Angela Ackerman's Blog: Writers Helping Writers, page 4

The Importance of Beginning with the End in Mind

Liz Alterman is here to share how to begin your novel with the end goal in mind and avoid mistakes she’s made. Plus…she’s giving away a query critique and an EBook to celebrate her newest release, Claire Casey’s Had Enough.

When we sit down to write a book, it���s typically because we feel called to share a story. That passion can fuel us as we draft those first daunting chapters and maybe even as we plot a detailed outline.

We often start off excited about the opening, perfecting it to intrigue and connect with readers. But I���ve learned (the hard way) that starting with the end in mind may be the smarter way to go.

When I say ���the end,��� I���m not talking about the actual d��nouement. I���m referring to the end goal for your book. Knowing how you���ll pitch it to agents and editors, who the audience is, understanding your book���s genre, and where it will sit on a shelf can serve as a guiding light as you work on your story. I say this having written a manuscript I was proud of only to later hear that it straddled multiple genres (women���s fiction, romance, romcom, chick-lit) making it very tough to sell as publishers were unclear how to market it.

Author Jamie Varon, whose novel Charlie Quinn Lets Go will be released this fall, discussed this scenario on Savannah Gilbo���s podcast Fiction Writing Made Easy.

Varon acknowledged that as much as writers don���t love being ���put in a box,��� genre is vitally important.

���A reason you could be getting constant rejections is because your book might not fit into a genre,��� she said. ���And that’s impossible in the publishing industry because everything is based on, if you like this, you’ll like this. And you can’t do that if you’re not fitting into a genre.��� 

Being told you need to ���pick a lane��� or start over can feel devastating. Fortunately, you can avoid these pitfalls by keeping a few things in mind from the onset.

Craft a Compelling Pitch

While writers shouldn���t let worries about marketability impede creativity and enthusiasm for the work itself, their story���s marketability should stay top of mind, noted Laurie Johnson, senior commissioning editor at Severn House.

���Is it commercial?��� she asked. ���If not, what���s going to sell it? The end goal for all writers and publishers is to sell books.���

Given that publishing is an extremely busy industry, it���s important to make the pitch as clear, compelling, and concise as possible.

���Editors/agents, booksellers, libraries, online retailers, whatever stage the book is at, all have very limited time to consider whether to buy a book or not,��� Johnson added. ���A decent pitch, that can grab a reader���s attention in just a few short lines, is essential.���

Put Comp Titles to Work

In addition to a punchy pitch, comparative (comp) titles can do a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to helping agents and editors quickly conceptualize the work. Though it���s tempting to skip this part of the query letter, it���s crucial, agents and editors agree.

���Including comps in your query shows agents that you’ve done the important step of acknowledging that publishing is a business and then gone on to consider how your manuscript will fit in the publishing marketplace,��� said Abby Saul, literary agent and founder of The Lark Group. ���It is also such a great way of helping to set an agent’s expectations – and ideally excitement! – for your book before they’ve read a word. We’re not looking for an exact match but truly a comparable project or two; a helpful way to think about it can be ‘fans of [Title or Author] would also be fans of my book.���”

Johnson agreed and added, ���Comp titles can help editors with briefing cover art, marketing materials, writing cover copy etc. It can also help plan where the book is going to sit in the market and if that meets their list requirements.���

The best way to find comps is to read widely in the genre in which you are writing, stay aware of recent releases, and ask for input from fellow writers and beta readers, Saul suggested.

���Another good starting place can be to peruse sites like Bookshop, Amazon, The StoryGraph, and Goodreads, all of which have reader- and algorithm-generated lists in various genres and subgenres,��� she said. ���Dive into those descriptions and from there build your own list of possible comps that you can then refine to fit your manuscript.���

Find something that speaks to the book itself and doesn���t over/under-sell it, Johnson noted.

In other words, steer clear of calling your book the next Harry Potter or To Kill a Mockingbird.

In terms of timeframes, books that have been released within the last three years are best for comp titles, but it���s not a hard and fast rule.

Learn��From My Mistakes

When I originally queried my new novel Claire Casey’s Had Enough in 2018, in the comp section I���d written it ���will appeal to fans of Allison Pearson’s I Don’t Know How She Does It and Liane Moriarity’s What Alice Forgot.��� 

That query letter landed me an agent, who, despite her best efforts, didn���t sell it. 

I continued working on the manuscript, adding subplots that placed it more squarely in the women���s fiction category. Originally, Claire and her husband were still married when she attended her reunion and reconnected with a former boyfriend. I received feedback that romance readers wouldn���t root for a main character who considers an affair. So, I had Claire and her husband separate early in the story, which also added more weight to Claire���s ultimate decision to fight for her marriage or embark on a new romance with her old beau. I also added an intergenerational friendship between Claire and a neighbor who is in her seventies and focused a bit more on Claire���s parents��� health issues, which balanced out some of the lighter parts of the story. 

When I pitched to the editor who acquired it in 2024, I wrote, ���This voice-y, high-concept Past Lives-meets-Bridget Jones tale will appeal to fans of contemporary romance and women’s fiction told with heart and humor.��� 

Loving your book idea and writing with passion can get you to the end of the draft, but may not be enough to sell an agent or editor on your project. Like it or not, publishing is a business and starting with the end goal in mind can help avoid heartbreak.

To celebrate her new release, Liz is giving away two prizes.

One winner will receive a query critique.

Another winner will receive an EBook of Claire Casey’s Had Enough.

