Multiples of Six Audiobook Giveaway!

Enter to Win!

Free Audiobook!

I'm giving away two copies of the recently release audiobook version of my suspense thriller, Multiples of Six! Narrated by the very talented Eddie Frierson, he adds a whole new life to the story. These free copies will be available through Audible.com. While no purchase is necessary, you will be required to create an Audible.com account to receive the free copy. I hope you'll check out the giveaway page over on Facebook. Thanks!

Achieving Writing Goals the SMART Way

We all have goals as writers. Some folks want to write more. Some want to get published. Some want to write better. Some want to finish their project. Others want to start. So many goals, so little time. So, what do we need to do to achieve these goals? Well, the details are different for everyone, but if we apply a standard formula, the steps are pretty much the same. Using the SMART method (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound), anyone can create a path to achieving their goal.

So, let's take a look at an example.

SPECIFIC This is where you lay out your goal. It's important that your goal is as specific as possible so that it can answer to scrutiny. What do you want to accomplish? Why? As we're talking about writing, let's have a goal that most writer's have: "I want to increase my per day word count so that I can finish novels quicker and produce more content over the course of the year." Nothing vague there. Let's move on.

MEASURABLE It seems obvious, but this is where you define how you will measure the success criteria for achieving the goal. In this example, it's a matter of being able to point to a higher word total per day and, therefore, more finished projects and content (eg, I write 500 words a day now and publish a novel every year. I want to write 1000 words a day and publish 2 novels a year).

ATTAINABLE Is this a realistic goal? Is it achievable? Have I set the bar to high? And, if it isn't achievable now, what tools or resources do I need in order to achieve this goal? You may not even know the answer to this right away. Do some research. Find out how others have gotten over this hurdle. In our example of "writing more," I'm sure there are many answers out there. However, you need one that works for you. There may be several ideas that you can use at once (eg, carry a notepad wherever you go, write before you go to work, write on your lunch break, set your alarm a half hour early in the morning and write then).

RELEVANT How much does this matter to you? Guess what? If you don't care, you'll probably never achieve the goal you set. It doesn't matter what it is. You don't just accidentally accomplish anything, right? Well, at least for me it doesn't work that way. You have to want to get there. And, it has to make sense for you to get there as well. You may be at a point in your life where the additional stress of another goal, or a particular goal, isn't worth the hassle. But, you must also consider that by achieving the goal, you may relieve other stressors in your life (eg, writing 2 novels a year may increase my cash flow and pay a couple of bills).

TIME-BOUND When? When do we start? Now. How soon before I start evaluating my progress? Two weeks? A month? If you don't set a time boundary, you're setting yourself up for failure. We're creatures of habit and if your goal involves a new one, you've got to put it into motion right away. Even if your goal isn't habit related, you should still have a due date at which point you need to assess your progress toward your goal. Have you met it? And, if not, what went wrong? What can you do to get back on track? Do you need to adjust your goal, or the process that you're using to achieve it?

I hope this provides some guidance for setting and achieving goals. The SMART criteria were first described in the November 1981 issue of Management Review by George T. Doran as a method for writing goals and objectives for management. I think it's a good tool for just about any goal-setting objective.

What do you think?

Can You Hear That? My Book Is an Audiobook!

As I mentioned several weeks ago, my debut novel, Multiples of Six, was in production to become an audiobook. Narrated by veteran movie voiceover actor Eddie Frierson (IMDB, Matty.org), I could not be happier with the end results. It is now available through Audible.com, Amazon, and iTunes (clicking this last link will open iTunes).

From the author's perspective, the process is relatively easy. You just have to go through the grueling torture of listening to your own words spoken back to you. I mean that in the most loving way, of course. But, I found it exceptionally difficult to hear my own writing. Not that it was badly written or poorly spoken (did I mention how awesome my narrator is?), it's just mine... and I've only ever heard those words in my head as I wrote them and as I read them. It's definitely a leap of faith on many levels, but Eddie was able to produce a gem. I really love what he did with the characters.

If you're an author and you've been wondering about audiobooks, head over to ACX.com (an Amazon company) and check it out. With luck, you'll find someone to team up with to produce your own book.

Have experience with audiobook production and sales? Please share your story!

Fan Fiction Gets A Venue - Amazon Announces Kindle Worlds

Fan fiction's new best friend.

Amazon has announced a new platform available to authors called Kindle Worlds. "Amazon Publishing has secured licenses from Warner Bros. for Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars, and The Vampire Diaries, with licenses for more Worlds on the way."

