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Use Conflict to Target a Character’s Soft Spots

Conflict is a key story ingredient, one we need a lot of, but this doesn't mean quantity is better than quality. Fiction isn’t a video game; waves of bad guys with guns won't keep readers tuned in for long. They expect to see a variety of conflict, including meaningful problems that deepen the … [Read more...] about Use Conflict to Target a Character’s Soft Spots

Phenomenal First Pages Contest – Guest Editor Edition

Hey, wonderful writerly people! It’s time for our monthly first-page critique contest! This month, winners will receive feedback from a professional editor. So exciting! 🙂 This contest is closed. Please try again next month. If you’d like to be notified when the next one goes live, consider … [Read more...] about Phenomenal First Pages Contest – Guest Editor Edition

Fear Thesaurus Entry: Losing Autonomy

Debilitating fears are a problem for everyone, an unfortunate part of the human experience. Whether they're a result of learned behavior as a child, are related to a mental health condition, or stem from a past wounding event, these fears influence a character's behaviors, habits, beliefs, and … [Read more...] about Fear Thesaurus Entry: Losing Autonomy

Use a Character’s Career to Support Your Story’s Theme

Successful stories are often ones whose elements are employed subtly. You may not be able to say exactly why they work, and as a reader, you probably don’t care; you just like the feeling of rightness that settles in as you read. Theme is one of those important elements that are quietly working … [Read more...] about Use a Character’s Career to Support Your Story’s Theme

Small Focus. Big Creativity.

For the past two months, we’ve been in a small village in the middle of France. I imagined there would be writing galore, with wine and cheese raining down, to the backdrop of vineyards and chateaus. There was wine. There was cheese. There was beautiful scenery. There were also two patooties who … [Read more...] about Small Focus. Big Creativity.

Fear Thesaurus Entry: Not Fitting In

Why a Strong Plot Requires a Significant Goal

By September C. Fawkes Many say plot begins with conflict. But you can’t have conflict if you don’t have an antagonistic force. And you can’t have an antagonistic force, unless your protagonist has a goal, a want; opposition doesn’t exist until it’s in the way of something. This is why plot truly … [Read more...] about Why a Strong Plot Requires a Significant Goal

3 Tricks to Reel Your Reader in With Flashbacks

We oftentimes hear the word flashback and we begin to think of all the don’ts associated with them. Don’t use them too early. Don’t let them go on too long. Don’t include too many. The list goes on and on. Flashbacks get a bad rap because they’re oftentimes misunderstood in terms of how to use them. … [Read more...] about 3 Tricks to Reel Your Reader in With Flashbacks

Fear Thesaurus Entry: A Loved One Dying

Coming Soon: The Conflict Thesaurus (Volume 2)

Some things are harder than others: getting up to work out rather than sleeping in. Not eating that entire container of salted caramel gelato. But one of the hardest? Waiting for a sequel. When it comes to finishing off an amazing novel, your brain goes into fourth of July mode: The characters, … [Read more...] about Coming Soon: The Conflict Thesaurus (Volume 2)

An Antagonist vs a Villain: What’s the Difference?

By Neil Chase What's the difference between an antagonist and a villain? We often see these terms used interchangeably, but there's a big difference between them, and you need to know which is the right one for your story. What Is an Antagonist? In literature and film, an antagonist is a … [Read more...] about An Antagonist vs a Villain: What’s the Difference?