Back in the day, Claire had dreams. She was going to be somebody! Now a forty-something mom of three (four if you count her husband!), drowning in laundry and PTA chores, with a job she can’t stand, she’s finally had enough . . . A hilarious, heartwarming mom-com, perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella and Fiona Gibson.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Enter the Rafflecopter above for a chance to win. We’ll announce winners here on Tuesday, June 10. Good luck!

Liz Alterman is the author of the memoir, Sad Sacked, the young adult thriller, He���ll Be Waiting, the suspense novels The Perfect Neighborhood, The House on Cold Creek Lane, and You Shouldn’t Have Done That, as well as the momcom Claire Casey’s Had Enough. Her work has been published by The New York Times, The Washington Post, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, and other outlets. Subscribe to her Substack where she shares the ups and downs of the writing life (and cat photos).

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Three Strategies for Creating Progressively Escalating Complications

Unputdownable stories keep readers off balance, as one scene tips into another, and another, and the next. Each scene���s challenge demands a response, and each response spirals into fresh complications.

But compelling stories don’t pile on problems in random fashion. Complications flow organically from one scene to the next in a chain of action and reaction. The upshot for your novel? This chain of progressively escalating complications transforms a mere assemblage of scenes into an unstoppable narrative.

Why Complications Matter

Your protagonist acts, the world reacts. The world acts, your protagonist reacts.

Action, reaction. Stimulus, response. Scene, complication, next scene . . . This is the heartbeat of compelling storytelling. Each cycle creates new complications that demand fresh choices, building momentum that pulls readers deeper into the story.

A compelling story makes the character happen to the plot , not the plot happen to the character. A protagonist must have agency to drive the story forward ���the power to choose, and the power to act.

Strong, clear action-reaction dynamics create stories where:

Protagonists have agency : Characters actively respond and make decisions that drive the story forward, rather than simply enduring whatever happens to them.Character choice matters: Each complication requires the protagonist to make meaningful decisions that shape what happens next.Readers stay engaged: Readers connect with characters who act and react, not just victims of circumstances.Momentum builds naturally: Action-reaction creates that ���can���t put it down��� quality, because readers are invested in how the character will respond to each new challenge.

A strong, connected chain of events empowers your protagonist as an active agent in their own story. Here are three techniques you can use to forge a chain that holds weight.

Technique 1: The Fortunately/Unfortunately Method

The simplest plotting technique for creating progressive complications is the fortunately/unfortunately strategy. It goes like this: A good thing happens, but then something bad happens as a result. This outcome creates a new complication that demands a new response.

Fortunately/unfortunately generates a constant stream of opportunities for your characters to make decisions and take actions that move the story along. They���re never stuck waiting for the next thing to happen. Every scene hands them a new snag to deal with.

Here���s how fortunately/unfortunately might work in a story about a musician:

Fortunately, Maya���s band gets offered a record deal after their breakthrough performance.

Unfortunately, the contract requires them to fire their longtime drummer, who happens to be Maya���s best friend.

Fortunately, Maya convinces the label to give her friend one more chance.

Unfortunately, during the crucial audition, he chokes under pressure and plays the worst set of his life.

Fortunately, Maya discovers the drummer has been struggling with severe anxiety and finds him a therapist.

Unfortunately, the therapy sessions conflict with their recording schedule, and the label threatens to drop them entirely.

Each fortunately creates hope and forward momentum for Maya. Each unfortunately yanks that hope away and forces her into a new, even stickier situation. She can never rest���she���s constantly reacting to new challenges that arise from her previous choices.

Technique 2: Choosing Consequences Over Continuations

Technique #2 builds story momentum by choosing consequences over continuations���consequences like therefore and but rather than continuations like and then. This approach, popularized by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, ensures that every scene builds on what came before.

Your mission in every scene is to generate some twist���the outcome of the scene, its fallout, its consequences���that forces the character to deal with it in the next. You���ll know you���ve succeeded when you can express the cause and effect using words like therefore or but.

THEREFORE creates a consequence: The performance goes incredibly well; therefore, a talent scout approaches Maya with an offer.

BUT creates a complication: The performance goes well, but Maya discovers the talent scout is actually her ex-boyfriend���s new partner, setting up a personal conflict.

Therefore and but create genuine story momentum because they force every scene to build on what came before. In this way, nothing in the story happens in isolation. Every action ripples forward into new complications that make readers wonder what will happen next.

Technique 3: The ���Yes/But��� and ���No/So��� Dynamic

The third technique for building complications is the ���yes, but��� / ���no, so��� dynamic. Yes, the character succeeds, but there���s a complication���or no, they don���t succeed, so here���s what happens as a result.

Yes, Maya���s band gets the recording contract, but they have to relocate across the country, leaving behind everything familiar.

No, Maya���s band doesn���t get the contract, so their lead singer quits to join the band that beat them out.

Each scenario creates a new situation that demands action from your protagonist. The ���yes, but��� gives them success���but with strings attached. The ���no, so��� compounds their failure with additional complications.

Either way, the characters can���t sit still. They must react, and that reaction creates the next link in your narrative chain.

The Chain of Complications

These three complication- and connectivity-building techniques work because they mirror real life. Success at anything rarely comes without complications, and failure often brings unexpected consequences. Real life feels like a cascade of consequences, where every choice creates new challenges that demand fresh decisions.

A singular, strong narrative throughline is the primary byproduct of an unbroken chain of action-reaction dynamics. You���ll know you���ve succeeded if plucking out a single scene and moving it to a new location would break the story���s continuity, requiring considerable revision. Your domino effect would be missing a chunk of dominos, and you���d need to reconstruct new connections from Point A to Point B.

