“Ask Jane” Shorts

Writing a cozy mystery means embracing a completely different pacing rhythm than a thriller—and your plotting roadmap needs to reflect that. In this video, I...

I'm often asked if I plan my plot twists, reversals, and moments of heightened danger—my TRDs—in advance, or let them happen organically as I write? In this...

Writing a story set in another time? Here's the key: don't explain the era—immerse your readers in it. In this Ask Jane, I share why readers of all ages love...

Plot twists that satisfy one reader can frustrate another. In this video, I break down how to calibrate your plot twists based on the genre you're writing and...

What do you do when one of your characters holds information that would blow your twist wide open? In this Ask Jane video, I walk through two approaches that...

In this quick tip, I break down the four essential conflicts that form the heart of every compelling narrative. These aren't just obstacles. They're the...

Wondering how to use my plotting roadmap when you're working in word count instead of page count? In this video, I'll show you how to convert between them...

In this video, I break down when to slow the pace for character development and when to maintain momentum using examples from both literary fiction and...

An attendee at a recent webinar asked me whether a minor character can take on a bigger role as a novel unfolds. The answer is absolutely yes, and in fact,...