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Is Structure the Hidden Foundation of All Successful Stories? Why do some stories work and others don’t? The answer is structure. In the 10-year anniversary edition of this beloved writing guide, you will discover the universal underpinnings that guarantee powerful plot and character arcs. An understanding of proper story and scene structure will help you to not only perfectly time your story’s major events, but will also provide you with an unerring standard to use in evaluating your novel’s pacing and progression.

Standing at the edge of the gateway, I understand two things. One, I have no idea what I’m doing. Two, the gateway to Hell is not closing. Now, there may be only one option left to me, to all of us. I may have to enter the one place I’d hoped to avoid throughout this journey. I may have to enter Hell. Unfortunately, a change in events takes the choice away from me.

Let outlines help you write a better book! Writers often look upon outlines with fear and trembling. But when properly understood and correctly wielded, the outline is one of the most powerful weapons in a writer's arsenal.

River: As the perilous journey across a country I’d long thought destroyed begins, I don’t know who I am anymore or what I’m becoming. My abilities grow stronger with each passing day, as does the fear of what comes next. All I know is that I will do anything to avoid becoming like Lucifer, and to protect those I love, even if that means protecting them from me.

Blue stares ahead, hackles raised. I follow his sight line. Yellow eyes reflect in the darkness. My breath stops. The scent of blood on my hands suddenly reeks as the sleek gold and black body of a leopard emerges from the shadows. Its eyes flick from me to Blue and then to the tent. My heart takes off like a gazelle. “Good kitty kitty,” I whisper, my voice shaking. The leopard’s ears perk toward it. Blue’s nose nudges my hip, and I step to the side. We can’t go far, though, as we need to stay in the shadow of the tent. The giant cat continues forward as we move out of its path.

It has been 13 years since the war started, the bombs were dropped, and the central states became a thing of the past. When the war ended, a wall was erected to divide the surviving states from those destroyed. I never expected to go beyond the wall, but unlike all the others who volunteered to go, I wasn't given a choice. With a dim knowledge of what I could do, the soldiers came for me. They took me beyond the wall where I learned that the truth is far more terrifying than I'd ever dreamed.

Theme—the mysterious cousin of plot and character. Too often viewed as abstract rather than actionable, theme is frequently misunderstood and left to chance. Some writers even insist theme should not be purposefully implemented. This is unfortunate, because in many ways theme is story. Theme is the heart, the meaning, the point. Nothing that important should be overlooked. Powerful themes are never incidental. They emerge from the conjunction of strong plots and resonant character arcs.

My dog once took a bullet that was intended for me. A bullet that ripped through his chest, narrowly missing his heart, and exited through his shoulder blade. This left him unconscious on the floor of my home. Amazingly, this bullet did not kill him. Ten years ago, I adopted Blue after I broke up with my boyfriend one hot, early summer night with the windows open and the neighborhood listening. The next morning I went straight to the pound in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Articles on buying your first dog tell you never to buy a dog on impulse.

Why do some stories work and others don't? The answer is structure. In this IPPY and NIEA Award-winning guide from the author of the bestselling Outlining Your Novel, you will discover the universal underpinnings that guarantee powerful plot and character arcs. An understanding of proper story and scene structure will help you to not only perfectly time your story's major events, but will also provide you with an unerring standard to use in evaluating your novel's pacing and progression.

Ready to take your story's character arcs and themes to the next level? This latest book from veteran writing teacher and story theorist K.M. Weiland ventures far beyond the popular and pervasive Hero's Journey to explore six important archetypal character arcs, representing key moments of initiation in the human experience.

Trouble finds Rye when she stops the attempted rape and murder of Anita, a reporter working on a story of corruption and child trafficking. The atrocities Anita describes send Sydney and Blue on a quest that takes them across India after a dangerous and, up until now, untouchable, figure.

Do You Have An Aging Parent Who — Blames you for everything that goes wrong? Cannot tolerate being alone, wants you all the time? Is obsessed with health problems, real, or imagined? Make unreasonable and/or irrational demands of you? Is hostile, negative and critical? Coping with these traits...

Unlock the secrets of compelling storytelling with Next Level Plot Structure, a brand-new guide from K.M. Weiland, author of the popular Structuring Your Novel. This comprehensive resource delves deep into the intricacies of plot structure, revealing the rich vein of narrative techniques and philosophical underpinnings that have shaped storytelling throughout history.

Recovering from a near-fatal attack that has left her with residual trauma, including haunting dreams and flashbacks, Sydney Rye is regaining her strength at the jungle training camp of Joyful Justice, the vigilante network inspired by her now legendary acts of vengeance. However, when she runs up against an old adversary, he destroys the peace she has found and puts her and Blue's lives in danger.

When I find myself face-to-face with Lucifer, I realize what he wants from me could annihilate Hell and Earth. I would do anything for those I love, but with the fate of the world resting on my shoulders, I’m not sure I can stop him from destroying us all.

Ten years ago, I adopted Blue after I broke up with my boyfriend one hot, early summer night with the windows open and the neighborhood listening. The next morning, I went straight to the pound in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Articles on buying your first dog tell you to never buy a dog on impulse. Going to the pound because you need something in your life that's worth holding onto is rarely, if ever, mentioned. I asked the man at the pound to show me the biggest dogs they had. He showed me some Rottweiler-German Shepherd puppies that he said would grow to be quite large.

Have you written a story with an exciting concept and interesting characters - but it just isn't grabbing the attention of readers or agents? It's time to look deeper into the story beats that create realistic and compelling character arcs. Internationally published, award-winning novelist K.M. Weiland shares her acclaimed method for achieving memorable and moving character arcs in every book you write.

Sydney Rye is in Miami, surrounded by friends and co-conspirators who share her values and goals. People who believe in her. For the first time since her brother’s murder, Sydney Rye is finding a way to live in peace, but also isn’t helping anyone in need. Unfortunately, this peace can’t last. Sydney is in the eye of a storm.

I am desperate for freedom, for peace, and for justice. As I leave captivity and step into the bright sun-filled day, a wave of relief washes over me. I am not free yet, though. Walking between barbed wire topped walls toward the exit gate, I breathe in fresh air, preparing for the next challenge. An enemy posing as a lover waits for me. I will evade him, though.

I can’t escape the vulnerability of motherhood. The rage fueling me since my brother’s murder is no longer powerful enough to carry me forward. I want to create a simple life in the Spanish countryside and prepare for motherhood. For the sake of the life growing inside me, I must forge ahead without Robert’s help, Mulberry’s devotion, or my own anger determining my path. The criminal cartel seeking to destroy Joyful Justice plans to crumble the foundation of the vigilante network by killing me. But I’m dangerous prey - more deadly than ever.