Your Story Isn’t Its Plot or Structure – Inventing Reality’s Newsletter for Dec. 30, 2025

Plotting Your Book: Your Story Isn’t Its Plot or Structure
When discussing fiction, sometimes the terms “story” and “structure” are used interchangeably with “plot.” But a story is not a plot or the story’ structure. While this misuse of terminology may seem trifling, it unfortunately mangles many beginning writers’ conception of what plot is, ultimately harming their manuscripts. READ MORE

The Best Guide to Promoting Your Book!
My book 7 Minutes a Day to Promoting Your Book is a practical, how-to guide that takes you step-by-step through implementing a simple but effective marketing plan for your book – with just 7 minutes of work required a day. You’ll complete short, skillful exercises that allow you to publicize and sell 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: Allow Main Character to Experience Crisis of Faith
A man vs. himself conflict often elevates a story’s suspense and depth. When a character must face a confrontation with himself, most readers can relate to him. External conflicts that affect a character – such as eluding international assassins or stopping an alien invasion – are great escapism but (mostly) outside the reader’s realm of experience. Because of that, the action often feels contrived, and the reader knows the hero will prevail, reducing the tension. Because of this, many writers introduce a crisis of faith into their story. READ MORE

Self-Publishing Tip: Guidelines for Creating an Ebook Cover
Despite the old adage, people will judge your book by its cover. As humans are visually-oriented, the first thing a potential buyer of your book will spot on a web page is your cover; almost always the words come later. In addition, that cover typically will just be a thumbnail. READ MORE

This Week’s Podcast: Strengthen Story with Man vs. Himself Conflict
Perhaps the most profound conflict a character can face is coming into conflict with himself. Conflicts in which the protagonist faces off against other individuals or society often result in characters that represent ideals and concepts. But the character that first must deal with his own foibles to overcome a villain or oppressive values has learned something. He has grown as a character and become a better human being. Ideally, your readers will grow with this character, making his triumph more lasting in the readers’ minds. LISTEN TO PODCAST

Book Marketing Tip: DRM…To Enable or Not to Enable
When self-publishing your ebook on Kindle, you’ll be asked if you want to enable “Digital Rights Management” or DRM. If you enable it, the Kindle version of the book will include coding that makes the copying of it more difficult. With Kindle’s announcement that in January 2026 those who purchase your book will have the option to download your ebook as a pdf or epub file, new questions have arisen about whether or not to enable DRM when uploading your book to Kindle Direct Publishing for sale as an ebook. READ MORE

Client Spotlight: “Numbers Add Up To Nothing” by Roger Blackburn
A recent self-publishing client of mine has published his first novel. Roger Blackburn’s “Numbers Add Up To Nothing” tells the story of Carlton, who after waking up from a coma and seeing his lovely wife Ann at his side, decides he needs to seek out a safer line of work than being a police detective – so he becomes a private eye. His first adventure as a P.I. turns out to be even more dangerous than his old job. 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 Jan. 6, 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.