Five Fatal Story Pitfalls
Nothing sabotages the reader experience like these five fatal story pitfalls. And a big name on the cover is no
Writing
This One Can’t Fight
The heroine of my new YA fantasy is different from all the others; this one can’t fight. And that’s the
Three Types of Fear
Fictional characters don’t only have wants and needs, often their actions are driven by three types of fear. It’s classic
Hard and Soft Magic in Fantasy
Nothing defines a world quite like hard and soft magic in fantasy. Does the magic have endless rules or no
Tolkien’s Antidote to Hard Magic
No levels, no Hit Points, only epic conflicts between ages-old sorcerers: this is Tolkien’s antidote to Hard Magic.
Readers connect to Emotional Truths
Readers don’t connect to plots, they connect to emotional truths. When there are no new plots, only new twists, what
More than a Hero’s Journey
Use whatever plot structure you want; story is more than a hero’s journey.
Hubris defeats the Master Strategist
No matter the antagonist’s intelligence, drive or competence, hubris defeats the master strategist. In the second book of my series,
A Monster of his own Making
The last of my series villains is a monster of his own making. No amount of wealth or titles can
The Savage Antagonist
My series villains includes one seemingly simple brute: the savage antagonist. A man of rage and violence, born out of