Conflict Thesaurus: A Romantic Competitor Entering The Scene
Conflict Thesaurus: A Romantic Competitor Entering The Scene
Sourced from The Conflict Thesaurus EXAMPLES A love interest’s old flame showing up and wanting to resume a relationshipSomeone new expressing a desire for the character’s love interestBeing “just friends” with…
Read more…The Conflict Thesaurus: Getting Caught in a Lie
The Conflict Thesaurus: Getting Caught in a Lie
Sourced from The Conflict Thesaurus NOTES: Though most people believe lying is wrong and strive to avoid it, no one is 100% honest all the time. One factor that will…
Read more…Conflict Thesaurus: Needing to Sacrifice One for the Good of the Many
Conflict Thesaurus: Needing to Sacrifice One for the Good of the Many
Sourced from The Conflict Thesaurus EXAMPLESThe character limiting their intake of basic needs so loved ones can have themSending someone to near-certain death so they can find help in the…
Read more…The Conflict Thesaurus (Volume 1) Master List of Entries
The Conflict Thesaurus (Volume 1) Master List of Entries
Conflict is a powerful ingredient across all genres and mediums, punching up the pace, cranking up the pressure, and pulling readers into the story. Below are the entries from the…
Read more…The Conflict Thesaurus Writing Guide Is Coming
The Conflict Thesaurus Writing Guide Is Coming
Each year we look forward to this post, the one where we get to spill the beans and introduce to you the next book in our thesaurus series. This one…
Read more…THE CONFLICT THESAURUS, Volume 1: A Writer’s Guide to Obstacles, Adversaries, and Inner Struggles
THE CONFLICT THESAURUS, Volume 1: A Writer’s Guide to Obstacles, Adversaries, and Inner Struggles
Every story starts with a character who is motivated by a need and has a goal that can resolve it. Whether their objective is to find a life partner, bring…
Read more…Don’t Let Excess Baggage Bring Down Your Character’s Plane
Don’t Let Excess Baggage Bring Down Your Character’s Plane
We’ve all heard that characters need backstory, and in particular, an emotional wound that they’re carrying around when we meet them on page one. (As an aside, if you haven’t…
Read more…Building Your Writing Support Triangle, Part 3: Accountability
Building Your Writing Support Triangle, Part 3: Accountability
We’ve loved having Jessica Conoley here the past three weeks to discuss the three vital pieces of support that every author needs. Today, she’s closing out this series by discussing…
Read more…Nods, Smiles, and Frowns: How Can We Avoid “Talking Heads”…and Cliches?
Nods, Smiles, and Frowns: How Can We Avoid “Talking Heads”…and Cliches?
Context is often an underappreciated element of our writing because when not done well, a context-filled passage can become a tell-not-show info dump. However, context is essential for most aspects…
Read more…Does Your Character Have a Secret?
Does Your Character Have a Secret?
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…
Read more…Power Up Individual Scenes with a Scene Tracker
Power Up Individual Scenes with a Scene Tracker
One of the most powerful tools in a writer’s toolkit is a scene tracker, also known as a scene map. Whether you’re drafting or you’re looking to revise a finished draft,…
Read more…4 Tips for Writing Your Character’s PTSD and Trauma Memories
4 Tips for Writing Your Character’s PTSD and Trauma Memories
Trauma: any event that overwhelms our ability to cope, causes feelings of helplessness, and diminishes our ability to feel a full range of emotions. Anything can be traumatic depending on the…
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