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Motivation

How to Uncover Your Character’s Deepest Fear

March 28, 2023

How to Uncover Your Character’s Deepest Fear

March 28, 2023

Fear is a disruptive force, even though its job is to keep us safe. When there’s a perceived physical or psychological threat, our brain blasts us with a shot of…

Writing Antagonists Readers Can’t Help But Like

December 1, 2022

Writing Antagonists Readers Can’t Help But Like

December 1, 2022

There’s a dirty little secret among many of us readers: well-written antagonists get our blood pumping. When a scene come along with them in it, well, we lean closer. Grin…

Release Day: The Conflict Thesaurus (Volume 2) Is Here!

September 6, 2022

Release Day: The Conflict Thesaurus (Volume 2) Is Here!

September 6, 2022

A new writing guide is joining the family today, so please say hello to the SILVER Edition of The Conflict Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Obstacles, Adversaries, and Inner Struggles.…

Use Conflict to Target a Character’s Soft Spots

August 25, 2022

Use Conflict to Target a Character’s Soft Spots

August 25, 2022

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…

Want Readers to Connect to Your Character? Include this Element.

May 12, 2022

Want Readers to Connect to Your Character? Include this Element.

May 12, 2022

Some characters have more shape and weight than others, feeling so authentic we can almost believe they walked right out of the real world. Their emotions, vulnerabilities, needs, and desires…

Release Day: The Conflict Thesaurus Is Here!

October 12, 2021

Release Day: The Conflict Thesaurus Is Here!

October 12, 2021

Well, guys – another book is out in the world! The Conflict Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Obstacles, Adversaries, and Inner Struggles (Volume 1) is a game-changer for writers, screenwriters,…

Testing Fate: A Closer Look at Person vs. Fate Conflict

August 31, 2021

Testing Fate: A Closer Look at Person vs. Fate Conflict

August 31, 2021

Conflict is key to writing great stories. And while writers may categorize conflict differently, I categorize conflict into eight types: Person vs. SelfPerson vs. PersonPerson vs. NaturePerson vs. SocietyPerson vs.…

8 Ways to Write Your Novel’s Outline

June 15, 2021

8 Ways to Write Your Novel’s Outline

June 15, 2021

Writers who don’t outline are often very loud online. They will say outlines kills creativity. They may even go so far as to claim an outline is a ‘straightjacket’ and…

Does Your Character Have a Secret?

May 25, 2021

Does Your Character Have a Secret?

May 25, 2021

We all have secrets – you do and I do. And let’s face it, we work hard to not let them get out. But at the same time, when we…

Balancing Your Cast of Characters

May 4, 2021

Balancing Your Cast of Characters

May 4, 2021

It’s no secret that side characters can be amazing in their own right. Great side characters feel like real people–even if the focus isn’t on them. They have lives that…