Avoid Writing Gimmick Stories – Inventing Reality’s Newsletter for Dec. 16, 2025

Plotting Your Book: Avoid Writing Gimmick StoriesSometimes what seems at the outset like a great story idea really isn’t. Such is the case with the gimmick story. This is a story in which character development takes a back seat to a big reveal or a shocking twist at the tale’s end. READ MORE Self-Publishing Advice: HowContinue reading “Avoid Writing Gimmick Stories – Inventing Reality’s Newsletter for Dec. 16, 2025”

Avoid Writing Bifurcated Story – Inventing Reality’s Newsletter for Dec. 9, 2025

Plotting Your Book: Avoid Writing Bifurcated StoryDoes your story belong in therapy? Perhaps one portion of it appears to be in conflict with another portion, maybe over tone or theme. READ MORE Self-Publishing Advice: How to Design Your Paperback CoverMost potential readers of your paperback will see its front cover before anything written about it. ItContinue reading “Avoid Writing Bifurcated Story – Inventing Reality’s Newsletter for Dec. 9, 2025”

Utilize Literary Dream Device with Caution – Inventing Reality’s Newsletter for Dec. 2, 2025

Plotting Your Book: Utilize Literary Dream Device with CautionThe purpose of our nightly dreams remains unclear, for they appear to be void of any consistent meaning. In literature, however, dreams are quite the opposite. Chock full of symbolism, they can help define the character and advance the plot by foreshadowing events. This device in fiction isContinue reading “Utilize Literary Dream Device with Caution – Inventing Reality’s Newsletter for Dec. 2, 2025”

Sharpen Manuscript by Using Stronger Verbs

Your manuscript boasts interesting characters, an action-packed plot, and descriptions of fascinating places, and yet the story still feels a bit flat and vanilla. The problem likely is your verb selection. Verbs are the words in your sentences that that show an action (such as “ran”), occurrence (“develop”), or state of being (“exists”). Every sentenceContinue reading “Sharpen Manuscript by Using Stronger Verbs”

Don’t Let a Rhinoceros in the Room Smash Your Plot – Inventing Reality’s Newsletter for Nov. 25, 2025

Plotting Your Book: Don’t Let a Rhinoceros in the Room Smash Your PlotWhen describing the setting in your story, be careful not to place a “rhinoceros in the room.” This term is some item or attribute that is obvious to everyone except the people closest to it. READ MORE Everything You Must Know to Self-PublishContinue reading “Don’t Let a Rhinoceros in the Room Smash Your Plot – Inventing Reality’s Newsletter for Nov. 25, 2025”

Common Plot Pitfalls to Avoid – Inventing Reality’s Newsletter for Nov. 18, 2025

Plotting Your Book: Common Plot Pitfalls to AvoidNew writers, usually due to a lack of writing experience or because they haven’t had their writing critiqued, often will make some journeyman mistakes when plotting their story. If you’re just writing for yourself, there’s nothing wrong with any of these errors; the pleasure of writing alone overridesContinue reading “Common Plot Pitfalls to Avoid – Inventing Reality’s Newsletter for Nov. 18, 2025”

Create Character Arc for Better Story – Inventing Reality’s Newsletter for Nov. 11, 2025

Plotting Your Book: Create Character Arc for Better StoryFor a story to move forward, it needs a character arc. An arc is how a three-dimensional character changes and grows through the tale. READ MORE Self-Publishing Tip: How to Design Your Ebook CoverMost potential readers of your ebook will first encounter it online as an image – theContinue reading “Create Character Arc for Better Story – Inventing Reality’s Newsletter for Nov. 11, 2025”