Use RPGs to Bounce Your Characters Off Real(ish) People
Dungeons and Dragons has experienced a resurgence in the last few years and its reputation is at least 50% less dorky than it was...
When Your Hero Needs to Feel the Pinch
Creating dramatic tension in your story requires you to put your character in some kind of physical or emotional jeopardy, and that requires a...
Structure is a Thing, but It’s Not the Only Thing
Writers are bombarded with advice on structure. Three-act structure, Seven Steps, 22 Steps, the Hero's Journey--you can't swing a cat without hitting Save the...
Worldbuilding Lessons from Dune
Writer Chuck Wendig rhapsodizes about the worldbuilding in the new Dune movie.
"Dune as a storyworld has a lot of it," Wendig says. "It’s actually...
Sometimes, You Can Skip the Oxford Comma
In a guest post on Janice Hardy's blog, Dario Ciriello discusses how punctuation can help you create a more flowing narrative, and how meter...
What’s in a Character Name? Sometimes, the Success of Your Story
The naming of things is important. God gave Adam the task of naming the creatures of the world. Magical beings withhold their true names,...
Writing Prompt: Describing Music
During her interview with the Write the Book podcast, writer Melissa Perley suggests a musical writing prompt: listen to a piece of music and...
Variety is the Spice of Conflict
Conflict is at the heart of every story. It's what drives the plot, highlights the stakes, and increases tension. It's the main reason readers...
Use Character to Get Under Your Readers’ Skins
There's a lot more to horror than simply creating a monster or scheduling a few jump scares. The greatest horror hits your audience in...
Bringing the Dead (Projects) Back to Life
On Monday, we shared an article about the sunk cost fallacy, and knowing when it's time to put two tears in a bucket and...