Definitely an interesting development and another sign that Amazon is doing all the right things for independent authors. While I don't personally have an interest in fan fiction, I can see this being HUGE for those who started their writing this way. It will be interesting to see what other licenses Amazon acquires for Kindle Worlds in the future.

What do you think?

Let's Tell a Story

A while back, I wrote a piece about how to plot your novel. Well, today, we're going to break that down
even further into its basic elements. How do you go about the “simple” process of telling a story. I've read and seen a lot of answers to this question, but we're going to keep it as simple as possible.

At its base level, there are 5 parts to a good story; foundation, change, significance, culmination, and purpose. That’s not to say that these are the only parts or the order in which they must appear. However, take any one of these away and you might be left with a story that doesn't feel whole. And starting to write before fully understanding what makes your story complete can make the experience harrowing. Writing can be challenging as it is. Let’s go through the parts and see what we have.

1.       Foundation – This is the “Once upon a time…” or “A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away…” aspect of the story. What’s the norm? What’s the average day-to-day like in your story? Even if it’s just a glimpse, providing this information gives your story a platform on which to build. We don’t always need to put this up front, but we need to know it’s there. No character should live in a bubble… unless your story is about a character in a bubble… so, show the life that goes on around him/her/it. Bob was a hard-working man who loved life and his family.

2.       Change – Something needs to change the status quo. You’ve established the norm, so now you need to introduce the catalyst that induces a change to which your main character(s) needs to react. The extent of the change need only be relative to the main character’s need to be affected. Folks have a tendency to assume that big things need to happen in order to invoke change in a story (eg, death, cataclysm, zombies). However, sometimes the smallest stones make the largest ripples. Bob loses his well-paying job.

3.       Significance – The change has occurred. What does this lead to? How is your main character’s daily life affected? In life, as in the stories we tell about it, events aren’t usually cut and dry; Bob can’t afford food anymore and is forced to kill his neighbor. Hmmm…seems like we might be missing something. Like maybe some details? Bob can’t afford food anymore; Bob’s neighbor offers to give Bob help, but he wants something in return (a night with Bob’s wife); Bob’s got nowhere to turn and is running out of options; Bob’s sadistic neighbor taunts Bob and threatens to… and we could go one, but you get the point. A series of events then leads us to the…

4.       Culmination – …and in the end, Bob and said neighbor struggle in a fight to the death before Bob comes out on top. Extreme? Yes. Overly simplified? Indeed. But, you get the picture. You’re significant events must lead to a focal point, or climax. This is where everything comes together and the conflict that has propelled the story to this point is resolved, one way or the other.

5.       Purpose – Why did the character just go through all of that? What’s the resolution, or the new norm? Essentially, what’s the moral of your story? I would argue that this is the most important part of your story. What is it that you’re trying to tell the reader? When Bob is arrested, the police discover that his neighbor is a wanted serial killer and Bob is exonerated and they all live happily ever after (except for the neighbor, obviously). The moral? Don’t mess with Bob.

These 5 points create the thread of your story. While the order of the story thread can vary, it’s rare to find a good story that doesn’t incorporate each one of these. If you have an idea for a story, determine which of these parts you know and which you don’t. I often have 1, 2, and 4 in mind before I ever start writing, but 3 and 5 can often be the most difficult to put together on the fly. Starting your next project with all of these pieces in place can make the story-writing experience that much more enjoyable.

My $0.02 on the Boston Marathon Bombing

Let's get something out of the way. I'm not going to pretend for a moment that I have anything new or insightful to say about the who, what, and why of the Boston Marathon incident. But, I have to say something. As Anne Morrow Lindbergh said, "I have to write it all out, at any cost. Writing is thinking. It is more than living, for it is being conscious of living."

So, what do I know of terror? What can I add to this story that has any sort of relevance? I honestly don't know. My wife said to me, "Why would someone attack a marathon? It's not like they're affecting the people who make the decisions." True, but that's not what they're after, is it. They didn't strike at the infrastructure of the industrial machine. They struck a blow at the heart and soul of what makes America a wonderful place to live; that sense that you can stand on a street corner and watch something as simple as a footrace and not fear for your life. When I use "they," I mean terrorists. But, don't get me wrong, I believe terrorists and terrorism are a means to an end, not some poor generalization of a particular group of people. Timothy McVeigh was just as much a terrorist as any of the men who perpetrated 9/11.