These three techniques all serve one purpose: Make your character happen to the story by giving them the agency to respond, choose, and act in some minute way in every scene. This dynamic will transform a collection of scenes into a narrative with relentless momentum.

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Communication is the Key to Critique Partner Success

Author Accelerator Certified Coach Julie Artz shares great ways to get the most out of critiques.

Here on Writers Helping Writers, you���ll find a lot of folks extolling the virtues of getting feedback on your writing through either a critique partner or a critique group. Joining a critique group is, in my opinion, second only to reading widely in the list of free ways to improve your writing. Whether you���re just starting out or you���ve been writing for decades, critique groups can help you process feedback from agents, editors, and other readers. They can provide great support and perspective. And they can gently, kindly, offer feedback on how you can improve. Still not convinced? Check out this post on Building Your Writing Support Triangle.

Most writers have been through the dreaded critique group break-up. It���s both a right of passage in the writing world and an incredibly difficult situation to find yourself in. You���ve invested the time in getting to know other writers, to critique their work, and to receive feedback on your own work, and still, something���s not quite working. It can feel like such a setback to go back to the beginning and get to know a whole new group. I know. I���ve been there. Like I said, most writers have.

As with most types of interpersonal relationships, good communication is at the heart of critique group / critique partner success. Today, I���d like to share an Author Accelerator tool I typically use with my clients and students to help gauge the type of feedback I give them. I recently realized it could be helpful for critique partner communication too and this blog post was born.

Introducing the Hierarchy of Editorial Concerns

The Hierarchy of Editorial Concerns is a self-assessment tool to help you identify where in the revision process you are so that you understand what type of revisions you need to complete to progress to the next level. Doing so will help you get the kind of feedback you need, allow your critique partners to understand what they should comment on, and help everyone get the most out of their critique group experience.

Most writers come to a new critique group thinking they���re going to get feedback on the top two levels of the Hierarchy of Editorial Concerns���the grammar, style, and sentence rhythm, with a dash of pacing/tightening thrown in. And to be honest, many writers are most comfortable giving that level of feedback because let���s face it, it���s easier to make one sentence pretty than it is to write a whole book that compels readers to turn pages.

And yet, getting this type of feedback when you���re writing your initial draft can not only be frustrating, but it can keep you stuck working on sentence level concerns when you���ve got big-picture story level issues to address first. So for the same reason I recommend against getting a copy editor when you���re still doing structural edits, I recommend against critique partners giving feedback in those top two levels of the hierarchy when the focus should be on the bottom two levels.

Where Does Your Story Fit in the Hierarchy

If it was easy to self-assess, to figure out what your story weaknesses are and fix them yourself, you wouldn���t need a critique partner, beta readers, a book coach, or an editor. So I won���t pretend this type of self-assessment is easy. But I will say having the Hierarchy of Editorial Concerns can help.

Here are a few things to think about as you try to figure out where you fit in the hierarchy. First, let go of judgement. A story that still needs foundational work on the narrative drive, the cause-and-effect trajectory, the main character, her story goal, and the obstacles standing in her way is not less than a story that���s working on polishing the grammar and style. It���s just earlier in the process. Getting the right kind of feedback at the right time will help you move through the process.

There are no short cuts. If this is your first novel (or even if it���s your tenth), it may take you one revision pass (or more) to move through each level of the hierarchy. That is OK. If you are:

writing a first draft, you���re probably working on that foundational level of the Hierarchy. Getting it right is crucial because this is the story scaffolding upon which the rest of your story will be built. Take your time to get it right!writing multiple points of view, especially for the first time, spend an extra round of revision focused on the bottom two levels of the Hierarchy. You���ll thank me later, I promise!getting feedback about your character���s actions or motivations being unclear, have a sense that the middle is saggy, or are using a lot of telling, your story probably still needs work at those foundational levels.getting feedback that something���s wrong, but the reader is not sure what, that often means your scene-level writing is strong (congratulations!) but you have a structural problem that can be fixed by looking at those foundational levels.revising to add or change a POV, you may be in the middle of the Hierarchy. Focusing on dialogue, voice, writing emotion, and showing can help bring those characters to life.writing an nth draft, it���s possible you���re stuck in the endless polishing loop. While many writers send their work out too soon, a few special ones hang on too tight, afraid to send their words into the world. If your critique partners only have feedback on that top-level of the Hierarchy, it may mean you���re ready. (Again, congratulations!)Where Does Your Feedback Fit in the Hierarchy

If you try this out in your critique group, I���d love to hear about it in the comments. But I���d also like you to keep the following things in mind:

Correcting misplaced commas and typos is low-hanging fruit and it���s hard for those of us with editorial minds not to mark those types of issues. But if you want your critique partner to really absorb your big-picture feedback on story structure, character motivation, and cause-and-effect story logic, let those missing commas slide until you���re giving feedback higher up in the Hierarchy.Getting a chapter back with so many comments and corrections that it looks bloody can be overwhelming. What are the most important things you think your critique partner needs to address in order to progress to the next level? Are they mainly in the lower levels of the Hierarchy or more toward the top? Can you gear your feedback toward those levels of the Hierarchy and let the upper levels go for now?It���s OK to frame your feedback as questions when you know something���s wrong, but aren���t sure what. In fact, that can be more helpful than prescriptive feedback because you���re leaving room for your critique partner to come up with the solutions that work best for their vision for the story.

