Writing Tips

Here's a small, unglamorous truth about writing a book: the perfect afternoon is never coming. You know the one. Four uninterrupted hours. A clean kitchen. Inbox zero. A hot and yummy drink at hand. And the words pouring out like they've been waiting all day just for you. If that's the afternoon you're waiting for before you start (or restart) your novel, your future self is going to be waiting a very long time. The good news? Books don't get written in perfect afternoons. Th

What Is the Campfire Beat? The Campfire beat happens after the hero has stepped into Act 2. They’ve made their choice and entered a new world, new situation, or new level of commitment. Now the story widens.

This is the part of the story where you: - Pay attention without panicking. - Gather information without spiraling. - Let the world reveal its new rules before you try to master them.

In The Storyteller’s Way (an expanded beat sheet built upon Save the Cat), what most frameworks call the Catalyst/Inciting Incident lines up with Beat 4: “FLASH POINT—the moment the hero can’t un-know or can’t undo, and the plot gains irreversible forward momentum. A template you can use when crafting your own powerful Flash Point is Disruption → Cost → Direction.