Writers Helping Writers^®

Openings

Opening Scenes: 3 Critical Elements

February 9, 2021

Opening Scenes: 3 Critical Elements

February 9, 2021

One of the most common questions I get as an editor is, “Am I starting my novel in the right place?” Let’s discuss how you can craft an opening that…

In a lecture series on Youtube, #1 New York Times best-selling author Brandon Sanderson talks about the three P’s of plot structure: Promise. Progress. Payoff. Promises are particularly important in the beginning of the…

Introducing Unique Story Elements without Confusing Readers

January 5, 2021

Introducing Unique Story Elements without Confusing Readers

January 5, 2021

Story openings can be difficult as authors struggle to introduce the protagonist, show them in their everyday world, hint at what’s missing, and begin the vital process of building empathy.…

Yesterday: Looking Back at the First Act

August 18, 2020

Yesterday: Looking Back at the First Act

August 18, 2020

“Yesterday.” A beautiful, beautiful song that easily applies to our writing process. Confused? Go with me for a minute. It doesn’t matter if we’re a pantser, a plotter, a plotser,…

Character Introductions: Making the Right Impression

June 9, 2020

Character Introductions: Making the Right Impression

June 9, 2020

Many aspects of writing can be hard to get right, especially in our first draft. For just two examples: With our story beginning, we might struggle to find a good…

Why All Writers Need A Structural Toolbox

March 17, 2020

Why All Writers Need A Structural Toolbox

March 17, 2020

What Is A Structural Toolbox? Put simply, a structural toolbox is the foundation work all writers need to put in to ensure they … understand how structure works can apply…

Storytelling Decisions: What’s the Right Pace for Your Story?

March 10, 2020

Storytelling Decisions: What’s the Right Pace for Your Story?

March 10, 2020

As we learn to write, we often hear about the need to create a strong pace in our story. Many seem to think that a strong pace requires a fast…

Build a Bridge: From Story Beginning to Main Conflict

January 28, 2020

Build a Bridge: From Story Beginning to Main Conflict

January 28, 2020

During one of my previous posts as a Resident Writing Coach, we talked about the importance of strong goals for helping our story move forward. But as we discussed in…

Story Structure in a Flash

May 14, 2019

Story Structure in a Flash

May 14, 2019

Story structure can sometimes be difficult to wrap our minds around; there are so many different structures, all with different terminology and slightly different meanings. But today I’m going to…

Beginnings and Backstory

December 4, 2018

Beginnings and Backstory

December 4, 2018

You will find writers who argue that there should be no backstory at all in your first chapters. Why not? Because, by definition, backstory is what has happened before your…