This post has a great checklist of the types of things to look for as you critique pages. Consider using it alongside the Hierarchy of Editorial Concerns to really make some critique partner magic.

Remember: All Relationships Require Communication

All relationships, including critique partner relationships, require communication. And clear communication is even more important when we���re talking about our precious story babies. No one wants to hear their baby is ugly and go away crushed and discouraged. On the flip side, no one wants to fix the three commas their critique partners pointed out, think they���re ready to query, and miss their chance with their dream agent or editor due to a giant plot hole no one pointed out.

Use the Hierarchy of Editorial concerns to get really honest about where you are in your story���s revision process. Let it guide your revisions, the type of feedback you ask for, and the type of feedback you give in your critique group. And watch as each of you makes real progress toward a reader-ready story!

Meg LaTorre has a great post on the difference between critique partners and beta readers that has lots of suggestions for how to find people to critique your work.

I have one more suggestion to add to the list: my free critique partner matching service, CP Meet Cute. I run this service a few times each year and have, over the history of the program, made hundreds of successful matches. It���s open now if you���d like to join the fun at https://tinyurl.com/Writers-Helping-W....

Julie Artz is an Author Accelerator Certified Founding Coach. The Hierarchy of Editorial Concerns is an Author Accelerator tool used with permission.

Julie Artz has spent the past decade helping writers like you slay their doubt demons and get their novels and memoirs reader-ready. She���s worked with both award-winning and newer authors across the publishing spectrum from Big Five to small and university presses to indie and hybrid. She is an Author Accelerator-certified Founding Book Coach, a sought-after speaker and writing instructor, and a regular contributor to Jane Friedman and Writers Helping Writers, and a regular instructor for AuthorsPublish, IWWG, and more. Her work as a Pitch Wars and Teen Pit mentor, a former SCBWI Regional Advisor (WWA), and her memberships in The EFA, the WFWA, AWP, and the Authors Guild keep her industry knowledge sharp. A consummate social and environmental justice minded story geek, Julie lives in by an enchanted stream in Fort Collins, Colorado with her husband, two strong-willed teenagers (when they���re not off at university!), and two naughty furry familiars. She���s built a thriving book coaching business based on her values, her editing chops, and her knowledge of story. 

Julie���s stories have been published in Crow Toes Weekly, the Sirens Benefit Anthology Villains & Vengeance, and the speculative anthology Beyond the Latch and Lever. Subscribe to Julie���s weekly newsletter, Wyrd Words Weekly, or connect with her below:

Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Substack 

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Refilling Your Creative Well with Artist Dates

Monica Cox popped in to share several ways to refill your creative well.

As writers, we mine our experiences and observations, pour our emotions into words, and fill up the blank page with story. If we aren���t careful to replenish all that we exert in our writing, we run the risk of our creative well running dry. When we have nothing left to give creatively, we may experience writer���s block, avoidance, frustration, and procrastination. 

Bestselling author Tayari Jones was stuck during her work on An American Marriage. Despite knowing she wanted to write a particular topic and years of research, the story was not coming together. The answer to her story problem wasn���t revealed in a craft book or by continued brainstorming, but rather a trip to the mall. She overheard a snippet of an argument in the food court that sparked her imagination and ultimately revealed the novel structure to her. 

Despite the perennial advice of butt in chair, sometimes we need to get away from our desks to find the solution to our writing frustrations. Julia Cameron in The Artist���s Way recommends just that with her concept of Artist Dates���weekly, solo outings doing something that intrigues or enchants you. 

These dates aren���t necessarily writing related, in fact, the best ones aren���t. An Artist Date outing should, however, engage your senses, employ your observation skills, and make space for a creative spark. 

When to Use an Artist Date

Artist Dates can be used during any part of your writing process. 

Going on regular writing dates as part of your creative life will spur new ideas before you start a story.��When you find yourself running on empty and in need of a creative boost in the middle of a draft, you can take advantage of an Artist Date that is specific to your work in progress.��If revision has you feeling stumped, stepping away from your desk and out into the world of your story by visiting a setting in your novel or spending the day as your protagonist would, can reconnect you to the emotional heartbeat of your manuscript.��Between projects is also a great time to go on an Artist Date to rest your writing mind while still engaging your creative muse.��How to Incorporate an Artist Date Into Your Writing Routine

While the weekly timeframe Julia Cameron recommends may be a strain on your schedule if you���re also balancing a day job, caregiving, and a multitude of additional responsibilities on top of your writing, consider scheduling regular outings at a pace that works for you. 

Pick a class or activity with a firm date that you can put on your calendar for accountability. Or perhaps brainstorm a list of activity ideas that you keep on slips of paper in a jar. Designate one day a month for a random outing based on your blind pick. 

The act of deciding on your Artist Date is a creative endeavor itself. Lean into it and let your creative juices flow. 

5 Ideas for Your Artist Date

Here are a few ideas of activities that would make great Artist Dates: 

Visit a Cemetery ��� Historical cemeteries are full of forgotten stories. On one of my outings to Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta, I came across a gravestone that read, ���He was a fool, but Julia loved him.��� There is so much story in that epitaph! Wander the grounds of an old cemetery and look for interesting engravings, sayings, or anything else that catches your eye.��

People Watch ��� Like Tayari Jones at the mall, people watching is a great source of inspiration. Go to a coffee shop, museum, or my personal favorite, the arrivals area of an airport. Note interesting mannerisms, practice writing descriptions, imagine the dialogue between the couple at the corner table, create backstories to fill in gaps of overheard conversations. Don���t worry about making it a story, just play.

