A Protagonist with no Backstory
Can you defy convention and write a protagonist with no backstory? I started a new project to explore just that. […]
Maximise the Midpoint at the Core
How do you maximise the midpoint at the core of your story? According to writing coach Abigail Perry, the midpoint
The Self Publishing Show 2024
I’m on a first time outing to the Self Publishing Show 2024. Billed as “The biggest indie author conference this
Embracing Scene Structure in Story
Embracing scene structure in story took me longer than it should. While I recognised the scene as the basic unit
Crime Writers Week 2024
ProWritingAid brings you Crime Writers Week 2024, a returning event June 17-21 for aspiring crime novelists.
Wants, Needs, Fears and Misbeliefs
Four essentials of character will inform the character’s arc or transformation: wants, needs, fears and misbeliefs. More than the simple
Pretty Woman Hates its Protagonist
Time and again this movie comes up as a ‘classic’ romance, but Pretty Woman hates its protagonist. Twice this week
Three Plots Make One story
Mastery of plot structure isn’t about a single thread, more like three plots make one story. So says writer and
Novels Obsess over the Past
According to our favourite writing coach, novels obsess over the past. At his most recent writers’ summit, Daniel David Wallace
Villainy without Melodrama and Tantrums
Every story needs an antagonist, but can you have villainy without melodrama and tantrums? Listen to the audio version on