by Brandon Miller | Feb 12, 2018 | Articles, Plot
Subplots don’t randomly crop up. Not good ones anyway. Like the main plot, a subplot must have a purpose and drive an aspect of your story.Subplots can serve various parts of your story and perform multiple functions simultaneously. They can raise stakes, increase...
by Brandon Miller | Jan 12, 2018 | Articles, Encouragement, Ethics
Writing, historically speaking, is a lonely game. Novel writing is a lonely, demotivating game. A game of survival. The strongest, the smartest, the bravest … they all fail.Only those without Facebook accounts or internet access can ever pass the test. Or at least...
by Brandon Miller | Jan 8, 2018 | Articles, Encouragement, Style
Reading craft books is a quick and easy way to learn new tips and tricks to sharpen your skills. Most craft books are light reads, entertaining as well as educational. And hey, since we’re all writers, we’d better be readers, so occasionally inserting a craft book...
by Brandon Miller | Dec 15, 2017 | Articles, Plot, Theme
Fairy-tale happily-ever-afters are fun. Contrary to popular belief, they can even be deep, meaningful, and effective. But they aren’t the only kind of ending you should have in your toolbox.Depending on the story you’re writing, a fairy-tale ending might seem...
by Brandon Miller | Oct 16, 2017 | Articles, Characters, Theme
A villain rounds out your story’s conflict by opposing the hero’s every move. But, like heroes, villains are busy people, and they have more purposes than wreaking havoc. You’ve probably heard that they need to be “sympathetic” and “relatable.” Maybe the source you...
