The First Draft Pro Blog

We freaking love stories

You do too? Well, well, well. That smells like BFF potential.

Writing Tips

3 min read

Understanding pacing (beats and progressions)

Analyzing the rhythm and flow of a narrative.

Writing Tips

3 min read

Pacing your novel so that no-one falls asleep (including you)

Strategies for maintaining narrative momentum and interest.

An illustration of swirling clouds in a stormy sky.

Writing Tips

3 min read

What is rising action and how do you use it?

Understanding and implementing the buildup of events in a narrative.

An illustration of a character in a novel looking back at a scene from their past.

Writing Tips

3 min read

How to write a flashback scene

Techniques for integrating past events into your narrative effectively.

An illustration of two characters in a novel meeting for the first time.

Writing Tips

3 min read

A short guide to meet cutes

Crafting charming and engaging initial interactions between characters.

An illustration of a massive battle in front of a castle.

Writing Tips

3 min read

How to write a massive battle scene

Techniques for depicting large-scale conflicts effectively.

An illustration of a character in a novel preparing for a difficult decision.

Writing Tips

3 min read

How to write a great gunfight

Crafting authentic and tense firearm combat scenes.

An illustration of a character in a novel preparing for a fistfight.

Writing Tips

3 min read

How to write a great fistfight

Strategies for creating realistic and impactful hand-to-hand combat scenes.

Writing Tips

3 min read

Tips for writing fight scenes and weapons accurately

Crafting realistic and engaging combat scenes.

An illustration of two characters in a novel sword fighting.

Writing Tips

3 min read

How to write a great sword fight

Techniques for depicting swordplay realistically and engagingly.

An illustration of a character in a novel faced with a critical choice.

Writing Tips

3 min read

Understanding how scenes turn

Analyzing the shifts and developments within a scene.

An illustration of a silhouette of a tree.

Writing Tips

3 min read

Positive and negative scene resolutions

Examining the impact of different scene outcomes on the narrative.