Character Arcs: Making a Long Story Short
Character Arcs: Making a Long Story Short
A well-structured story uses events (also called story beats) to move the narrative forward — with compelling issues, rising stakes, and an organic sense of cause and effect — toward…
Read more…Originalizing Your Story Idea
Originalizing Your Story Idea
I’ve been thinking a lot recently about differentiation—how we can make our stories stand out from all the others. Customers are being more careful with their money, which means they’re…
Read more…Force Your Character to Make Hard Choices
Force Your Character to Make Hard Choices
One of the best things about conflict is that it pushes your characters to act. In every scene, your characters are making choices—big ones and small ones, and thereby steering…
Read more…“No, Don’t Tell Me”: How & When Should We Use Foreshadowing?
“No, Don’t Tell Me”: How & When Should We Use Foreshadowing?
Foreshadowing is a literary technique we can use in our stories that gives a preview or hint of events that will happen later. While many might think of foreshadowing for mysteries, this literary device…
Read more…Writing Antagonists Readers Can’t Help But Like
Writing Antagonists Readers Can’t Help But Like
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…
Read more…The Rural Setting Thesaurus: Graveyard
The Rural Setting Thesaurus: Graveyard
Sourced from The Rural Setting Thesaurus SIGHTSWrought iron fences and gates, a paved driveway winding between the graves, a chapel, sun- blanched stone angels, carved headstones (marble, concrete, or granite…
Read more…The Skeleton of Your Story
The Skeleton of Your Story
Think of Milestones (aka story beats) as a human skeleton. The skull, spine, sternum (breastbone), scapula, ribs, and pelvis are vital for life. Without these large bones in place, we’d…
Read more…Writer’s Fight Club Story Contest Winners!
Writer’s Fight Club Story Contest Winners!
Thank you for celebrating the release of the SILVER Edition of The Conflict Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Obstacles, Adversaries, and Inner Struggles. Angela and Becca create amazing books—and find…
Read more…4 Ways Your Protagonist Is Sabotaging You (And How to Fight Back)
4 Ways Your Protagonist Is Sabotaging You (And How to Fight Back)
We love our protagonists. We spend a ridiculous amount of time, blood, sweat, and tears championing their stories. But what if they’re undermining us by behaving in ways that drive…
Read more…Setting Description Mistakes that Weaken a Story
Setting Description Mistakes that Weaken a Story
When you think about the key elements of storytelling, characters and plot immediately come to mind, but what about the setting? Do you view it as 1) a vital story…
Read more…9 Tension-Building Elements For Character Dialogue
9 Tension-Building Elements For Character Dialogue
By Becca Puglisi I’ve been thinking a lot about dialogue lately, because when it’s done poorly, it pulls me right out of the story. There are a lot of issues…
Read more…Your Novel: Concept to Query in 10 Months
Your Novel: Concept to Query in 10 Months
An Action Plan for Actual Humans By Fred Koehler Like almost every other writer I know, I’m not a full time novelist. Publishing is, at the best of times, really…
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