Museums ��� Art, history, and science can spark all manner of creative questions to activate your muse. Spend a day in front of a favorite painting or learn about a certain time period. Wander a science museum and keep a list of what if questions.��

Cooking ��� Engaging your senses can be a wonderful way to fill your creative well. Watching how a list of ingredients can be turned into a delicious meal is also like how writers take elements of craft and create a story. Take a cooking class or check out a cookbook from the library for a cuisine outside your normal routine. When you make the dish, think about the story the dish tells.

Music ��� Whether it���s your favorite artist in an arena concert, a small quartet in a jazz club, or an amateur line-up at an open mic night at the local bar, live music can speak to our emotions. Listen to music outside the genres of your normal playlist. Journal on the emotions various songs elicit for you, or imagine the artists your characters might have on their playlist.����

Whether the results of these dates are used in your specific story or not isn���t really the point. Instead, the act of adding to your experiences and appreciating the creative effort of others in unlikely spaces will sow seeds in your creativity garden. Experiment and find the activities and places that fill your well and watch your stories bloom.��

Monica Cox is a writer and Author Accelerator Certified book coach who firmly believes the real writing happens in revision. She loves helping writers through the thorny process of revision to find the rose of their story. She shares weekly craft and writing mindset tips in her weekly newsletter. Explore her website to learn more about her revision course and one-on-one coaching services and additional ways to connect with Monica. 

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Character Secret Thesaurus: Making a Black Market Purchase

What secret is your character keeping? Why are they safeguarding it? What���s at stake if it���s discovered? Does it need to come out at some point, or should it remain hidden?

This is some of the important information you need to know about your character���s secrets���and they will have secrets, because everyone does. They���re thorny little time bombs composed of fear, deceit, stress, and conflict that, when detonated, threaten to destroy everything the character holds dear.

So, of course, you should assemble them. And we can���t wait to help.

This thesaurus provides brainstorming fodder for a host of secrets that could plague your character. Use it to explore possible secrets, their underlying causes, how they might play into the overall story, and how to realistically write a character who is hiding them���all while establishing reader empathy and interest.

For instance, let���s see what it might look like if your character���

Made a Black Market Purchase

ABOUT THIS SECRET: A black-market purchase usually stems from desperation or a lack of options���both, compelling motivators. It could also be an option for someone who���s used to working in the shadows or has an antagonism for authority. Whether the purchase is an organ, contraband, a baby, or something else, the buyer will usually be compelled to keep others from finding out.

SPECIFIC��FEARS��THAT MAY DRIVE THE NEED FOR SECRECY: A Loved One Dying, Abandonment, Being Attacked, Being Capable of Harm, Being Judged, Being Separated from Loved Ones, Being Taken Advantage of, Being Unsafe, Being Watched, Betrayal, Conflict, Criticism, Death, Government, Letting Others Down, Losing Autonomy, Losing Financial Security, Losing One���s Social Standing, Losing the Respect of Others, Rejection, Sickness

HOW THIS SECRET COULD HOLD THE CHARACTER BACK
Diverting energy and resources from personal or professional growth to covering their tracks
Experiencing side effects from buying unregulated health or food products
Paying a premium and going into debt to buy a product that ends up being substandard (and being unable to get their money back)

BEHAVIORS OR HABITS THAT HELP HIDE THIS SECRET
The character quickly acquiring the needed item after being unable to get it through any available channel
Fabricating receipts, paperwork, or other documentation to legitimize the purchase
Using intermediaries or third parties to make the purchase

ACTIVITIES OR TENDENCIES THAT MAY RAISE SUSPICIONS
Developing a fascination with illegal purchases that becomes a habit and draws attention
Frequently associating with shady characters or hanging out in ���underground��� environments

SITUATIONS THAT MAKE KEEPING THIS SECRET A CHALLENGE��
Learning of the negative impacts of the transaction on others���e.g. learning someone was murdered to harvest the purchased organ
Being questioned by authorities in an investigation on black-market activities
Being contacted by the seller while the character is with others
Being exposed in a raid of the black-market network that reveals their contact details and purchase

Other Secret Thesaurus entries can be found here. Need More Descriptive Help?

While this thesaurus is still being developed, the rest of our descriptive collection (18 unique thesauri and growing) is accessible through the One Stop for Writers THESAURUS database.

If you like, swing by and check out the video walkthrough for this site, then give our Free Trial a spin.

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Writing 101: Point of View Basics

Understanding point of view basics is essential for writing strong, emotionally resonant fiction, so this is a good topic to explore as part of our 101 series.

The viewpoint you choose determines who tells the story, how much the reader knows, and how deeply they connect with the characters. From first-person to third-person omniscient, your decision about point of view can make or break how your story unfolds and how readers experience it.

First-Person POV (���I���)

Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old town when I first knew it. (To Kill a Mockingbird)

This option puts readers inside the narrator���s experience. That character���s voice, thoughts, and emotions are used to convey what���s happening to readers, with every detail being filtered through their perspective.

Writers often gravitate toward first person when they want to create a strong emotional tie between the reader and protagonist. This POV works for stories where the reader is meant to connect deeply with a single character or perspective.

The limitation with this viewpoint is scope, because readers will only know what the narrator knows. If the narrator has blind spots, the reader will also be blind in those areas.

