Writers Helping Writers^®

Conflict

Five Elements of Relationship Plotlines

November 28, 2023

Five Elements of Relationship Plotlines

November 28, 2023

Whether you are writing romance, adventure, fantasy, or mystery, nearly every well-told story has a relationship plotline. Unfortunately, though, entertaining banter or fiery arguments alone aren’t enough to sustain that…

Tips for Writing a Successful Story Climax

November 2, 2023

Tips for Writing a Successful Story Climax

November 2, 2023

Escalation is an important element of story structure. The opening pages are often quiet as key players are introduced, the setting is established, and readers are given a glimpse of…

Why “But” is a Powerful Writing Tool

October 24, 2023

Why “But” is a Powerful Writing Tool

October 24, 2023

Boredom is a common reason why a reader DNFs a book. Genre is irrelevant. If the reader isn’t engaged with the storyline, they will set aside your book for another…

Writing About Pain: Taking an Injury from Bad to Worse

September 21, 2023

Writing About Pain: Taking an Injury from Bad to Worse

September 21, 2023

When we put characters in dangerous or unfamiliar situations, they can get hurt, and when they do, things become harder to do. Injuries can mean reduced mobility, pain makes it…

Writing About Pain: Describing Minor Injuries

August 29, 2023

Writing About Pain: Describing Minor Injuries

August 29, 2023

When we push characters to their limits, sometimes they get hurt. Injuries can range from annoyances to mortal wounds, and handled well, can add tension and complication to the story,…

Writing About Pain: Three Stages of Awareness

August 22, 2023

Writing About Pain: Three Stages of Awareness

August 22, 2023

If there’s one thing writers like to do, it’s to make characters suffer. We are all about bringing forth pain and crises, whether it be emotional, physical, spiritual, or existential.…

How to Stay Focused on Your Story’s Central Conflict

August 1, 2023

How to Stay Focused on Your Story’s Central Conflict

August 1, 2023

Conflict in every scene. We’ve all heard this advice, and for good reason. Your protagonist has a goal—hopefully, an audacious and high-stakes goal that is difficult to achieve. “Difficult” is…

Improve Your Storytelling in 5 Minutes

July 25, 2023

Improve Your Storytelling in 5 Minutes

July 25, 2023

What are writers chronically short on? Time. There never seems to be enough of it as we try to get the next book written, research our publishing options, keep up…

Keep Tensions High by NOT Resolving Your Character’s Relationship Conflict

July 18, 2023

Keep Tensions High by NOT Resolving Your Character’s Relationship Conflict

July 18, 2023

When it comes to story conflict, there are so many options to choose from. Power struggles, physical threats, moral dilemmas, failures, ticking clocks—they’re all great for ratcheting up tension, building…

Do Your Characters Have Agency?

July 13, 2023

Do Your Characters Have Agency?

July 13, 2023

Consider, if you will, a story about a woman who wants to gain esteem by winning an important legal case. Things are going along fine until she gets fired from…