Seven Easy Sources of Real World Danger
How to get your new superhero in trouble.
Latest in Inspiration
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.
Five More Dualities That Can Replace Good and Evil
Six complex conflicts to help your story move beyond "Stop the bad guys".
Five Plausible Scenarios for Planetary Evacuation
How your protagonist's plans to depart from the planet can make a little more sense.
Choosing a Weapon for Your Hero
How to choose what your character carries into battle—and what might be out of their league.
Joseph