Jane Friedman's Blog: Jane Friedman, page 21

AI Made Me Want to Trademark My Name. Here’s How I Did It.

Today’s post is by author Teri Case.

I was editing my third novel, Finding Imogene, on August 7, 2023, when the news broke that publishing-industry guru and nonfiction author Jane Friedman’s name had been stolen and plastered across AI-generated books on Amazon and Goodreads. To add insult to injury, Amazon wouldn’t take the shoddy books down because “Jane Friedman” was not a registered US trademark. It took a series of public posts by Friedman and interviews with worldwide outlets such as BBC and The Guardian before the fraudulent titles were removed.

She was not alone. Earlier that summer, psychological thriller author Kiersten Modglin had a similar experience, but Modglin’s name was trademarked, so the vendor immediately removed the bogus books.

My takeaway from Jane Friedman’s and Kiersten Modglin’s experiences? I needed to get a trademark for my author name, Teri Case.

A quick, discouraging search online made me think I’d only get one chance to get the application right, it was impossible to trademark an author’s name without the help of a lawyer or legal service, and while the government’s filing fee was a flat $350, the legal process could cost thousands of dollars.

I didn’t have thousands of dollars, but I did/do only have one name—one I wanted to reserve for my creative works and publications. I didn’t want someone else to put my stamp on cheap, hastily done work, and I didn’t want to struggle with online vendors to remove faux-Teri-Case titles.

So, what was this on-a-budget indie author to do?

Before I became an author-publisher in 2018, I was a C-level executive assistant. So, I dusted off my EA cap, flexed my resourceful fingertips, and got busy.

I am not a lawyer. I cannot guarantee that what worked for me will work for you, but as a literary citizen, I am happy to share the steps I took to trademark my name successfully.

Before we start

I want to share the most valuable tip I learned during this process, and it’s one I wish I had known before I began because it would have curbed some angst. It’s also a tip that no one offered online: If your application has a mistake or requires clarification or backup, it most likely won’t be denied outright. You will get a “Nonfinal Office Action” letter outlining what needs to be added or amended so the trademark office can further consider your request.

Step 1. Search existing trademarks

There’s no point in applying and spending money if the mark is taken. In August 2023, I went to the US Trademark Office website and searched to see if my author name, Teri Case, was already a trademark. Luckily for me, my name was not registered by anyone else. I had the green light to apply. You can search the existing marks for your author name or series here.

Step 2. Create a USPTO.gov account

An account and identity confirmation are necessary for the online application, but it’s straight forward and easily done. I created my account in seconds.

Step 3. Review free trademark basics tutorials at USPTO

From the USPTO’s free tutorials I learned that in order to trademark Teri Case, I would need to show evidence of two or more written works previously published that displayed and matched the requested mark, Teri Case, and they needed to be available to the public. Fortunately for me, my website’s homepage includes my name and the desired mark and has been active since 2014, my first novel Tiger Drive went live in 2018, and my second novel, In the Doghouse, was published in 2019. Stay tuned for how I included this information in my application as in-use evidence.

Step 4. Complete and submit an online application to USPTO

As an individual, I applied online for an International Class 016 trademark, identified as “A series of fiction works, namely printed novels and printed books featuring Teri Case.” Note: Do not do this. Keep reading!

As I mentioned in Step 3, evidence is required for a trademark, so I prepared a screenshot of the homepage on my website to prove the mark had previously been in use “anywhere” and took a picture of my published novels together as evidence of existence and commercial availability. Both were attached as “Specimens.”

5. Pay and wait

I paid $350 by credit card. The USPTO website has a banner at the top of the page that will tell you how backlogged they are on reviewing submissions. For example, when I applied in August 2023, they were processing applications submitted in January 2023.

The first response: April 2024

Five months after I submitted my application, I received an email response from the trademark office. My mark was not approved. But it wasn’t declined either.

Known as a “Nonfinal Office Action,” the PDF letter outlined the “Summary of Issues” with my application. The issues included:

Section 1, 2, & 45 – Failure to Function Refusal (Name of Author)Identification of Goods – Amendment Required

The letter further outlined how to fix the above issues.

