Many readers have no trouble ditching stories that fail to draw them in. This is the worst-case scenario for writers. A reader meets our characters but…
I’ve been thinking a lot about setting lately. Perhaps it’s because my own surroundings — necessarily constant thanks to pandemic stay-at-home orders — offer so little…
Many writers dread the middle of a novel. Beta readers describe middles in unfortunate terms like messy, boring, draggy, or saggy. While the beginning delivers the…
Story endings are a minefield for writers. They get people fired up, and not always in a good way. Diehard fans can get apoplectic about the…
For a new writer, nothing matters more than your book’s opening scene. It gives a first impression of both you and your story. Without previous titles…
In my opinion, reading a book without conflict is akin to reading a programming manual. Have you ever read Javascript for Beginners? If so, how many…
Before you write your first novel, the task feels impossible. After you finish, you realize that not only is it possible, you must now embark on…
Although every novel only exists by the grace of its scenes, we all still struggle to write these mini-arcs. Some work. Some don’t. Why and how…
An idea, a spark of inspiration, is the atom of any novel. Every book starts with an idea, but sometimes it feels easier to come up…
Writing a death scene can be tricky. If you overdo it, it’s a cliché. Underdo it, and you’re a heartless, callous monster. How do you find…