Helping Writers Become Authors

The Climactic Moment is the reason your story is even being told in the first place. Needless to say, it's pretty important you get it right. Find out how!

What are pinch points? Of all the important moments in your story, they are most likely to be neglected. But they're crucial to your story structure.

The trouble with identifying the Inciting Event is that the term is applied rather wildly to half a dozen different moments in the story. Which is right?

Today, I'm excited to put an end to the guessing about the "Big Secret" and unveil a new resource for authors. The official Story Structure Database.

The ironic thing about about complex characters in fiction is that the essence of what makes them so wonderfully complicated is actually incredibly simple.

In the time it takes to write two words, you might distance readers from your narrative. Luckily, this one of our common writing mistakes is an easy fix.

Discover how a good story premise can help you eliminate structural weaknesses and create a valuable tool for outlining and pitching your novel.

The length of the timeline is an important factor in any story. Take a moment to consider just how much time your story should cover.

What makes a great climactic setting? Consider five important techniques for making the most of the setting in your story's climax.

One of the easiest writing mistakes to fall into in your book endings is actually one that has much to do with book beginnings--and, indeed, the entirety of your book.

Go beyond the vague sense that's something wrong with your story and use these five tips to figure out what your writing weaknesses are.

If you can identify on-the-nose dialogue and learn how to replace it with rich undercurrents of subtext, you're on your way to becoming a master author.

As we continue to discuss the most common writing mistakes, we'd be remiss to leave out the all-too-prevalent faux pas of unnecessary filler or padding.

When figuring out how to pitch your novel, you may realize your story's hook and its heart might not be compatible within such a short description.

At last! A manual for beta reader etiquette--for how beta readers should conduct themselves and how writers, in turn, should respond.

You cannot have a theme without a message, since your message is the vehicle on which your story's theme will reach your readers.

Introspection can never take the place of interaction. When you end up with characters doing more observing than acting, that is often (although definitely not always) a sign you're avoiding the best parts of your story.

The role of theme in your story's climax is all-important. The theme is what makes the whole thing work with any kind of realism or meaning.

Here's the thing about a powerful theme. It's not black and white. It's not the moral of the story. It's not an answer - it's a question. And here's the thing about questions: they very often have more than one answer.

Take a moment to consider your story's theme. Does it leap right out at you? Or do you have to do a little digging?