Vary Story Structure with ‘Fate Plot’ – Inventing Reality’s Newsletter for Oct. 28, 2025

Plotting Your Book: Vary Story Structure with ‘Fate Plot’
Another variation on the traditional five-part story structure is the fate plot. In a fate plot, the climax occurs at the beginning of story. The rest of story is a traditional tale that essentially is a flashback, showing and explaining how the climax was reached. The end of the story is the resolution, which finally brings us back to “real time” or the moments after the climax/opening scene. READ MORE

The Ultimate Guide to Self-Publishing Your Book
You’ve written a book that’s languishing on your computer hard drive. You don’t have time to pitch it to a literary agent or a major publisher … work or school is hectic, the house needs to be cleaned, the kids demand your attention … But we bet you can find just seven minutes a day to achieve your dream of getting it published. If you can, my book 7 Minutes a Day to a Self-Published Book is for you. This practical, how-to guide takes you step-by-step through the self-publishing process – with just seven minutes of work required a day. You’ll complete short, skillful exercises that allow you to self-publish your novel or nonfiction title as you read the book, all the while getting the encouragement and motivation needed to keep you going. SEE BOOK

Writing Tip: Challenge Yourself to Write ‘Dramables’
In the hands of a gifted writer, stories become extended parables, layered with symbolism and meaning that examine the many questions of human existence. While maintaining the best qualities of escapist literature, such stories transcend escapism in quality. READ MORE

Self-Publishing Tip: Thinking Up a Title that Sells Your Nonfiction Book
With nonfiction books, you’ll want to select a title that helps rather than hinders sales. A good title ensures that your book will be easy to find as it pops up in search engine queries; a bad title ensures other books will appear in such searches even though yours is better written. READ MORE

This Week’s Podcast: How to Make Your Writing Show Rather Than Tell
You don’t have to write for very long before hearing the cry of “Show don’t tell!” or “Too much exposition!” The advice is given for good reason. Exposition (or telling) typically fails to be either evocative or engaging. So how do you fix exposition? How do you make your writing show rather than tell? LISTEN TO PODCAST

Book Marketing Tip: Boost Book Sales with Public Presentations
Many book authors are happy to simply do what they enjoy most, which is write. You also have to promote your published books, though, and a time-honored way of doing so is by making presentations, such as signings and readings, at bookstores or other businesses that might carry your titles. READ MORE

Client Spotlight: “Bad Juju in Cleveland” by Karl Bort and Thekla Madsen
A crime novel I edited several years ago is now out in audiobook, narrated by Mike Cantrell. Karl Bort and Thekla Madsen’s Bad Juju in Cleveland begins when four men are found brutally slain in an abandoned house on Cleveland’s east side, one with ties to City Hall and all marked with a mysterious symbol. When Detective Nicholas Silvano is called to the case, he finds this drug-deal-gone-wrong is anything but ordinary, and the search for an elusive killer is on. With FBI Agent James Reis creating roadblocks at every turn, Silvano teams up with a DEA agent on a manhunt that takes them to the shady side of Florida, where anything can be had for a price. The stakes become higher when the killer makes it personal, forcing Nick to face feelings he’s been denying for so long. CHECK IT OUT

$25 Off Your Next Edit!
For being a newsletter subscriber, please take $25 off your next edit with Inventing Reality Editing Service. When scheduling your edit, be sure to mention you’re a subscriber and give the email where you received this newsletter. Minimum order of $200. Offer expires Nov. 4, 2025. SCHEDULE EDIT

My name is Rob Bignell. I’m an affordable, professional editor who runs Inventing Reality Editing Service, which meets the manuscript needs of both aspiring and published writers and offers a variety of self-publishing services. During the past 15 years, I’ve helped more than 400 novelists and nonfiction authors obtain their publishing dreams at reasonable prices. I’m also the author of a novel, the Storytelling 101 Quick Read series, four children’s books, more than 25 bestselling hiking guidebooks, and even a book of poetry. Several of my short stories in the literary and science fiction genres also have been published.