by Michael J. Totten | Sep 24, 2026 | Plot and Structure, Uncategorized
The worst possible place for a flashback is right at the beginning of a story, but I see this on the regular from beginning authors. I know what’s usually going on here. Most of the time, these early, misplaced flashbacks are there to illustrate a character’s...
by Michael J. Totten | Apr 17, 2025 | Plot and Structure
Beginning authors often bloat up their stories with scenes that they don’t need and that readers don’t enjoy, a problem that’s usually fatal if it occurs anywhere near the opening chapters. It’s not uncommon, when working as a developmental editor, for me to suggest...
by Michael J. Totten | Apr 10, 2025 | Plot and Structure
Scenes are the building blocks of novels, memoirs, and other types of narrative nonfiction. They’re like stories unto themselves. They have a beginning, a middle, and an end. They’re where things happen in real time in a specific place, where characters interact with...
by Michael J. Totten | Apr 8, 2025 | General Advice
Most people who want to be writers never write a book. A huge number of professional writers, including those who make their living from writing, never write one. It’s so much work, and so much easier to stick to articles, short stories, and blog posts. Writing and...
by Michael J. Totten | Apr 3, 2025 | Hook Your Readers
Okay, let’s say you’ve nailed your first sentence. You start with some kind of disturbance or tension or conflict or a question. Now what? What does the rest of the first page look like? There is no formula, no single correct way to proceed. I can tell you how not to...
