The T-1000 shapeshifts, is mostly invulnerable, and disguises itself as a police officer.
How to Make Your Villain Threatening
If your villain can't hold their own, the story will get boring.
Latest in Tension
Five Stories That Undermine Their Own Stakes
Once you have a good thing going, don't ruin it just for a twist.
Wednesday Failed the Addams Family, and It Didn’t Have To
The Addamses were designed for comedy, but they can still be in a tense show.
Episode 408: High and Low Tension Arcs
A little tension, as a treat.
Episode 406: Stories About Building Something
That's a fine cup of coffee.
Who Wins: Three Parts Dead, House of Earth and Blood, or A Master of Djinn?
Three urban fantasies with rich worlds enter the arena.
Your Story Needs Tension, Not Violence
Create excitement on your own terms.
A Character Goal Isn’t a Story – But It’s Close
This common model for stories can be helpful, but it can also hold writers back.
Episode 379: Killing a Major Character
To kill or not to kill?
Who Wins: Name of the Wind, Fifth Season, or Way of Kings?
Three books go head to head in a high fantasy battle royale!
Five Conflicts With Weak Turning Points, and How to Fix Them
When good conflicts turn bad.
Episode 367: Raising the Stakes
The story is tense, but could it be... *more* tense?
Why Tossing In Calamity Won’t Make Your Story Exciting
A lesson in what tension isn't.
Who Wins on Engagement: Buffy, Supernatural, or Teen Wolf?
It's an urban fantasy showdown!
Episode 358: Non-Violent Conflicts
When we say conflict, we do not necessarily mean physical violence.
Five Stories That Neglect Tension
Without tension, readers get bored fast.
Episode 333: Movement and Pacing
Sometimes you can just tell that the story you’re reading has come to a screeching halt.
How Three Book Series Kept Readers Interested
It’s challenging to maintain reader interest across multiple books.
How to Pace Your Story
Conflict and intensity in a story must be timed to avoid both boredom and exhaustion.
Understanding Conflict & Tension
Tension drives the story, and conflict brings tension to life.
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