Writing Advice

Certain story elements work across every genre, every time. I’ve been testing this framework against hundreds of books. Here’s what I’ve found — and how you can use it in your own writing.

Tropes are reader candy — but only if you execute them with a fresh twist. Here’s how to give readers what they want while still surprising them.

Reader candy is the specific, repeatable story element that makes readers stay up too late, miss their subway stop, and immediately recommend a book to a friend. Here’s how to identify it — and how to use it intentionally.