Writers Helping Writers^®

Writing Lessons

How to Strengthen Our Story with Tropes

September 10, 2024

How to Strengthen Our Story with Tropes

September 10, 2024

Every genre and medium of storytelling uses tropes—common themes or story devices. However, the frequency of certain storytelling ideas, such as “the chosen one,” makes them so common that readers get…

The Missing Link in Three-Act Structure

September 3, 2024

The Missing Link in Three-Act Structure

September 3, 2024

In any discussion of story structure, the three-act model inevitably dominates the conversation. Even as plotting methods such as Save the Cat, the Hero’s Journey, and the Snowflake Method gain…

Does Your Character’s Behavior Make Sense?

August 29, 2024

Does Your Character’s Behavior Make Sense?

August 29, 2024

Have you been in a situation where someone acts erratically, and not in a good way? It takes you by surprise, doesn’t it? Imagine this scenario: you’re sitting around the…

How to Fix a Boring Main Character and Save Your Story

August 27, 2024

How to Fix a Boring Main Character and Save Your Story

August 27, 2024

Are you struggling with a boring main character? Are you afraid that he or she is limiting your story’s potential? This happened to me with my most recent release, “The…

What Characterization Detail Gives Your Protagonist More Depth?

August 22, 2024

What Characterization Detail Gives Your Protagonist More Depth?

August 22, 2024

Every writer wants to write a character who stands out, drives the story to interesting places, and captures the reader’s heart. Why? Because characters with depth sell books. And of…

Creating Suspense in any Genre

August 20, 2024

Creating Suspense in any Genre

August 20, 2024

When we think about suspense in writing, we naturally leap to thrillers and mysteries, genres that are known for suspense and rely on it. But that doesn’t mean the rest…

Use Your Story’s Takeaway (Theme) to Trim Extraneous Content

August 13, 2024

Use Your Story’s Takeaway (Theme) to Trim Extraneous Content

August 13, 2024

Writing an entire book is an immensely complex undertaking. Even if you’ve outlined meticulously, you’ll need more ideas than you can possibly imagine to fill the pages of an entire…

Story Structure as a Fractal

August 8, 2024

Story Structure as a Fractal

August 8, 2024

Structure is critical to every story. And it’s highly likely that if you are reading this article, you are familiar with the most basic shape of story structure. This one:…

Using Your Setting to Characterize

August 6, 2024

Using Your Setting to Characterize

August 6, 2024

In storytelling, our number one job is to make readers care. We want to ensure that our fiction captivates them on many levels and that our characters seem like living,…

7 Tips to Make Your Antihero Stand Out

August 1, 2024

7 Tips to Make Your Antihero Stand Out

August 1, 2024

When it comes to story heroes, there are many kinds, from reluctant to tortured to tragic. But the one that’s getting a lot of airtime these days is the antihero.…