Daily Short Stories from The Penned Sleuth

Plot twists have been a favourite in many genres, from mystery to thriller, to general fiction. By creating a plot twist that successfully surprises the reader, the writer has done an excellent job of weaving a story, employing subtle distraction and made great use of misdirection. I will be showing you how to plan and write a plot twist of your own. Let’s jump into it!

Ah, fight scenes. What is supposed to be exciting for the reader can turn out to be a difficult balancing act for the writer. In theory, a fight scene seems incredible, but on paper, it can easily be too short, or too long, or too detailed, or not detailed enough. In essence, most fight scenes today are written poorly, coming off as boring, confusing or not impactful. Scary? Absolutely, but here’s how to write them with ease!

Side characters, one of the most useful tools in fiction writing. Supporting characters present the writer with an opportunity to not only create smaller stories to make your book more interesting but also develop main characters and add to the world of your creation. After all, a well-written side story can make your already great story better. The challenge is making good use of this writing tool. Time some essential tips on writing good side characters!

Writing a good dialogue should be as easy as having a conversation with your best friend. Words should come to mind in an instant, flow together and make sense. The real niggle that many writers encounter is realism. Realism is hard to maintain without going off-topic, or breaking character, yet it can be done. So, let’s go over how to write some good dialogue! First, this is the fourth in a series of articles on writing a good book. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out earlier pieces, where I cover story structure, protagonists and antagonists. I would also like to hear what you aim for writing good dialogue. With that said, let’s talk about realistic dialogue!

When writing an antagonist, you need to consider the purpose of a confrontational force in your story. Your hero is being challenged by someone or something for a reason. Is it for the purpose of creating an incredible adventure? Or is it to develop your character? Or is the antagonist the real subject of your story? Finding this answer is the first key to writing a good antagonist. Now, let’s discuss that!

When it comes to writing a good story, it goes without saying that you need a good main character. One that you feel good when writing, one which readers feel good reading. The kind of character that truly fits their role in the story. However, it is so easy to miss the mark and write a character that is alright, but not good. A character which could have been better, a character that could have been memorable. Well, here’s how to make sure you do.

Welcome to the first in a series of articles/videos where I talk about writing a good book. Advice, tips, examples and exercises that will help or challenge you to write a certain aspect of your story better, until it is at the very least...good. A good book is hard enough to find and a great book more so. However, what makes a great book depends on one’s opinion. Whether one likes a genre, a theme or even a character. However, most readers can agree on whether a book is good or not, bias cannot affect that. I am going to show you how to write a good book.

Dialogue, much like any part of writing a novel, has its own challenges. There are many examples of dialogue falling flat, of dialogue being used for small-talk and other unnecessary conversations. I have organized this 5-step process to ensure you get a grip on great dialogue. Let’s jump into it!

Confident writing is a sure-fire way to let your reader know they are in for a great story. Avoiding the basic mistakes, such as flowery language, helps you create a more believable world. You show your belief in the world through the language you use and confident writing is exactly how you do that. Here are 7 practical tips for confident writing!

The antagonist, a character or characters that counter our protagonists, being an obstacle or an end goal. If the main character is the most important character, then the antagonist ties for that place. The importance of the antagonist cannot be understated, but we will talk more about that in a moment. Here are 7 Tips for Writing an Amazing Antagonist!

You’ve started writing your book, but your character seems to be drifting. Their interest in the plot isn’t as sincere and you can’t help but force them to play their part. Be it a protagonist or antagonist, this problem with purpose is common in writing. I am going to show you a five-step method to give your character purpose in your novel. Let’s jump into it!

One of the goals as a writer is to create a character that stands out. Your world is unique and wonderfully interesting, but are your characters? Can you tell who is speaking without a tag? Does your character even surprise your reader at times? Let me give you 7 tips that will help you write unique characters. Let’s go!

It all begins with an idea. Not necessarily a great idea in the beginning, but an idea nonetheless. With creative energy, you can turn that idea into a story and that story into a full novel. Yet, there are more steps to take before you can write that novel in a month. Let’s run through them!

Writing a powerful scene where one character gives up something valuable for another is not easy. Authors have struggled to convey the gravity of the situation to their readers, so what they read is a messy idea that falls flat. Yet, there is hope for your self-sacrifice scene. ​ Here’s how to write a jaw-dropping scene, oozing with character!

It is a trope that is often used in fantasy and for a good reason. The main protagonist is thrown into a new world, as clueless as to the threats and wonders it contains. Much like the reader, lending the reader an attachment to this protagonist, the reader learning as the main character learns. Yet, why should the main character even care? Let’s talk about motivation.

Bad habits and weak words hold us back. We have ideas, dreams ready to be put on paper, but we find ourselves making the same mistakes. Our writing doesn’t strike the right chords. Luckily, it isn’t so difficult to fix those problems, break those habits and build an enjoyable novel or article. Let’s talk about that!

From the poor advice of the inexperienced to the recommended videos, there are many lies forced upon writers. The fact is, we have all been recommended those make-six-digits-a-year videos and articles. We are tired of falling for those traps. If you have just started writing, here is the difference between clickbait and information. Let’s begin!

The mystery genre has always been an interesting topic. Many of my students believe it to be a difficult genre, as you need to lay down a series of clues without arousing the reader’s suspicion. Yes, it is better if the reader doesn’t expect what happens next, but that isn’t what will make your mystery great. Allow me to explain in this handy checklist for writing a mystery!

Be it in literature or film, when a character does something you don’t expect, it is a surreal experience. You always expect them to do something more fitting with who they are, but they sometimes go in the entirely opposite direction. I am going to go through these breaks in character with you and how you can write them. Let’s jump into it!

The idea of doing anything creative without planning is common enough. In our youth, whether it was art or writing, we just started. We were either eager to write or eager to get it over with. For some writers, writing without planning is their way of doing things. Perhaps you are considering writing this way with your next novel, so here are some pros and cons of writing this way. Let’s begin!