To fix “Section 1, 2, & 45 – Failure to Function Refusal (Name of Author),” I needed to supply the following: Evidence of a series (includes photographs or screenshots of the covers of at least two different printed, recorded, or downloadable written works). Yes, I had already given them pictures of my books and my website, but I simply did it again.I also needed to supply Evidence of Control. They instructed me to attach an affidavit stating that as the applicant, I had published the goods and controlled their quality. They supplied an example of the necessary verbiage to include in the affidavit. So I went online and found a general affidavit and included the verbiage that the Nonfinal Office Action letter suggested. I also took it one step further and had it notarized so that there’d be no question about my identity and signature. Contact me about my template if you are concerned.I had to provide evidence the name Teri Case is promoted and recognized by others. I attached copies of book award certificates and online award lists to show that others valued and recognized the books with my name. I attached links and print outs of interviews about my books with my name. I attached a screenshot of my newsletter and website (again).To address “Identification of Goods – Amendment Required,” I needed to make one small change, per their instructions: When I first applied, I had identified as International Class 016, “A series of fiction works, namely printed novels and printed books featuring Teri Case.” Ironically, to fix this issue, I had to remove “featuring Teri Case.” My Identification of Goods could only read, “A series of fiction works, namely printed novels and printed books.” Do this instead of what I originally did.

I followed the instructions and links to “Respond to Office Action” by the July 2024 deadline they had provided. Then I waited.

Preliminary approval: September 17, 2024

I received confirmation my trademark was preliminarily approved and would be “published for opposition” for thirty days to allow people to file an opposition. This is standard procedure. There was nothing to do but wait and see if anyone would claim the mark could cause harm or damage to them or their business. So, I waited some more.

Thirty-day opposition window closes: October 18, 2024

I immediately checked online thirty days later, and my trademark had not been opposed. But it was not cleared right away by the USPTO. I suspect this was due to workloads and staff availability.

A nudge: December 18, 2024

My trademark remained in opposition flux even though no one had opposed it. So, finally, I emailed the USPTO and asked when the opposition hold would be removed. Within three days, they responded that my mark would be approved and published in January 2025.

Gold-seal approval: January 2025

I received the good news! USPTO sent me an email stating that my trademark was approved and officially published. The email included a PDF of the certificate. I also ordered a certificate for $25 because I wanted the gold-seal certificate in hand.

Before I move on, let’s talk about spam

Unfortunately, as soon as I applied for the trademark, I was bombarded by emails from supposed lawyers and legal services offering to help me make sure I filed correctly. Some even implied they were my assigned USPTO attorney. I deleted these emails. The correct emails you should pay attention to will end with @uspto.gov, such as TEAS@uspto.gov, TMTG.notices@uspto.gov, and TMOfficialNotice@uspto.gov.

You can do this!

I could have expedited the approval and avoided the Nonfinal Office Action step if I had identified and entered my mark correctly the first time as “A series of fiction works, namely printed novels and printed books.” And I should have attached the evidence of control affidavit along with the pictures of my published books and website.

To date, writing a novel is my proudest and most difficult accomplishment. Believe me when I say that if you have written and published two books, you are more than capable of applying for a trademark of your author name. It will cost you time, patience, and $350, but it will protect your name, brand, and hard work. That’s priceless.

How to Budget for Your Book Launch

Photo by Photo By: Kaboompics.com

Today’s post is by author Joel Pitney, founder of Launch My Book.

Many aspiring authors start their book journey without a clear budget. It’s only natural. Most people who want to write a book are so caught up in the challenge of writing that they don’t spend much time thinking about the many things they will likely have to spend money on as they move from idea to published book to promotions.

But if you don’t have a clear plan, you’re going to end up budgeting by default, and this usually creates problems (which you probably already know from running your household budget!). Without a clear book launch budget, you may mistakenly spend too much money on the wrong things and not enough on the right things. And you’ll probably run out of money before you reach the end of the road.

