The Key Conditions for Reader Suspense Part 3: Plot

In part one, we talked about the story problem and its central role in reader suspense. We also talked about a man scratching his bum. In part two, we discussed the three character factors that are critical for reader suspsense and how they also help make a character rock. (For those of you just starting

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Writing tips from Best Seller Debbie Macomber

I saw this today and thought of the assignments I give in my workshops. Look at what this hugely popular writer did to learn and focus her craft: Knew what she liked and followed HER passions (she knew what rocked her). Took 4 books she loved and broke them down to look for patterns she could

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Some Key Concepts for Love Stories

My first four professionally published short stories were all love stories of one kind or another. I love good love stories. And so when the Writing Excuses team podcasted about this topic with Dave Wolverton, I was excited to hear what they had to say. Of course, they didn’t dissappoint. However, I would like to

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Plot Basics

In the comments to this week’s writing excuses on the 3 act structure, a writer asked if the try/fail cycle would really work with her chase story because her folks do not “fail to solve the problem” every time so much as “escape by the skin of their teeth”. I thought this was a great question because we ARE

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