The ‘Dark Night of the Soul’ & Why It Works (Second Plot Point)
By this point in the story, your protagonist has fought, struggled, adapted, and failed. They’ve had victories, but they’...
Derek MurphyAuthor of 36 Articles
studies the art and craft of writing to inspire joy.
The Final Battle: How to Deliver a Satisfying Climax (Without Leaving Readers Numb)
Let’s be brutally honest: if your final battle fizzles, your entire novel collapses like a bad soufflé. You can...
The Second Pinch Point: The Darkest Moment Before the Storm
By this stage, your protagonist has fought battles, stumbled, and maybe even scored a few small wins. They’ve moved...
Writer’s Block Sucks: A Real-World Guide to Breaking Free (Without the Woo-Woo)
Writer’s block is a cliché, but that doesn’t make it any less real. You know the feeling: you...
Burnout, Block, and Boredom: How to Write When Your Brain Feels Like a Dumpster Fire
I once spent an entire afternoon staring at a single paragraph—an angry little block of text that refused to...
The Midpoint Shift: Why Passive Characters Kill Stories
I once slogged through the first half of a novel that started off brilliantly—there was a murder, an eccentric...