I’ve seen this scenario play out countless times. Authors spend a large portion of their budget up front, working with a developmental editor and a copyeditor. And although these are critical steps in the creative process, they aren’t the end of the book launching journey. So it’s unfortunate when authors don’t have enough money left over to invest in the final pieces of the puzzle: creating a professional cover, developing multiple formats of the book, and—of course—promoting it. They end up investing such a tremendous amount of time and money to create a product that they can’t effectively run promotions!

I decided to write this article to help authors avoid this all-too-common scenario. Think of it as a book launch budgeting primer. I want to give you, the author, a sense of what you need to budget for within each stage of your book launch campaign, where you might cut corners and where you should not, and what kind of profits you can expect. Of course, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to book budgeting, so I’ve tried to keep this pretty high level so you can come up with your own plan.

5 book launch budgeting principles

I’m a principles guy, by which I mean that I believe it’s important to focus as much on the mindset you bring to any task as you do to the tactical strategy. Given that book launch budgeting is so variable, I find that it’s best to focus primarily on some guiding principles that will frame your decisions about where to spend and where to save. If you want a more comprehensive breakdown of the general budgeting parameter for each dimension of the book launch process, including how much you can expect to pay, where to save and where to invest, check out my free ebook on the topic. 

1. You need to budget for ALL dimensions of your book launch

If you want to avoid running out of money before the end of your launch, it’s crucial that you plan for EVERY dimension of the process, from writing to publishing to promoting your book. In this article, I identify four main areas where you can spend money on your book. The first two pertain to developing the highest quality product possible—what I am calling production for the purposes of this budgeting exercise. The second two both fall into the marketing category, but I’ve separated them into platform building and promotion because these tend to be a little different from each other.

Production elements of your budget:

Writing and/or editing your bookDesigning and publishing your book

Marketing elements of your budget:

Building a platform for your bookPromoting your book2. DIY what you can, and hire experts for what you can’t

If we all had infinite resources, we could hire people to fulfill virtually every aspect of a book campaign, from writing and publishing to promotion. But most of us don’t.  You have to choose when to hire professionals and which areas to take on personally (aka, Do It Yourself, or DIY). This decision will depend on your time, aptitude, and interest. For example, you might have solid networking and social media skills which you can apply towards marketing, but have no experience with graphic design. So you might choose to spend money on a good cover designer while doing a lot of the marketing yourself.

3. Plan for a marathon, not a sprint

Many people, especially those who are self-publishing, think the book launch process should move quickly. Based on a lot of popular but incorrect information out there in the book world, many authors mistakenly think that if their book doesn’t succeed right up front, then it’s a failure. But that’s simply not true. Growing an audience for your book takes time, consistency, and considerable effort. So when you’re budgeting, make sure to keep this in mind. Don’t overspend on the initial launch and have no money reserved to keep experimenting into the future. Focus as much on building a sustainable platform (more on this below) as you do on running short-term promotions.

4. Don’t expect to make your money back … right away

I might be a bit controversial (and maybe unpopular) for this, but I tell every author I speak to how important it is not to expect to make your money back, at least right away. But I believe that any good plan needs to be sober, clear-eyed, and based on the truth. Most first time authors simply don’t earn back through book sales alone all the money they’ve invested upfront. Of course there are other ways for some authors to monetize their book sales beyond royalties, like selling courses or consulting packages to readers. But if we’re talking about the economics of book royalties alone, it is rare for an author to make their money back on their first book.

As Michael Larsen (author of How to Write a Book Proposal) told me in a recent interview, the vast majority of writers don’t make money until at least their third book. It takes that long to build a big enough audience for your work for you to become profitable. You have to think about your writing career like starting a business. It takes years of building a client base to turn a profit, and your first readers will cost you the most to acquire. So when you’re making your budgetary calculations, you need to think at that scale. And don’t be fooled into thinking that your first book needs to turn a profit in order to be a success.

