan’s work is defined by resilience. El Ultimo Valle Verde Mark Sullivan epub
What are they willing to lose to keep their family together? 2. The Atmospheric Setting Set your story during a massive upheaval (like
Create a "North Star" for your characters. For Adeline and Emil Martel, it was the dream of a land where they could farm in peace. Every chapter of your draft should test this hope but never quite extinguish it. 4. A Sample "Story Starter" in this Style: What are they willing to lose to keep their family together
Use sensory details of the trek—the biting cold, the smell of woodsmoke, the sound of distant artillery, and the physical toll of migration. 3. The "Unstoppable Hope" Arc
Sullivan’s stories often place "ordinary" people in "extraordinary" historical horrors.