The Blog
Writing craft, product updates, and thoughts on the creative process.
Your protagonist is cornered. The antagonist has a knife. And then... a light explodes overhead, glass flies, and she gets away clean. Satisfying? Not even close. Your reader just felt cheated. Deus Ex Machina is one of the oldest plot devices in history, and one of the easiest traps to fall into. Here's how to spot it, fix it, and know the one time it actually works.
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You've written the scene. But did you start it in the right place? BC plotting is the simple technique that cuts the fat from your scenes and keeps your reader turning pages.
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Most writers start their story in the wrong place. Not because they can't write, but because the instinct to introduce your character before the action is almost universal. Here's how to fix it.
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Every item you introduce in your story is a silent promise to your reader. Learn how to keep them — and when breaking them is exactly the right move.
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