Showing posts with label Publishing tips for the beginning novelist. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Publishing tips for the beginning novelist. Show all posts

Thursday, March 23, 2017

Ratchet Up the Tension By Making Your Hero’s Life Difficult

by Henry McLaughlin 
@RiverBend Sagas

Today, let’s explore the question: How can I make it worse for my hero?

Bring In a Gun
Mickey Spillane is credited with saying, “When your plot gets stuck, have someone come in with a gun.”

Why? Because the gun, no matter what the situation, makes things worse.

It doesn’t have to be a physical gun. It can be anything. Your heroine is exploring a strange house and the lights go out.