The Difference Between a Task and a Goal When Plotting

By Janice Hardy

Does your protagonist really need to do that?

Many writers struggle with plotting because they add “stuff” to a scene without thinking about how that stuff affects the story. They think “All scenes need a goal, so let’s add a goal,” but what they write is a scene where someone cleans a room, delivers a package, or walks across the village to grab an ale. It feels like progress since the protagonist is active and moving, but they’re not pursuing a goal. They’re only completing a task.

And tasks aren’t compelling. They’re filler disguised as plot.

Tasks might fill pages, but they don’t fuel the story, because there’s nothing to be gained or lost by completing them. A room gets clean, a package arrives, and an ale is enjoyed, but they have zero effect on how the story turns out.

What the plot needs, are goals.

Why Your Amazon Book Page Isn’t Converting — and How to Fix It

By Penny Sansevieri

Part of the Indie Author Series

JH: If you’ve been running ads, posting on social media, and doing all the “right” things but sales are still stuck in slow gear, the problem might not be your book—it might be your book page. The amazing Penny Sansevieri is here today, sharing exactly how to identify what’s holding your page back and how to fix it. 

Take it away, Penny…

You’ve written a great book. Maybe you’ve even run some Amazon ads, tried social media, or landed a few book reviews. But your sales? They’re trickling in—or worse, stalled completely.

Sound familiar?

If so, you’re not alone. One of the most common challenges authors face isn’t visibility. It’s conversion. In other words, people are finding your book—but they’re not buying it.

5 Ways to Create Nuance in Your Characters

By Janice Hardy

It’s not the big, flashy moments that make characters unforgettable—it’s the subtle differences and distinctions.

One of my favorite writing quotes is: “Readers come for the plot, but they stay for the characters.” It’s a good reminder that stories are ultimately about people and their problems, and no matter how interesting that problem might be, flat, dull characters won’t keep the reader engaged. I’ve flipped to the end of a few “great plot, bad characters” books because I wanted to know the ending, but I didn’t want to slog through the story to get there.

What could have saved those books from such a horrible fate was stronger characters. What could have made those books unforgettable was nuanced characters.

How to Describe Your Setting Without Infodumping

By Janice Hardy

Bring your world to life without burying readers in the details.

Crafting a setting is about more than telling readers where your story takes place—it’s about inviting them to step inside your story world and making them feel like they belong. When your setting feels real, your characters also feel real, and readers are more likely to care about what happens to them. A well-drawn world can ground your narrative and create an immediate emotional connection.

It’s tempting to describe every brick, breeze, and blade of grass in a setting you love, but too much description all at once can drown your story (and reader) in information. Instead of pulling readers in, you risk making them feel like they’re slogging through a travel brochure.

The strongest settings come alive organically. They’re woven into the action, filtered through the character’s perspective, and delivered in easy-to-digest spoonfuls that keep the story moving while showing readers all they need to know about the world.

3 Ways to Add Tension to a Scene

By Janice Hardy

If your scene lacks excitement, try making someone squirm.

I wrote an interrogation scene for my detective WIP that should have been dripping with tension, but it read like a giant infodump. No resistance. No stakes. Just the bland back-and-forth of information I wanted readers to know, and the whole scene just went splat.

This is pretty common, especially in early drafts. We know what happens in our story and why, so we tend to skip over the uncertainty that creates that all-important story tension. 

But without that uncertainty, scenes can feel like they're just going through the motions.

What Your Favorite Book Can Teach You About Writing

By Janice Hardy

Your favorite book is more than a great read—it’s a masterclass in writing craft.

I have a beat-up copy of Dave Duncan’s The Gilded Chain on my shelf that’s filled with notes in the margins and highlighted passages in different colors. It was my writing textbook when I was figuring out how to write and analyzing what made the books I loved work.

I loved Duncan’s prose. (Still do.) It’s smooth, clear, never draws attention to itself, but always pulls me right into the story. I studied how he structured sentences, how he handled action, how he managed dialogue without slowing the pace. I wasn’t trying to mimic him—I was trying to understand why his writing kept me turning pages long past midnight.

The Secret to Avoiding the Sagging Story: What Makes a Good Middle

By Janice Hardy

Many writers dread the middle of a novel—but writing a strong one is easier than you think.

When I was new to writing, every novel I wrote bogged down in the middle. I’d start off well, but then run out of things for my protagonist to do, so I’d start making things up just to fill up space. Soon, it would turn into a complete mess and I’d start over.

I can’t tell you how many times I did this. Dozens at least, if not more.

Eventually, the frustration got to me and I decided if I wanted to break this cycle of despair, I’d have to find a way to get through the middle of my novel.

And I did.

So well, in fact, that my agent said my first novel’s middle was “damn near perfect.”

Two Questions to Ask for Stronger Character Goals and Motivations

By Janice Hardy

Strong plots start with two deceptively simple questions.

The sheer number of plotting questions I get—both in person and online—is a good indication that plotting is something a lot of writers wrestle with. And it’s not always because they don’t understand story structure or scene dynamics.

You can write gorgeous prose and still wind up with a story that meanders, stalls, or lacks punch. That’s because the characters aren’t making active, motivated choices that drive the story. They’re just… doing things.

“Because that’s what has to happen next” isn’t a goal.

I’ve had countless brainstorming sessions with stuck writers (and been one myself), and over the years, I’ve noticed something. No matter how complex the plot, how high the stakes, or how elaborate the worldbuilding, the problem almost always comes down to one missing element: goals.

Where Was I Going Again? The Benefits of Re-Reading During a Revision

By Janice Hardy

A re-read might be the right path to find your story and fall in love with it all over again.

Many writers shudder at the very thought of revising their novel. Others curse. But I’ve always enjoyed the revision process (don’t hate me). I’ve found it’s where my best writing happens, because I know how my story turned out and I have a much better understanding of who the characters are and what they want and need to do.

Even if you’re a meticulous outliner, your final draft rarely matches your original plan exactly. And if you’re a pantser or discovery writer? Well, your manuscript may resemble your initial vision about as much as a squirrel resembles a spaceship. Though honestly, that can happen to plotters, too.

Because things change as we write. Motivations shift. New ideas pop up halfway through and suddenly alter our understanding of the plot. Characters do things we didn’t plan, and sometimes what sounded brilliant in Chapter Eight feels like a complete mistake by Chapter Twenty.

The Great Word Count Freakout (And Why You Can Relax)

By Janice Hardy

Figure out your word count without losing your mind.

You’ve finally finished the novel you’ve been working on for oh-so-long. You poured your heart into it, metaphorically bed on the pages, and finally typed “The End” before doing a little happy dance. Then you checked your word count—and panic set in.

Is it too long? Too short? Will agents laugh? Will readers riot? Should you cut 30,000 words? Add 20,000? Toss the whole thing into a fire and start over?

Take a deep breath. It’s all going to be okay.

Stressing out over your word count happens to pretty much every at some point.