Have you heard of the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus? You know, the Great One who moves beneath the earth? No? Well, if you want to hear the Word of Our Tentacled Lord and Savior, my short story "Other Gods" is published today in the inaugural issue of the Pacific Northwest Gothic magazine.

What is your favorite novel opening? What does it say about the protagonist?

A strong opening usually establishes the version of the character who is furthest from the person they’ll become by the end of the story. If they end confident, show insecurity. If they end connected, show isolation. If they end willing to act, show the belief that keeps them passive.

Let’s talk about openings! If your project opening feels slow or disconnected from the rest of the story, you might want to look at where your protagonist ends up instead.

If you see this, it’s a sign to go work on your WIP! It won’t write itself!

A plot twist should change the meaning of what came before. If the reveal only adds new information, it may surprise the reader for a moment and then disappear. The strongest twists force us to reinterpret earlier scenes, choices, or relationships.

This is how you keep your scenes dynamic and make sure your story is maintaining momentum!