Tiana has the best princess dress. Fight me.
Twelve Sources of Wish Fulfillment for Your Story
Even dark stories can add a little escapism.
Latest in Inspiration
Ten Ways to Inspire Your Description
Your subconscious isn't the only source of great ideas.
Obstacles for Six Types of Relationship Stories
Somehow, we have to keep our protagonists from pairing up on page five.
Seven Easy Sources of Real World Danger
How to get your new superhero in trouble.
Ten Reasons Characters Might Stop Communicating
What to do when one conversation could ruin your plot.
Seven External Plots for Relationship-Centered Stories
Add excitement without sacrificing what's important.
Nine Personality Clashes for Character Conflicts
How to put good people at odds without making them look mean or unreasonable.
Episode 345: Witches
Let the season of witchery begin!
Six Ways to Add Stakes to a Mystery
It takes a little effort to make inheritance compelling.
Nine Jerkass Traits That Aren’t Toxic or Abusive
Characters can be grating without being abusive.
Nine Options for High Stakes Conflicts Without Violence
No violence is needed to create excitement.
Six Common Misconceptions Among New Writers
The structures in place to teach storytelling are woefully inadequate.
What Does and Doesn’t Make a Signature Weapon Cool
Coolness goes far beyond how well it stabs things.
Seven Musts for Dominating a Fantasy Battle
Take off your helmet and don your plot armor, it's time for a fight!
Five Epic Fantasy Conflicts Other Than War
I’ve got nothing against a good war – in fiction anyway.
Classical Music to Set Any Scene
Most authors listen to music while they write.
Five Activities I Use to Beat Writer’s Block
Writer’s block is an unpleasant experience, to say the least.
Seven Black Women You’d Want on Your Side in a Horror Movie
In many horror movies, the black woman is a mere friend – cannon fodder, to put it bluntly.
Seven Recipes for Heroes to Win Desperate Fights
How to concoct a victory for your protagonists when their odds feel slim.
S.T. Ockenner