5. Save at least 33% of your budget for marketing

This principle naturally builds upon #3 (plan for a marathon, not a sprint). While you should do a lot of the platform-building work yourself, you should set aside a decent chunk of change for various promotional activities. The thing about book promotions is that they are not one size fits all, and you’ll likely need to test different tactics to figure out what combination works for your particular book. Having money set aside will give you more freedom to experiment. Reserve at a minimum thirty-three percent of your overall budget. This will make it possible to hire for specific services that you can’t do yourself, like digital advertising, social media, or publicity.

Your own personal calculus

So how much should you budget for your launch? It depends! Some authors will hire professionals for the items we’ve explored. Others will choose to take the DIY route. Your choices depend on your budget, skillset, proclivities, and goals. It will also look different for your first book than it will if you continue to write and publish, as the audience for your writing grows and you start to earn sales income to fund future launches.

I think it’s crucial that everyone build a budget for their launch, even with imperfect information. The simple act of doing it will put you in the right mindset for running a successful launch. If you’d like a more detailed tool for building your budget, you can download my full Book Launch Budgeting ebook (it’s free!). In it, I lay out some general budget ranges for all the various components of a book launch. I also provide some concrete opportunities for where you can cut corners or DIY, and give you a sense of the “you get what you pay for” factor for each dimension. Finally, the free ebook includes a worksheet for you to build your own book launch budget.

How will IMLS cuts affect libraries?

Earlier this month President Trump ordered the closure of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. IMLS is the only federal agency that supports libraries by sending funds to state libraries.

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On the List: Away by Megan E. Freeman

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New agent alert: Westwood Creative Artists

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New UK imprint: DK flip

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Links of Interest: March 26, 2025

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Structural Mastery: Why the Classics Endure

Today’s post is by David Griffin Brown and Michelle Barker, co-authors of Story Skeleton: The Classics and Immersion and Emotion: The Two Pillars of Storytelling.

We’ve come across many authors who believe that plot points amount to paint-by-numbers storytelling—or that only genre writers need to worry about structure. However, if you look back through the classics, almost every novel features these plot points, though not always in the same arrangement.

That’s not because classic authors were following some secret formula or even consciously checking off structural beats. It’s because novels that hit these plot points immerse and engage readers by creating emotional resonance. These books have endured not because of subject matter alone, but because they were structurally effective. The right moments happened at the right times to elicit reader investment and momentum.

So, let’s take a closer look at why structure works—not as a mechanical template, but as an emotional engine that corresponds to human nature and thereby drives a reader’s engagement.

How plot points create emotional draw

Each major plot point in fiction serves a distinct emotional function. Rather than thinking of them as fixed beats in a formula, consider them as emotional turns in the reader—shifts in tension, investment, and stakes that make a story compelling.

Stasis: establishing motivation

This is the protagonist’s life before the story begins. But ordinary doesn’t mean uneventful—something is already missing, broken, or unsatisfying. Even in a happy-seeming stasis, an underlying tension hints at what’s to come. The emotional purpose? To connect the reader with the protagonist’s core motivation or values that will take shape with the inciting incident.

Inciting incident: triggering emotional investment

Something disrupts the protagonist’s normal life, creating a clear emotional shift. The protagonist now has a new desire, question, or problem they can’t ignore. This moment establishes the stakes—what might be lost or gained—and hooks the reader because of the intensity of the protagonist’s desire. Their urgency, fear, or determination makes us feel the weight of what’s at stake, drawing us into their struggle.

Point of no return: deepening emotional commitment

The protagonist makes a decision or takes an action that locks them into the story. This moment eliminates the possibility of returning to their old life, heightening the stakes. The reader experiences this shift, feeling the protagonist’s fear, excitement, or desperation. One way or another, the protagonist will have to see this through to the end, but at this stage the reader has no idea how they’ll manage it. The gap between what must be accomplished and who has to accomplish it invests us further in the story.

Rising action: building tension with action and reaction

Rising action makes up most of the story. As such, it’s not a true plot point but rather more of a plot stage that can occur in many places: before and after the point of no return, after the midpoint, and even after the all-is-lost moment. In rising action, the protagonist engages in action (efforts toward their narrative goal) and reaction (responses to new obstacles that arise in their path). With each action and reaction, the protagonist is tested, and meanwhile readers get to know them better. Also, we get to cheer them on (while fearing their failure), which keeps us connected to them and committed to their journey.

