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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
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
Keep writing
Your draft is not the published book on your shelf
You are measuring a rough first draft against a book that survived years of rewrites and editors. Here is why that comparison fails, and what to measure your pages against instead.5 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
Keep writing
How to keep momentum during a busy writing week
A busy week doesn't kill your draft. The hour spent re-reading to remember where you left off does. Here's how to make re-entry cheap instead of costly.4 min read
Keep writing
The draft you abandoned isn't dead, it's dormant
That file you haven't opened in months isn't finished, it's just further away than usual. Here's how to actually get back into it without rereading everything.4 min read
Craft
Why unlikeable protagonists work, and when they don’t
Readers don’t need to like a protagonist. They need to understand what the protagonist wants badly enough to keep reading to find out. Likability was never the mechanism.4 min read
Keep writing
The five-minute rule for restarting a stalled draft
Your draft has been sitting for weeks and the guilt is getting heavier than the plot. Here's the smallest possible way back in: open it, write five minutes, stop.5 min read
Keep writing
What to do when you stop believing in your own book
Mid-draft doubt feels like the truth about your book. Usually it's proximity, not evidence. Here's how to tell the difference and get perspective without a rewrite.5 min read