Resources, insights, and inspiration for writers at every stage of their journey.
From the instructors who have helped over 100,000 aspiring authors learn their craft.
Recent Articles
- Your Adverbs Are Doing Your Verbs’ Job
“She walked quickly across the room.” Seven words, and three are working harder than they need to. “Quickly” is telling you what “walked” failed to show. The sentence has a good verb, but it is… - Every Scene Needs a Clock
Most flat scenes share the same structural problem: unlimited time. Two characters talking in a kitchen with nowhere to be and nothing ending. The conversation expands to fill whatever space you give it, and the… - The Most Loaded Moment in Fiction Is the Line Nobody Says
Most writers load their tension scenes with more dialogue. The argument heats up, characters talk faster, pages fill with exchanges. The strongest move is the opposite. Take the line away. When a character should respond… - Chapter Length Controls Reading Speed
Most writers treat chapter breaks as breathing room. Natural pauses where the reader sets a bookmark. That’s backwards. Chapter breaks are pace controls. Short chapters accelerate. Each new chapter’s white space creates a micro-reset pushing… - Your Character Should Go Back to the Same Place Twice
The most powerful setting in your novel is a place the reader has already been. Most writers treat returning to a location as a budget-saving move. Same set, fewer builds. The character walks back into… - Your Mirror Character Is Your Most Dangerous Weapon
The mirror character is the most wasted weapon in fiction. Most writers create a foil without knowing it. The best friend who’s everything the protagonist isn’t. Calm where she’s reactive. Risk-averse where she’s reckless. The… - Your Characters Use Too Many Names in Dialogue
Most writers sprinkle character names into dialogue like salt. Automatically, without thinking, usually too much. “Martin, I told you not to come here.” “Why would you say that, Diane?” “Because, Martin, you always do this.”… - Your Scenes Start Three Paragraphs Too Early
Most scenes in your novel start three paragraphs too early. Characters walk in. They sit down. Someone pours coffee. A line of small talk, a bit of weather, maybe a thought about what happened earlier…. - Your Characters Keep Walking Through Doors Without Thinking
The door is the most underused tool in fiction. A character enters a room. The writer describes the room. The scene begins. But the threshold, the moment of crossing, is where the tension lives. At… - If Your Second Act Sags: The Setback vs. Reversal Test
Most plot problems in the middle of a novel come from one confusion: writers think setbacks and reversals are the same thing. They’re not. A setback is when something goes wrong. Your protagonist gets rejected,… - Your Most Memorable Character Needs a Real Contradiction
The flattest characters in fiction aren’t the nice ones or the evil ones. They’re the consistent ones. Think about the people you actually know. Your friend who runs triathlons and chain-smokes. Your boss who’s ruthless… - The Refusal Beat: Why Your Protagonist Needs to Say No
Most novels skip the most revealing moment in their protagonist’s arc. After the inciting incident, the protagonist should say no. Not once. Not as a formality before chapter three’s plot kicks in. The refusal is…
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Steve Alcorn
USA Today bestselling author of twenty novels and non-fiction books, including mysteries, young adult novels, children’s books, and the acclaimed writer’s guide How to Fix Your Novel. Steve also founded Alcorn McBride Inc, which provides audio and video systems for theme parks worldwide.
Dani Alcorn
Author, instructor, editor, and mentor. Dani trained in screenwriting at Northwestern University and the University of British Columbia and worked as a professional medical writer. She is the author of screenplays and a science fiction novel.