Common Problems to Avoid

Filter words (I saw, I heard, I felt) create distance between the reader and viewpoint character, which you don’t want in this viewpoint. Remove those words and simply show the character seeing, hearing, feeling, etc.Don’t resort to clunky methods or devices to convey information the narrator wouldn���t share (such as looking in a mirror to reveal appearance details). Show those details naturally, in ways that ring true for the character and the circumstances.Neglecting to fully develop the narrator���s voice. If you want to build intimacy between the character and your readers, it���s key to get the voice right. Do the background work so you know the character well, and write their voice consistently.Second-Person POV (���You���)

With your ticket in hand, you follow a continuous line of patrons into the circus, watching the rhythmic motion of the black-and-white clock as you wait. (The Night Circus)

As you can see, this POV makes the reader the main character, allowing them direct access to the story events. When used intentionally, second-person viewpoint can have a strong emotional or stylistic impact and is good when you want to create a sense of disorientation, intimacy, or immediacy.

This format is popular in choose-your-own-adventure tales, literary fiction, and experimental short stories.

Common Problems to Avoid

Because it���s so rarely used, some readers may find it off-putting, so only use this viewpoint when you’re sure it’s the best choice for your project.The unorthodox format and level of sustained intimacy can result in reader fatigue in long works, so it���s better reserved for short stories or brief chapters from a certain character���s perspective.Third-Person POV (���He/She/They���)

Third-person narration is the most common viewpoint in fiction, and it comes in three variations.

Third-Person Limited

At the first gesture of morning, flies began stirring. Inman���s eyes and the long wound at his neck drew them, and the sound of their wings and touch of their feet were soon more potent than a yard full of roosters in rousing a man to wake. So he came to yet one more day in the hospital ward.��� (Cold Mountain)

Third-person limited focuses on one character at a time and is especially useful for utilizing multiple characters��� perspectives to tell the story. The great benefit of this viewpoint is that the author can choose how tight and personal the narration should be. For example, if they want to draw readers close to a certain character, those narrators��� accounts can be written from a tight and personal perspective. But if the authors wants to give readers space from another character���maybe the villain, or someone readers don���t want to connect deeply with? Pull out and write their sections with more distance.

Common Problems to Avoid

Head-hopping. Only one character is narrating at a time, so during their time in the spotlight, you can only share details from their perspective. If you want to switch narrators, you���ll need to wait for a chapter break to do so.This viewpoint allows you to decide which character will narrate each scene. These decisions are important, so choice carefully and strategically, just as you would when choosing one character to narrate the whole story.Third-Person Omniscient

The mother of our particular hobbit���but what is a hobbit? I suppose hobbits need some description nowadays, since they have become rare and shy of the Big People, as they call us. (The Hobbit)

In this viewpoint, the narrator has access to everyone���s thoughts, feelings, and memories, and since he or she isn���t bound to one character���s perspective, the story can move freely across people, places, and timelines. Omniscient narrators often share their own opinions and feelings about what’s happening, which is a handy way for the author to inject other perspectives (or perhaps their own) into the reader’s experience. Because of the scope it allows, it���s an ideal choice for epic fiction.

Common Problems to Avoid

Hopping heads too frequently or chaotically can create confusion and a jolting flow for readers. As with third-person limited, change narrators at chapter breaks, not mid-scene.With an omniscient narrator, it���s easy to get carried away and slip into long passages of exposition, which is death for reader engagement. So keep that to a minimum.If the narrator feels god-like or too far removed, the reader may have trouble relating, resulting in a loss of intimacy. Give your omniscient narrator a clear personality and voice. Make them knowable, and therefore, relatable.Third-Person Objective

With the first gray light he rose and left the boy sleeping and walked out to the road and squatted and studied the country to the south. Barren, silent, godless. He thought the month was October but he wasnt sure. He hadnt kept a calendar for years. They were moving south. There’d be no surviving another winter here. (The Road)

In this least common of the third-person perspectives, the narrator can see everything that���s happening in the story world���but only what’s visible to the naked eye. They can’t access any character’s internal thoughts, feelings, etc. This narrator is strictly an observer, reporting what they see in an observational tone, without events being colored by their own worldview. In this way, the narrator is a neutral character, merely noting and reporting what’s happening in the story.

Common Problems to Avoid

As an outside observer, this narrator can’t get into anyone’s head, so you’ll have to find other ways to convey other characters’ emotions and thought processes. This narrator is neutral, so resist the urge to give them feelings and ideas about what’s going on.

Choosing the point of view for your project is an important decision that will impact the story on many levels. I hope this information helps clarify the options and simplify the decision making process!

Other Posts in This Series

Dialogue Mechanics
Effective Dialogue Techniques
Show-Don���t-Tell, Part 1
Show-Don���t-Tell, Part 2

The post Writing 101: Point of View Basics appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Reading Like a Writer

We all know that as writers we should be reading a lot. It���s one of the best ways to learn the craft, and Stephen King���s quote on the topic is legendary: ���If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write.���

While it���s great to beat your annual Goodreads challenge, quantity is not the only factor. How we read is at least as important. One effective way of learning the craft of writing from published novels is to do an exercise that exposes their skeletons.

Deconstructing a Novel

Take a novel you know relatively well���or one that compares to what you���re writing���and deconstruct it. This means pinpointing everything from the protagonist and antagonist to their narrative goals, the relationship arcs, and the key structural points. It���s easy to appreciate the magic of a novel but you won���t truly understand how the author achieved that magic without dissecting it for yourself. With most of the novels I���ve done this for, I���ve been astonished to discover the complexity behind what seemed like a simple and straightforward narrative.