Causality solidifies this structure. As action and reaction build, momentum is created. Without causality, a story will meander and feel anecdotal—meaning one thing happens after the next rather than because of what has come before.

Midpoint: raising emotional uncertainty

A game-changing development occurs—whether it’s an epiphany, a shocking reveal, or a seemingly insurmountable obstacle. The stakes escalate further, and so does the reader’s emotional engagement, because they realize this story is bigger than they thought. What once may have seemed like a straightforward path now carries unexpected complexity or consequence.

All-is-lost moment / False victory: maxing out emotional tension

Either everything collapses (all-is-lost) or appears to be resolved when it isn’t (false victory). In both cases, the reader is at peak uncertainty. The protagonist’s goal is either in serious jeopardy or seems achieved in a way that feels incomplete. This moment is key to keeping the reader glued to the story.

Climax: delivering emotional catharsis

This is the moment of truth—the final confrontation where the protagonist either succeeds or fails. Every emotional turn that has shaped the story must now reach its conclusion. The reader should feel the weight of every choice, every lesson, and every hardship leading to this pivotal moment.

Resolution: providing closure

A breath after the storm. The protagonist and reader alike need a moment to process everything that has happened. This final section is about tying up loose ends and cementing the story’s emotional impact. Whether triumphant, bittersweet, or tragic, the resolution leaves the reader with a lasting emotional impression.

Creativity in structure

A significant part of a novel’s creativity lies in the manipulation of its structure, as we will see in the following examples.

Case Study 1: The Old Man and the Sea – Simplicity as strength

On the surface, Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea is a straightforward narrative: an old fisherman, Santiago, ventures far out to sea, hooks a massive marlin, and struggles to bring it home—only to have it devoured by sharks. Yet despite the novella’s brevity and simplicity, it remains a beloved tale of perseverance and determination. Why? Because it uses a strong structural foundation, internal conflict, and thematic rhythm to generate emotional draw.

A clear narrative goal and a rhythmic structure

From the outset, Santiago’s motivation is both concrete (catch a fish) and existential (prove he is not defeated by age or misfortune). His journey is framed as a test of endurance—not against nature, but against himself. The emotional stakes are clear: if he fails, he is not just unlucky; he is obsolete.

Once Santiago hooks the marlin—the biggest fish he’s ever seen—his goal shifts from survival to conquering something extraordinary. Hemingway pivots the novella on a memory of an arm-wrestling match and uses that to create a rhythm for his structure. For the first half of the story, the marlin pulls Santiago out to sea. For the second half, Santiago harpoons the marlin and lashes it to his boat (effectively pulling it back). It seems as though he has won, but this is the false victory. The sharks arrive to attack his prize. Nature reclaims what he fought for, and Santiago returns empty-handed.

Why it works: thematic and structural alignment

The structure of The Old Man and the Sea keeps the reader emotionally engaged by balancing tension, release, and inevitability. Santiago’s struggle isn’t just about catching a fish—it’s about proving to himself that he still has strength and purpose. The reader is drawn in by his determination, rooting for him even as the odds stack higher.

The midpoint flashback shifts the reader’s perception of Santiago. Until then, he has been losing ground, pulled farther from safety. But the memory of his arm-wrestling victory reframes the battle—Santiago has overcome impossible odds before, and now the reader has hope that he might do it again. This moment raises the stakes and deepens the emotional investment in his final effort.

The false victory—Santiago harpooning the marlin—gives the reader a moment of triumph before pulling the rug out. When the sharks arrive, the emotional turn is one of devastation, not just for Santiago but for the reader, who now realizes that the victory was never truly his to claim. The final resolution, where Santiago returns home empty-handed but still admired by his young companion, Manolin, provides a quiet catharsis. The reader feels the weight of loss, but also the endurance of dignity.

