craft
Guide
Do you need a prologue? How to tell
Most prologues are unearned hedges against a weak chapter one. Here is a concrete test for whether yours is the rare exception that actually earns its place before the story starts.5 min read
Craft
The difference between plot and story
A draft can be packed with events and still feel empty. Here's why plot and story aren't the same thing, and a fast way to test which one a scene is actually doing.5 min read
Guide
Present tense vs past tense: which should your novel use
Past tense narrates after the fact and lets a story breathe. Present tense removes that distance and raises the stakes on every page. Here is how to actually choose between them.5 min read
Craft
The difference between tension and suspense
Writers use these words interchangeably, but they run on different mechanics: one depends on a secret the reader is given, the other on a fight neither side will walk away from.5 min read
Craft
Chekhov's gun, and when it's fine to ignore it
The rifle on the wall doesn't always need to fire. A case for leaving some planted details alone, and a clear test for the ones that actually owe the reader a payoff.5 min read
Guide
What is deep POV, and how to write it
Deep POV means writing third person so close to a character's mind that filter words like she felt disappear, replaced by the character's own voice on the page.5 min read
Guide
How many words is a novel? A guide by genre
Word count expectations aren't arbitrary. They come from printing costs, shelf placement, and reader habit, and missing them by a wide margin can sink a submission before anyone reads page one.4 min read
Guide
First person vs third person: how to choose your novel's point of view
A practical breakdown of what first and third person actually do to a reader, with a scene rewritten both ways so you can see the difference before you commit to 80,000 words of it.5 min read
Guide
Show, don't tell: what it actually means
Show, don't tell gets repeated so often it stops meaning anything. Here is what the advice actually asks you to do, and where telling is the better choice.4 min read