The Boston Marathon attack is so hard for those of us in the United States to grasp, but it should look very familiar if you simply compare it to the many attacks that occur in Middle Eastern countries. A marketplace, a place of worship, a police recruitment center. Someplace where people have gathered in a place they believe they are safe. The significant difference here? The attackers walked away from the bombs. Instead of strapping themselves to the devices and going out for their chosen god, they dropped and ran. To me, that says a lot about who these people are and who they aren't. I might be wrong, but this seems to me to be a politically motivated attack carried out by people who want to make a statement and instill fear, but aren't willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. That may seem to blur the line, but there's a very clear difference between someone who has no regard for life (including their own) and those who simply have no regard for the lives of others. As a sidenote, I find it interesting that Massachusetts has no death penalty, though capital crimes are prosecuted by the federal government, so that might be moot.

 In the end, 3 people died (as of this writing on 4/18) so that someone could be heard. That someone made the decision that this was the only way to get their message across and be heard. Blunt, cowardly, and destructive violence perpetrated at a moment of least expectation against people whose only fault was being in the wrong place at the wrong time. An 8-year-old boy, a 29-year-old young woman, and a grad student whose age was not disclosed. Three people and countless others who more than likely thought they were safe. Three people whose lives were cut short. Countless others who will never look at a crowd of people, or a man with a backpack, the same way ever again. This is how it begins. They've planted the seed of distrust and fear. Just like they've done before. Killing the seed is impossible. It's there; it's taken root. We can't fight it either. That just makes it spread; violence begets violence. We simply have to refuse to let it grow. Refuse to fuel the flame. At a time when it seems an impossibility, the best thing we can do is put this in the darkness of the past and move on.

Update: Just a note that, despite the post time being 9 AM, this was written on Thursday night, prior to the manhunt that occurred Thursday night and is currently in progress.

Amazon Buys Goodreads!

Nom nom nom.

This is fresh off the presses, folks. That's right, Amazon.com has purchased Goodreads. If you don't know what Goodreads is, it's only one of the biggest social reading networks around. This purchase raises some very interesting questions. What will happen, if anything, to Shelfari? Does this blur the line between Amazon book reviews and Goodreads book reviews? Safe to assume that Goodreads book pages will no longer link to other book sales sites? Will this cause an exodus of readers from Goodreads? Is this a good thing or bad thing for independent authors? Does it make Goodreads a more valuable tool to the indie author (and does it make the top 10 now)? Would love to hear your comments below.

My Book is Becoming an Audiobook!

And, I have to say, I'm pretty geeked about it. Back when I first published Multiples, a few friends joked around with me that they'd buy it when it was available in audio format. I never thought they'd have to follow through on that promise. Creating an audiobook even just a few years ago cost serious money. But, as technology has become more accessible, so has the process for creating an audiobook.

I am book, hear me roar!

ACX.com is a division of Audible.com which, in turn, is a subsidiary of Amazon.com. They've essentially created a place for authors, narrators, and producers to come together and make audiobooks. As an author, You simply sign in with your Amazon account and create projects based on your books. You upload a sample that you want to have read and, eventually, you may receive an audition or two. You can also browse through auditions from their library of narrators and request to have them work with you. The best part, at least from the indie author perspective, is that it can cost as little as $0. With their 50/50 contract, and exclusive distribution through Audible, Amazon, and iTunes, you can have your book narrated for no cost at all to you.

I recently received an audition from a career voiceover actor and was absolutely blown away. I had uploaded my Prologue several months ago and had sort of given up hope of ever hearing back from someone. And, to be honest, I hadn't really put much effort into finding a narrator. It seemed like a superfluous thing to have. I mean, it's not like every book has an audio version, right? Well, after listening to the audition, I think I'm changing my tune. Get the right narrator and your story takes on a whole new life.

It was both terrifying and exciting to listen to my own words come back at me, acted out as I had heard them in my head. He had really nailed the intended voice, which made me feel pretty good about how I'd written it. I can only imagine what it must be like for someone to watch a movie based on their book. Listening is one thing; watching is a whole other story. It's still early yet, but I hope to follow up with more details and perhaps a sample chapter.

Have you used ACX, or are you considering it? Would love to hear your thoughts!