Case Study 2: The Great Gatsby – A protagonist in disguise

Some writers cite The Great Gatsby as an example of a passive protagonist done right. However, Nick Carraway is merely the narrator—something of a social detective—and Jay Gatsby is anything but passive. While Fitzgerald’s novel indeed plays with structure, Gatsby’s actions drive the story from start to tragic finish.

Gatsby’s narrative goal: the dream reclaimed

At its core, Gatsby’s motivation is simple: to win Daisy back. But structurally, the novel functions like a mystery, with Nick piecing together Gatsby’s stasis, inciting incident, and initial rising action. Gatsby is not passively waiting—he has spent years deliberately crafting a life of wealth and glamour for the singular purpose of rekindling a past romance: he wants to win back Daisy, the girl he has always loved. There’s only one problem: she’s already married to the wealthy Tom Buchanan.

Gatsby throws elaborate parties, hoping to catch Daisy’s attention—and with Nick’s help he finally does (which is where the novel opens). When the romance rekindles, Gatsby is convinced Daisy will leave Tom. But Tom exposes Gatsby’s shady past, and after Daisy accidentally kills Myrtle Wilson in a hit-and-run, Gatsby takes the blame. Believing Gatsby to be responsible for Myrtle’s death, her husband, George, shoots him before turning the gun on himself.

Why it works: the added intrigue of mystery

By structuring The Great Gatsby as a mystery rather than a straightforward tragic romance, Fitzgerald deepens the reader’s emotional investment. Instead of presenting Gatsby’s story chronologically, he withholds key pieces of information, allowing Nick—and by extension, the reader—to gradually uncover the truth. This creates intrigue, transforming Gatsby from a mere lovesick dreamer into an enigmatic figure whose past, motivations, and eventual downfall must be pieced together. The emotional weight of the novel builds not just from what Gatsby wants, but from the slow realization that his dream was always doomed.

If Fitzgerald had told Gatsby’s story in order, it would be a simple rise-and-fall narrative: a man amasses wealth to reclaim lost love, only to be destroyed by forces beyond his control. By filtering events through Nick’s perspective and revealing Gatsby’s past in layers, the novel fosters suspense and a sense of inevitable tragedy. The structural delay means that by the time the reader fully understands Gatsby’s quest, it is already unraveling.

In conclusion: learning from the masters

The classics have endured not just because of their themes or elevated prose, but because they are structurally effective. Each major plot point cranks the emotional dial, keeping readers invested, engaged, and eager to turn the page. These novels don’t follow a rigid formula, but they do tap into the natural rhythms of storytelling—whether through a straightforward struggle like The Old Man and the Sea or a slow-burning social mystery like The Great Gatsby.

For writers looking to refine their craft, studying the structural choices in classic literature is one of the best ways to understand how story architecture fuels emotional impact. These books prove that structure isn’t a limitation—it’s what makes a story resonate long after readers turn the last page.

No Twists for Twists’ Sake: Earn Your Ending

Today’s post is by author Kathleen Barber.

Imagine you’ve just picked up the latest buzzy thriller, the one that has everyone on social media raving about the “shocking twist.” You start reading, and you’re really into it. It’s a murder mystery with no shortage of suspects—the victim Jane’s cheating husband Hugo, her jealous best friend, her unstable coworker, an obsessive delivery person—and you’re having fun guessing which one is the culprit. You turn to the final page, full of anticipation … only to discover the murderer was the victim’s long-lost twin sister, a character who was never once mentioned in the preceding 300+ pages. What?

Is that a twist? Technically. But it’s also an unearned ending. The author didn’t take the time to lay the groundwork for that conclusion, and the reader is left feeling unsatisfied, even cheated.

Let’s discuss some techniques and craft elements that will help you craft an ending that feels both surprising and satisfying. Note that while I focus on thrillers in this article, earning your ending is important across all genres. No matter whether you’re writing a thriller or a romance or upmarket fiction or something else, you want your reader to feel fulfilled by the ending.

