Clarify Nothing until Act Two
“Clarify nothing until Act Two,” says the host of Escape the Plot Forest, Daniel David Wallace. According to writer and […]
Writing
Posts on the craft of writing
Hidden Secrets of Engaging Scenes
To understand the basic unit of storytelling, the author must know the hidden secrets of engaging scenes. The novel simply
Four Types of World-Building
Whatever the genre, sub-genre or story type, the four types of world-building are key to credible and immersive tales. Every
Hard or Soft Magic in Fantasy?
Do you prefer hard or soft magic in fantasy stories? Do you care about the detail, the scope, the price
Fantasy Tropes Readers May Hate
A while back, Book-tuber Merphy Napier presented thirteen fantasy tropes readers may hate; tropes so heinous, readers can’t just put
Weak Verbs and Passive Voice
The editing hell of Book One continues with weak verbs and passive voice. Bear in mind I have two lists
All types of Fantasy Fiction
In a vast literary genre, High, Low, Epic, Urban, Paranormal and Romance are all types of fantasy fiction. Along with
Heroes of their own Stories
It’s easy to forget that your side characters are the heroes of their own stories; that they have their own
Escalating Stakes Stack the Odds
Book Three of my fantasy series features an impossible mission, while escalating stakes stack the odds against my protagonists. Over
Characters Outside their Fictional World
–If you take your characters outside their fictional world, do they still function as compelling, relatable characters? Drop them into