Tension is the second-most critical element of a successful story—the first being a relatable, engaging main character. Tension, also known as drama or conflict (in the broadest sense of the word,) is what makes the reader turn the page. It is the emotional driver of the story. Tension must be organic, and it must be specific. Don’t blindfold your reader. Vague descriptions or intentional obfuscation of details does not create tension. How Tension Drives the Story Characters

Frequent comments that this rule doesn’t make sense or I don’t need that rule or even why do we even have these stupid rules? Rules are important. IMO, to become a successful writer, you need to understand how stories are constructed and why. Why start with an inciting incident? Why is there a climax? Why does the hero need an emotional arc? There are reasons for everything, and they mostly have to do with reader engagement. Readers don’t want to read boring stories. They do

Taking a coffee break from a rough day of reading. There are many rules of writing, both written and unwritten, that provide structure...

Writing short stories is a different animal than writing a full-length novel. Though some elements are similar—both require a plot and a...