Helping Writers Become Authors

Conflict, just for the sake of conflict, is not only just as boring as zero conflict, it's also much more difficult for readers to swallow whole.

Consider some of our most common writing excuses, when they're true, when they're not, and how to get past them.

The result of any of these purpose-sapping boredom causers will be treacle-slow scenes that fail to move the plot forward - and probably don't do much to advance character either.

If you can avoid these five illusion destroyers, you'll be well on your way to a happily suspended and blissfully disbelieving audience.

Depending on your intent in any given scene, you can apply unity and contrast to beef up your prose, pack muscle onto your descriptions, and add weight to your subtext.

Some stories are so complicated they require not just one, but two timelines to tell everything.

Tension is the threat of conflict. It's conflict's calmer - but no less potent - cousin.

Let's explore some of the benefits to both linear and non-linear writing.

In creating meaningful and effective scenes, the most important questions every writer should ask himself are, What is the focus of this scene? What is its purpose?

Be wary of creating the kind of suspense that has readers floundering to understand the basics of your scene, rather than forging ahead with definite and pressing questions.

What if the dream of becoming a bestselling author is something within the reach of anyone willing to do a little hard work?

Why do bad books get published? And what does that mean for unpublished authors who are writing quality stuff?

Are faster writers better than slow writers - or vice versa?

Nothing we write will ever completely escape every mistake and pitfall. But some of those mistakes are more costly than others.

Readers must paint their pictures of our characters with only the colors we give them. Make sure you're supplying them with just the right shades.

Every character needs not just two (or more) needs, but two friction-causing, conflict-creating, mutually exclusive needs.

Let's take a look at some of the pros and cons of both routines and the lack of them.

Aside from the general worries that our storycraft isn't good enough, authors are also usually on the verge of freaking out about what people are going to think about us.

I asked those of you who follow me on Facebook and Twitter for story-structure questions you'd like me to address before I wrap up the series.

Most books need an extra scene or two to tie off any leftover loose ends and, just as importantly, to guide your readers to the emotion with which you want to leave them.