How to Expand Your Story Idea
A story idea isn’t a novel yet. Steps to flesh out your idea into a solid novel plan.
How To Make Supporting Characters Come Alive
Supporting characters enlarge your story, provide insight into the protagonist, and engage readers. Learn how to create and keep track of your supporting characters.
Get to Know Your Author Voice
Your author voice connects your reader to your story through vocabulary, syntax, tone, and point of view that make your phrases, sentences, and paragraphs flow.
How to Control Narrative Pacing in Your Novel
Four elements to help you control narrative pacing in your novel — language, conflict, stakes, alternating scenes.
How To Work Twists, Turns, and Reveals in Your Mystery
Control information for your reader. Be intentional about organizing how and when clues, information, and contradictory information appear,
Who’s On First In Your Story?
Tips to master your story’s beginning. Character, setting, voice, action, and the first sentence all work together to draw your reader into your story.
Your Mystery’s Hidden Villain
Unlike other novels, the mystery’s villain must stay hidden until the final reveal. Here’s how to keep them secret until the end.
Author, Go Public as You Write Your First Book
Give your current manuscript a head start in the book world by working on your author platform as you write.
Keys to Start Your Mystery Novel
Who, what, where, and action are keys to get your reader into the story from the start. Save narrative description and backstory for later. Now is the time to show your reader you tell a good story.
Master Your Plotlines
Deepen your novel, use multiple plotlines. How to develop subplots for your story.