Books and Publishing

Plot twists shouldn’t come out of nowhere—but they should floor your reader. Here’s how to pull it off. Nothing electrifies a reader like a plot twist that comes out of nowhere—then makes perfect, sneaky sense in hindsight. Think Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, where you realize you’ve been played by the world’s cleverest […]

Perfect characters are boring. Flaws drive tension, connection, and plot. Here’s how to use them without going over the top. Perfect characters are boring. No one wants to read about someone who’s always right, always good, and never struggles. What keeps readers hooked is watching flawed, real characters fight their battles, make mistakes, and grow. […]

Structure doesn’t have to kill your voice. Save the Cat gives you beats that work—and room to make them your own. Does your plot feel like a chaotic mess that no amount of rewriting can fix? Enter the Save the Cat Beat Sheet—a plotting superhero that helps transform chaos into a compelling story. Created by […]

Fight scenes aren’t just about fists and fancy footwork—they’re about tension, stakes, and keeping readers on the edge of their seats. There’s nothing worse than a fight scene that reads like a bad stage direction. He punched. The other guy ducked. Someone grunted. It was intense. No, it wasn’t. It was a list of things […]

If your story feels flat, your rising action might be to blame. Here’s how to build tension that keeps readers turning pages. Every great story has a moment when things start to shift—the calm before the storm fades, tensions rise, and the real drama begins. That moment isn’t just exciting; it’s a crucial part of […]