Case Study: Jane Eyre

At first glance, Charlotte Bront�����s beloved novel, Jane Eyre, seems like a relatively clear-cut Bildungsroman (a genre that focuses on the protagonist���s maturation through various experiences). But once you start picking it apart, it turns out Bront�� has done something more interesting and more complex than this. She divides Jane���s life into five stages of maturity���childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, adulthood, and married life���using setting as the key structural element so that each stage takes place in a different setting. Structurally, each of these sections has its own arc. Each has a distinct stasis, inciting incident and climax, but only a semi-resolution until the ultimate resolution at the end.

Why does this matter? For any writer struggling to handle a novel that spans a character���s lifetime, this becomes a structural answer to a very real problem: how to sustain causality when your chapters jump over large periods of time. When you deconstruct Jane Eyre, you learn exactly how to do it: by concentrating these periods of time in separate episodes, giving each an arc, and maintaining causality within each episode, thus allowing you to make big leaps in time without breaking the causal chain.

For Every Problem There Is an Answer

Want to tell a story that circles around one key event? Analyze The Godfather, where Mario Puzo has used an event structure to anchor all the various subplots around the attempted assassination of Vito Corleone.

Want to start your story after the inciting incident has already happened? Take a look at how John Steinbeck handles it in Of Mice and Men. He throws the reader into the middle of the story, only referencing the inciting incident in passing.

For every peculiarity of structure you can think of, there is likely an author who has tackled it brilliantly and can teach you what you need to know���if you sit with their novel and study it piece by piece.

Why Does Structure Matter?����

Narrative structure might seem like a mechanical affair until you realize it is what creates a reader���s emotional investment. We empathize with a protagonist who has a specific and tangible goal. We become even more invested if the stakes for them not achieving that goal are high���and even more so if those stakes are personal. Home run if we can relate to the goal and the character who���s trying to achieve it.

Because all the structural elements in a novel revolve around the protagonist���s attempt to achieve their narrative goal, each element has a part to play in maintaining or increasing the reader���s emotional investment in the story.

Stasis gives us an idea of what the protagonist has to lose, as well as cementing the underlying motivation that will form their narrative goal. The inciting incident is the disruption to the protagonist���s life that spurs them to action. The point of no return is the place at which the protagonist becomes stuck in the story and has no choice but to see it through to the end. Rising action involves obstacles that prevent the protagonist from achieving their goal.

Midpoint is the structural fulcrum in a novel that often signals some kind of shift. Maybe the stakes go up, the conflict deepens, or the narrative changes direction. Whether a novel has a false victory or an all-is-lost moment depends on whether it���s a tragedy or a comedy (not haha comedy, but in the old-school Greek dramaturgy sense). In a comedy, the protagonist will achieve their goal in the climax, so for maximum drama an all-is-lost moment takes readers to the edge of their seats worried that this won���t happen. In a tragedy, however, the protagonist does not achieve their goal in the climax and their transformation happens too late. In this case, a false victory is what you want to keep the reader emotionally invested in the story���s outcome.

The climax answers a question that was asked in the inciting incident: will the protagonist achieve their goal, or will they fail but learn something important in the process? The resolution brings together all the story threads and leaves us with a particular emotion.

A Deconstruction Checklist

Here���s a quick list of questions to consider when taking a novel apart:

Who is the protagonist?How does the novel���s stasis show the protagonist���s underlying motivation?Where is the inciting incident?What is the protagonist���s narrative goal that crystallizes as a result of the inciting incident?What���s at stake if they don���t achieve it?Who is the antagonist?Can you identify the point of no return?What���s the midpoint and how does it impact the protagonist���s trajectory?When do stakes rise?What are the key relationships in the novel and how do they evolve?Can you pinpoint either a false victory or an all-is-lost moment?Where is the climax?What is the emotional payoff at the end?In Conclusion

The time you spend deconstructing a novel to study its various parts and how they all fit together is as good as any MFA class. I know this because my writing partner and I took 21 classic novels and novellas apart to crack their code. We outlined their narrative structure in Story Skeleton: The Classics. There���s a reason why some novels work, why they create a certain magic and stand the test of time. Understanding these reasons is the first step in creating a masterpiece of your own. 

Michelle is generously giving away an EBook of Story Skeleton: The Classics to 10 lucky winners. Click the Rafflecopter below to enter. Winners will be shouted out here and contacted via e-mail on May 24.

Here���s more about the prize:

Story Skeleton: The Classics

This book unlocks the secrets of twenty-one enduring novels���from Pride and Prejudice to The Godfather���revealing the plot points and craft genius that make them masterpieces. Discover the method behind the magic, and learn how to apply these timeless techniques to elevate your own writing and captivate readers for generations.

A novel���s structural elements can be organized strategically, creatively, unusually���but in a satisfying narrative, they���re all there in some form. That form might be surprising when you realize what the author has really done���which often isn���t clear the first or even second time you read a complex novel. But once you crack the code, it���s immensely satisfying.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A huge thanks to Michelle Barker and David Griffin Brown for this generous prize. Good luck, everyone.

The post Reading Like a Writer appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

New Writing Resource: A Character Type & Trope Thesaurus + Save 25%

In 2024, Becca and I began exploring character tropes and archetypes with one goal in mind: to create a resource that helps writers better use tropes by providing each one’s behaviors, strengths, flaws, tendencies, and more, so they could write characters with confidence.

But we also wanted our thesaurus to do something else too: make it easy for writers to transform a trope or archetype into a fresh, original character.

