Western Beat Sheet

Export All to RTF Copy All to Clipboard Introduction of Protagonist (Approx. 0-2,000 words): Introduce the protagonist, a rugged individualist, a weary lawman, or a newcomer to the frontier, highlighting their skills, values, and the harsh realities of life in the Wild West. Dig Deeper The protagonist, a seasoned gunslinger with a mysterious past, a weary lawman seeking justice, or a young homesteader seeking a new life on the frontier, is introduced in a world of dusty trails, saloons, and the untamed wilderness. Their skills with a gun or their horse, their moral code, and their reasons for being in...

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Building Magic Systems

My husband wrote a Business for Breakfast book about World-Building Space Opera. Recently, while we were going for a drive (as we do) and talking about the next B4B book he’s writing, he asked me if I’d consider writing a business book on how to create magic systems. I thought about it and decided that it wasn’t as big of a topic. Instead, I’m going to try to cover it all in a long(ish) essay. One note: There are exceptions to everything I say here. I’ll try to include those as well. I don’t want to come across as saying...

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You Need To Try Writing Sprints! 

My recent introduction to writing sprints I’ve been writing my entire life. And some of that has included writing very fast for short periods of time. I used to write a 1,500 word article on poker strategy and applied game theory for a magazine every month in less than an hour. But I had never tried an organized writing sprint until a few weeks ago. It was amazing!  I joined Adam’s writing sprint along with another member named Ari. We did three 20 minute sprints, talked about what we were working during the rest periods, and the last any of...

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Three Act Description Structure — Free

If you’re looking for an easy way to write blurbs, why not use the structure most writers use — whether they know it or not. It’s based on the three act story structure, as featured in this portal fantasy blueprint. The structure is three acts split into three sections each like this: Act I — Set Up Exposition — The setup. Show your protagonist in their ordinary life. Inciting Incident — The thing that happens to start the protagonist on their journey through the plot. Plot Point One — The thing that solidifies the protagonist going on their journey (despite …

The Three Act Story Structure — Free

The Three Act Story Structure is one of the most basic story structures and one of the most useful, in my opinion. It gives the author plenty of room for inspiration, innovation, and invention while still keeping them on track to an exciting and satisfying conclusion. Some may need a more detailed plan (the 27 chapter structure extrudes this structure into granular detail), but for those who seek only a little order to help them tell their tale, this structure does the job. Act 1: Setup Exposition The main character is introduced in their natural habitat. The length of this …

Nailing the First Line — Excerpt

There’s a lot of pressure on the opening sentence of a book to hook the reader in, the belief being that if you don’t get your reader quick, you likely won’t get them at all. I tend to spread the responsibility around, and instead of talking about the first sentence, I talk about the whole opening of a book. And there’s more to a good opening than just being a “hook.” Especially if you’re writing genre fiction. First of all, I like the first sentence to be genre specific, or at least hinting at the genre the book is written …