Top 10 Social Media Sites for Authors

...and Whether You Should Be There

You can't turn around on the internet nowadays without running into some form of social media. As you read this, you'll see cues in the sidebars of my blog (as well as in the article itself) directing you to connect with me here, there, and everywhere. You can like, tweet, pin, plus and...ummm stumble to your heart's content. That's just how things work nowadays. So, let's take a look at some of the top social media sites, as well as some of the others I specifically recommend for authors. We'll look at the opportunities and challenges of each.

1. Facebook - Despite its recent poor history in regard to stock prices, Facebook is still tops when it comes to social media, connecting people around the world.

The Social Media Juggling Act

Should I be there?: According to the data, >40% of global internet traffic is through Facebook. Global! And the average user spends almost a half hour there. If you or your books are not on Facebook, you're missing out on what potentially may be your largest source of an audience. Their integrated advertising system is fairly simple and it's even easier to "promote" individual posts now. More likes = more chance for viral reach.

Challenges: Be sure to separate your author business from your personal account. Create an author page and invite friends to like it. You don't want to alienate friends with repeated calls to "Buy my book!"

Connect with me on Facebook.

2. YouTube - From cats playing patty cake and staring ground hogs to car accidents and behind the scenes videos. If a video isn't on YouTube, it's not being watched.

Should I be there?: Book trailers are not unheard of. Whether or not they lead to success is another story. However, the potential virality cannot be denied. Make the right video about your book and you might

Challenges: The tutorials on how to make a trailer for your book are out there, but in order to make something truly special, you either need to have video-making talent, or know some. While that shouldn't deter you from trying, I wouldn't put in the effort unless I knew the end product was going to be something to be proud of.

3. Twitter - Changing the world 160 letters at a time.

Should I be there?: Definitely. Revolutions have begun through Twitter. It would be foolish to think it couldn't help your branding or book sales. It can be hectic though and you've most often only got a small window of opportunity to make a good impression.

Challenges: There are millions of people on Twitter and they all have something to say. That means you have only a small window of opportunity to be heard. Pick up a Twitter tool like TweetDeck to help you sift through all the noise and find your crowd. Don't underestimate the power of tagging (#). And don't get overwhelmed. You don't have to spend all day in order to see an impact. 15-30 minutes of focused interaction every other day can make a world of difference.

Connect with me on Twitter.

4. LinkedIn - Looking for a job? Or looking to hire someone? This is the place to be.

Should I be there?: This one is two-fold. If you're a job candidate, there's no better place to be. With just a few connections, you may find yourself indirectly connected to someone who may have the opportunity of a lifetime. As an author or writer, it also provides another avenue for viral communication of your books and writing.

Challenges: While good for connecting with other writers, I'm not quite sure it's the place to be trying to sell a book (unless you're going the traditional route, in which case it might be a great place to meet up with potential agents). While I have connected my personal profile, I have not yet set up an author profile.

5. Tumblr - A blogging tool that allows you to customize your own stream with a variety of tools.

Should I be there?: Well, if you don't already have a blog, consider using this. It combines the possible virality of a social media site into the blogging mix. It also allows for more simplified posting.

Challenges: Less control of content. Personally, I use Blogger and I can code it just like a web site. I know a lot of folks also use WordPress and a handful of others.

6. Pinterest - Ask nearly any woman aged 25-44 about Pinterest and you might hear it's great for fashion, cooking, and interior design. Well, it's way more than that.

Should I be there?: Pinterest is simple. You visit a web site and "Pin" images to boards you create. Book covers are images! By pinning your book cover, you can link pinners directly to the point of sale, or to your web site. If the image catches on, with almost 21 million monthly active users (as of 01/24/13) there's great potential for viral takeoff.

Challenges: It's addictive! Don't get sucked into the pretty pictures. Allot yourself a little time each day, but don't let it break into writing time!

Connect with me on Pinterest

7. Reddit - Reddit's tagline is "The front page of the internet". It's a forum for posting links to interesting articles and conducting discussions about topics from memes to politics to writing and books. Readers (or redditors as they're called) can vote items up and down depending on their like or dislike of a subject matter.

Should I be there?: The Writing forum is a great place to pop in a see what's going on. It's also a great place to make connections and get the word out on your work. Don't hawk your book there, but engage in conversations and, if you post writing related articles to your blog, you may find that posting it here drives additional traffic. You may also want to check out the Books forum.

Challenges: Did I already say don't hawk your book there? Ok. Don't expect anyone to put the kid gloves on if you ask for a critique. And don't expect them to flock to your new ideas with praise and adoration. It's a cruel world out there, kid, and this corner doesn't pull any punches. While folk are generally cordial, you have to be on the up and up, or you'll hear about it.