The Character Types and Tropes Thesaurus

This database is now at One Stop for Writers, home to our signature show-don’t-tell THESAURUS and other powerful storytelling tools. Covering 100+ tropes and types, you’ll find all the classic characters your readers are drawn to, including those Hot Billionaires, Reluctant Heroes, Rebels, and Femme Fatales.

Building a unique character and writing them with authority will be even easier with our lists of characterizing details. We’ve also queued up ideas for specific story complications that will challenge each character type, and listed out internal struggles to give them depth.

Ready to see a few characters found in this database? Try ANTIHERO, RULER, and HOPELESS ROMANTIC.

Celebrate with Us!

To explore the Character Type and Trope Thesaurus and test other tools at One Stop for Writers, start a free trial or grab this discount code: FINISHYOURBOOK to save 25% off a 6-month subscription.

To redeem this 25% discount:

Sign up or Sign inGo to Account >> My Subscription and choose the 6-month planEnter your payment detailsAdd & activate the FINISHYOURBOOK code in the box provided. (You���ll see this one-time discount apply onscreen.)Click the terms box, & hit subscribe!

Already a subscriber? Just add/activate this code in the space provided on the My Subscription page, and it will apply the discount to your next invoice. (If you are not currently on a 6-month plan, you’ll need to change to that plan after adding the code to your account.)

This code will be active until June 1st, 2025. Happy saving!

The post New Writing Resource: A Character Type & Trope Thesaurus + Save 25% appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

New Writing Resource: A Character Type & Trope Thesaurus

In 2024, Becca and I began exploring character tropes and archetypes with one goal in mind: to create a resource that helps writers better use tropes by providing each one’s behaviors, strengths, flaws, tendencies, and more, so they could write characters with confidence.

But we also wanted our thesaurus to do something else too: make it easy for writers to transform a trope or archetype into a fresh, original character.

The Character Types and Tropes Thesaurus

This database is now at One Stop for Writers, home to our signature show-don’t-tell THESAURUS and other powerful storytelling tools. Covering 100+ tropes and types, you’ll find all the classic characters your readers are drawn to, including those Hot Billionaires, Reluctant Heroes, Rebels, and Femme Fatales.

Building a unique character and writing them with authority will be even easier with our lists of characterizing details. We’ve also queued up ideas for specific story complications that will challenge each character type, and listed out internal struggles to give them depth.

Ready to see a few characters found in this database? Try ANTIHERO, RULER, and HOPELESS ROMANTIC.

Celebrate with Us!

To explore the Character Type and Trope Thesaurus and test other tools at One Stop for Writers, start a free trial or grab this discount code: FINISHYOURBOOK to save 25% off a 6-month subscription.

To redeem this 25% discount:

Sign up or Sign inGo to Account >> My Subscription and choose the 6-month planEnter your payment detailsAdd & activate the FINISHYOURBOOK code in the box provided. (You���ll see this one-time discount apply onscreen.)Click the terms box, & hit subscribe!

Already a subscriber? Just add/activate this code in the space provided on the My Subscription page, and it will apply the discount to your next invoice. (If you are not currently on a 6-month plan, you’ll need to change to that plan after adding the code to your account.)

This code will be active until June 1st, 2025. Happy saving!

The post New Writing Resource: A Character Type & Trope Thesaurus appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Phenomenal First Pages Contest – Guest Editor Edition

Hey, wonderful
writerly people!

It���s time for Phenomenal First Pages, our monthly critique contest. So, if you need a bit of help with your first five pages, today’s the day to enter for a chance to win professional feedback! (We’ve had past winners tell us they’ve found their dream editors through this contest, and even ended up with offers of representation!)

Entering is easy. All you need to do is leave your contact information on this entry form (or click the graphic below). If you are a winner, we’ll notify you and explain how to send us your first five pages.

Contest DetailsThis is a 24-hour contest, so enter ASAP.Make sure your contact information on the entry form is correct. Six winners will be drawn. We will email you if you win and let you know how to submit your first five pages.Please have your pages ready in case your name is selected. Format it with 1-inch margins, double-spaced, and 12pt Times New Roman font. It would help to supply a synopsis up to 500 words (a rough one is fine) so Michelle has context for her feedback.The editor you’ll be working with:Michelle Barker

Michelle holds an MFA in creative writing from UBC and has been a senior editor at��The Darling Axe��since its inception.��She has experience with��both developmental and line editing and��loves working closely with writers to hone their manuscripts and discuss the craft.��Many of them have gone on to win publishing contracts and honors for their work.��

Her newest book, coauthored with David Griffin Brown, is��Story Skeleton: The Classics. They are also the authors of��Immersion and Emotion: The Two Pillars of Storytelling.��Her novel��My Long List of Impossible Things,��came out in 2020 with Annick Press.��The House of One Thousand Eyes��was named��a Kirkus Best Book of the Year and won numerous awards including the Amy Mathers Teen Book Award.��Her fiction, non-fiction and poetry have appeared in literary reviews world-wide.��

Tip: Watch for Michelle’s next Resident Writing Coach post on Tuesday, May 20th…which includes an EPub giveaway of Story Skeleton!

You can find Michelle on Twitter and GoodReads.

Sign Up for Notifications!

If you���d like to be notified about our monthly Phenomenal First Pages contest, subscribe to blog notifications in this sidebar. 

Good luck, everyone. We can’t wait to see who wins!

PS: To amp up your first page, grab our  First Pages checklist from One Stop for Writers. For more help with story opening elements, visit this Mother Lode of First Page Resources.

The post Phenomenal First Pages Contest – Guest Editor Edition appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.