plotting

Do you have to know the solution to the mystery before you start writing your amazing new murder mystery? The ‘who’ in whodunit? The how? The why? Not necessarily! In this course, we will explore how to craft a compelling, taut mystery from start to finish that will keep readers guessing without...

If you, like me, are a Pantser with a touch of Plantser in your system, you’ve found there is a point when you aren’t sure what has happened that needs to be fleshed out and then wrapped up at the close of a story. Sometimes it’s a small thing, but sometimes it’s much larger. Particularly if...

The Winter Holidays! They tend to have you running around like a chicken with its head cut off (and if you haven’t been on a farm where this occurs, suffice to say, it’s weird that they do that). There’s never enough time to get things done…or so it seems. But it’s the perfect time of year to...

From well-worn fairytales to far flung fantasy, the tradition of drawing from beloved stories to create new and striking iterations has a long history. At the core of this story obsession are familiar tropes and relationship dynamics that keep us coming back to similar stories time and again...

Developmental edits are the first edit writers skip, but the first thing mentioned in reviews. If your story feels weak, your opening isn’t strong enough to hook readers, your plot goes haywire or your characters feel like cardboard—you need a dev edit. Join developmental editor Jodi Henley as...

Conflict is the reason stories happen. Conflict is keeping a romance from blossoming, a hero from reaching his goal, a villain trying to stop a hero, or even a killer from being stopped. Nine times out of ten a book falls flat because the conflict is non-existent and in this one-week course...

Great is the art of beginning, but greater is the art of ending. ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow What best sells your next book? The ending of your previous book! A satisfying ending ties together all the pieces of your novel - the character arcs, the relationship arcs, the plot, the carefully...

This class focuses specifically on the middle of your story, the bulk of the action that takes place after the set-up and builds up until you reach your “disembarking point” and the book’s ending. How do you crank up conflict and emotion without writing yourself into a corner? How do you...

The Getting Your Manuscript Ready series is a comprehensive look at all the moving parts that make your manuscript the best it can be. We'll break down Beginnings, Middles, and Ends, discuss their unique challenges - and how to fix them! - as you create a book that flows from start to finish...

Many writers understand GMC (goal, motivation, conflict) well enough, but still don't use them to their greatest advantage to improve their stories. In this course we'll talk about each aspect of GMC and how to maximize them, then how to make sure they work together. Lesson One: Quick primer...

You’ve no doubt heard of many different ways of plotting a piece of genre fiction. Things like outlines, beat sheets, three act play, and who knows what else. But have you ever considered math as a guideline? Dexterity in mathematics is not a requirement, you’ll no doubt be relieved to know...

When we start writing, we have an idea of how our readers will react to our stories. Do we want them to laugh? Cry? Gasp? Compose angry letters in their heads because how dare we? And what is the key to making that happen in the story? We create our characters and their internal journeys with...

The first draft of a novel needs consistency and continuity: the more the better the novel will be. Mind-maps offer a way to gain that consistency. What if you knew how to create mind-maps to ensure that consistency? And that continuity? What if you had a way to make sure your characters...

Presenter: Beth Daniels, aka Beth Henderson, J.B. Dane, and Nied Darnell What gets a story talked about around the water cooler, over that latte or flavored coffee, over the milk shake or diet drink? For those who watched as well as those who read GAME OF THRONES, it was when George R. R...

In Those Who Forget History: Using Backstory to Enhance Your Novel, students will examine how to use backstory effectively to enhance their stories using elements of a character’s past. We will cover: · What is Backstory? · Flashbacks and how to use them. · The Five Ws of...

Looking for a way to add conflict and suspense to your novel, chapters, and scenes? Then this workshop is for you. Whether you are a plotter or a pantser, you can apply this easy-to-use technique as you draft, during revision of your WIP, and even as a way to break through writer’s block. In...

Fairy tale retellings are very popular for a reason. They use tropes and characters that we're familiar with. For instance, the Cinderella story is a common one across cultures and centuries. Learn how to use these familiar and beloved characters in stories and give them a different twist. 1...

Lots of writers have heard of the Hero's Journey, which is based on the work of Joseph Campbell. But there's also a Heroine's Journey, which is based on the story of the Sumerian goddess, Inanna, an epic that describes her descent into the underworld. The heroine’s journey is not so much about...

Learn the three parts of a mystery and where to include what and when. Steve will show you how to outline and use free writing techniques to craft a winning mystery short. What makes a good mystery, and how to be an idea machine. How to craft openings that hook your reader, and twist endings...

Craft an Emotionally Charged Story That Will Resonate with Readers Emotional impact shouldn't be dropped into your novel as an afterthought or forced upon your story with a pair of pliers and an iron grip. It should be carefully sewn into the fabric of the story to create tension-filled moments...