1. Sprinkle the clues

The most straightforward technique is sprinkling clues throughout the novel—while withholding the one element that ties them all together. As an example, in the imaginary thriller I described above, we might see clues throughout the novel that Hugo is the murderer—a single piece of jewelry left behind by his lover, a receipt proving that he wasn’t where he said he was, an unexplained scratch on his face—but it isn’t until a final clue slots into place that we reach the inescapable conclusion that Hugo is guilty.

2. Layer the clues with red herrings

To throw your reader off track, consider layering your legitimate clues with misdirection and red herrings. In our example, this would mean each time the author hinted at Hugo’s guilt, they would also plant a false clue pointing toward someone else. In the same chapter we learned about Hugo’s gambling problem, we might also find evidence that the obsessed delivery driver had been peering through the windows at night or following Jane around town.

3. So many suspects

You can also throw so many suspects at the reader that you completely muddy the waters. Creating an ensemble cast can be one way of doing this, as can systematically introducing and dismissing additional suspects as you move through the book. The way this would work in our example would be to first throw suspicion on the delivery driver, only to reveal in the next chapter he had an airtight alibi. Suspicion might then move to her coworker, and the coworker would then be excluded. And so on, until the field narrows around your ultimate culprit. The trick is to present many options and make them all seem equally likely.

4. Set it up

You can also provide the answer at the outset of the book. I know that sounds counterintuitive: who wants to read a book when you already know what happens? It’s actually a neat trick to keep the reader off-balance. In our example, we would strongly suspect Hugo at the beginning. But, as the novel progressed, that suspicion would be clouded by things like giving him an alibi, destroying his motive, and of course throwing suspicion on other characters. Later, when the author circled back to definitively show it was Hugo all along, the reader would be satisfied they called the ending—and more important, satisfied by the ride that took them there.

5. Multiple POVs

Using multiple points of view can help earn your ending because different characters have access to different information, and while none of the characters individually know enough to identify the culprit, the reader has an advantage. In our example, this could mean that Jane’s best friend, sister, and coworker are all POV characters, and they’ve all seen something that makes them suspicious of Hugo—but none of them alone has seen enough to cause them to really think it was him. Only the reader has access to all the clues.

6. Interstitial elements

Incorporating interstitial elements like news articles, social media posts, and journal entries can provide clarity to the reader while leaving the narrator and other characters in the dark. In our fake example, useful interstitial elements could be Jane’s journal entries revealing a darker side of Hugo or emails between Hugo and his lover.

7. Flash forwards

Starting the novel with a flash forward allows you to present a clue to reader right from the start. This is most effective when the clue is out of context and the reader can’t make sense of it until much later. In our example, the book might open showing us the murderer leaving the scene of the crime, and the reader is given a small clue to his identity—such as a hidden tattoo—that doesn’t come back to the story until much later.

8. Flashbacks

Flashbacks can help earn your ending because they give the reader a glimpse into a character’s past or illustrate how things are set up. In our example, a useful flashback might reveal a dark secret from Jane and Hugo’s past.

9. Dual timelines

Dual timelines are challenging but amazing when done well. In essence, you’re telling two stories: the present-day story and a parallel story in the past. It’s effective because you can gradually reveal the truth in one timeline while keeping the characters in the other timeline in the dark. In our example, the investigation into Jane’s murder could play out in the present-day timeline while the past timeline reveals a surprising motive for Hugo—and it isn’t until the storylines come together that the reader understands the full picture.

10. Unreliable narrator

Finally, there’s everyone’s favorite: the unreliable narrator. With an unreliable narrator, you can include direct—even obvious—clues that still throw the reader off because they’re reluctant to accept anything the narrator says at face value. In our example, let’s pretend the narrator is Jane’s sister, who has a known substance abuse problem. She sees clues pointing to Hugo’s guilt, but because she’s under the influence at the time, no one believes her, not even the reader.

No matter which of these techniques and craft elements you incorporate into your novel, the important thing to keep in mind is that you want to leave your reader satisfied. Readers want to both be surprised by the ending and to feel as though they should have seen it coming, and so it’s important to take the time to set things up and to earn your ending.

Highlights from London Book Fair

There’s continued optimism and enthusiasm around TikTok, and rapid growth in AI audiobook narration.

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