When we encounter the term “worldbuilding,” instinct points us to the fantasy genre. All fiction requires worldbuilding in one form or another, though. In the… Read More »Case Study: Austen vs. Heyer | Liar, Liar
NOTE: In case anyone’s forgotten my generic characters’ names, “Totally” refers to “Totally Everyguy,” Average’s male counterpart. (I add this note because my own mother… Read More »Verisimilitude: A Most Essential Plot Element
We’ve all been there. One minute you’re minding your own business, and the next, a dangerous and coveted plot device tumbles into your hands. And… Read More »Plot Devices and Other Narrative Thickeners
What’s this? An anticlimactic plot twist? Guilty as charged! The Author-Audience Contract An unwritten contract exists between every author and their audience. The author promises… Read More »Finding the Anticlimactic Way Out
Long ago in my disaffected youth, I found great solace in the music of The Wallflowers. Fronted by singer-songwriter Jakob Dylan, this alt-rock band rose… Read More »Exhausting All Your Options
Here’s what I don’t understand. If someone majorly screws up, why does anyone trust that same someone to correct the massive error? You may be as… Read More »The Man to Trust When the World Falls Apart