Writers Helping Writers^®

High Stakes

Writing to the Beat: Translating Story Beats to Any Genre

September 12, 2017

Writing to the Beat: Translating Story Beats to Any Genre

September 12, 2017

Readers of my blog know I’m a big fan of beat sheets, even creating a beat sheet for romance stories. Because of that, writers ask me what beats they should…

Why Characters Need Choices in Fiction

August 29, 2017

Why Characters Need Choices in Fiction

August 29, 2017

Choices drive every single conflict in a novel. The protagonist wants something (the goal), something is preventing her from getting it (the conflict), and she must choose what to do…

Suspense in Stories: the Big Tease

July 11, 2017

Suspense in Stories: the Big Tease

July 11, 2017

Suspense is one of the storyteller’s biggest teases. It’s a state of waiting, of growing unease in the reader. Most stories consist of raising questions and delaying the answers. Suspense…

What Does It Mean To “Raise the Stakes”?

March 14, 2017

What Does It Mean To “Raise the Stakes”?

March 14, 2017

Last time I visited, we discussed how understanding the interconnectedness of our story elements can help us with revisions, and today we’re going to dig deeper into one of those…

Conflict and Suspense Belong in Every Kind of Novel

March 7, 2017

Conflict and Suspense Belong in Every Kind of Novel

March 7, 2017

What is the goal of the novel? Is it to entertain? Teach? Preach? Stir up anger? Change the world? Make the author a lot of money? It can be any…

Tips on Raising the Stakes

September 30, 2013

Tips on Raising the Stakes

September 30, 2013

Suspense & Thriller author José Bográn shares his expert advice on how we can raise the stakes. Story Stakes: How High Is High Enough? When asked what “raising the stakes”…

Want High Stakes? Amp up the Stress!

December 13, 2010

Want High Stakes? Amp up the Stress!

December 13, 2010

In the real world, we avoid stress whenever possible but in writing, the opposite is true. Why? Because in the land of the Three Act Structure (TAS), STRESS = CONFLICT.…