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Writing villains who believe they are the hero of their own story
The scariest antagonist isn't the one who knows they're evil. It's the one who's certain they're right. Here's how to write a villain with a case you almost believe.5 min read
Guide
How to fix a second act that has stopped working
The middle of a novel is where books die. Not from bad ideas, but from a plot that keeps moving without a reason to. Here is how to find the break and repair it.5 min read
Guide
What is a character sheet, and what should go on it?
A character sheet should record what a character wants, what stops them and what it costs them. Here is what to include, what to cut, and a worked example you can copy.5 min read
Craft
How much of a character's thinking can a scene hold
A thought earns its place when it adds what the action cannot. Here is how to tell interiority that deepens a moment from interiority that stalls it, with a simple test for cutting or keeping.5 min read
Guide
How to write a cliffhanger without cheating the reader
A cliffhanger is a promise to the reader. Here is how to end a chapter on a real question, avoid the fake-out and the withheld thought, and pay off the debt on the next page.5 min read
Craft
Theme isn't a message: let it emerge in revision
Start with a moral and you will write a sermon. Write the story first, then read your own draft for what keeps repeating, and sharpen that into a question the book can actually ask.5 min read
Guide
What is a red herring in fiction, and how do you plant one?
A red herring is a true detail that points the wrong way. Here is what separates a fair false lead from a cheat, how to plant one, and how to pay it off.5 min read
Craft
The last line should answer the first image
A book can stop without closing. Here is how to pair your final image with your opening one, so the ending feels earned and the reader sets the book down satisfied rather than abandoned.4 min read
Craft
Your protagonist's want and need should disagree
A character who wants what they need walks a straight line. Make the stated want fight the underlying need and every scene gains a second layer, plus a way to test whether it earns its place.5 min read