You know in scary movies when a character does something so irredeemably stupid that you know it will lead to their death? I’m talking about when, in a zombie-post-apocalyptic world, they run screaming into a house and lock the door behind them. They don’t check and make sure that there aren’t any others in there […]

By Beth Hill As readers, we know that either plot or characters can be the driving force behind great stories. As writers, we sometimes forget that we need either plot or characters to be the driving force behind our stories. I’ve read a handful of manuscripts over the last months where either plot or character have been seemingly

Step 1: Create engaging and dynamic characters with opposing goals. Step 2: Choose a conflict that is important to your characters. Their investment in the outcome will create investment in the reader. Step 3: Keep raising the stakes: Your story needs several points where tension reaches a peak. Step 4: Allow tension to ebb and flow: Don’t make it

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