8. Stumbleupon - Another addictive time waster tool for finding new stuff on the internet, Stumbleupon allows you to enter a subject matter and then "stumble" from site to site (supposedly at random) that fits that category.

Should I be there?: Another chance for viral recognition. I'm not completely sold on this one. While I've had some visits directed to my site from Stumbleupon, it's been a bit hit or miss. In my mind, I've simply added it for the sake of adding it, but I don't do much stumbling myself.

Challenges: Another potential "time suck." Don't get caught up in it.

It's been so long, I can't even remember my StumbleUpon password... yeah.

9. Google Plus - Google's valiant attempt at one-upping Facebook. Not quite there.

Should I be there?: There's still a lot of active users having a lot of conversations about books and writing. It's certainly got the potential for getting your name out there. The ability to group followers into categories and reach out to them directly via email has its advantages. Hangouts are also a potentially great tool for interacting. Just make sure you've got pants on when your web cam kicks in.

Challenges: No one is exclusive to Google Plus. If they're having the conversation there, you can guarantee they're having it over on Facebook or Twitter as well.

Connect with me on Google+.

10. MySpace - OMG! They're still alive? Yep. Alive and kicking.

Should I be there?: Well, to be honest, the answer might be "No." While they still make it into the top ten, MySpace has had to remake itself over the past couple of years in order to remain relevant. They recently rolled out a new design, but I closed my account years ago and have no intention of going back at this point. It might be the perfect opportunity to get a foothold when there might not be a whole lot of competition, but I'm not sure it's the right venue for books. Now, if you also have a band, it might be the perfect place.

Challenges: Well, the challenge is, it's MySpace, which has become the punch line to a few jokes. Not sure the ship has completely sunk, but I'm not planning to get back on board. And, unless they show me something that Facebook can't compete with, I don't see that changing.

Honorable Mentions for Writers and Authors

These are some of my personal favorites that I recommend for authors:

11. Kindle Boards - A great place for the writing community, the Writer's Cafe is an invaluable resource for the fledgling independent author.

12. Goodreads - Possibly the largest reading community on the internet. Authors can create their own profiles, make sure their books are searchable there, create advertising campaigns, and join the conversation about great books and great writing. You can check out my profile here. [UPDATE: On 3/28/13, Amazon announced that it had purchased Goodreads. This definitely changes their importance, from a self-publishing perspective, and position on this list.]

13. Triberr - It took me a while to understand exactly what was going on here. Essentially, you join "Tribes" in order to promote blog posts. Get in with the right crowd and you may find your reach spread to as many as 600,000+ as I've seen in just a matter of weeks. Tribes consist of people willing to tweet, repost, plus, like, etc your blog posts all in an easy and automated fashion. Beware the automatic feed tribes. These are groups that remove the choice of whether you want to post the subject matter or not. Check it out and join my tribe.

Thanks for taking the time to read through. Did I miss any of your favorites? Post in the comments below!

Plotting Your Novel

Four Steps to Putting Your Plot in Order

I've spent a bit of time on Reddit's writing forum over the last couple of weeks. One of the recurring questions I kept seeing was about plotting (or outlining) a novel before starting to write. To be honest, I was never a big proponent of plotting. Until, that is, it worked for me.

Do you remember the movie How to Train Your Dragon? Well, the morning after seeing that movie with my then 4-year-old son, I woke up with a name in my head and the title of a book on the tip of my tongue. While the title quickly died (for being a bit too similar to an existing series), the character thrived and within 48 hours I had plotted out the first book of a proposed trilogy. Six months later, I had translated that outline into a 55,000 word YA novel (which is still on the proverbial shelf). As soon as I finished that book, I sat down and plotted book #2. I was thrilled at how easy it came to me. But, it doesn't always work that way. Let's take a look at some of the key points to successfully plotting your novel:

1. Know where your story begins

When I sat down to write my suspense thriller, I cranked out 40 pages of writing. It was the least suspenseful pile of drivel ever imagined. I shelved 98% of it. It was back story. I had spent ~10,000 words trying to build up a sense of who my character was, without realizing he had accomplished absolutely nothing in that time. You need to establish your starting point. If you're protagonist is a 24-year-old, the reader doesn't need a detailed description of the 24 years that preceded the story's starting point. These are details that can be infused throughout the rest of the story (y'know, the one you really want to tell?). Don't be afraid to throw your characters immediately into the fray. Whether it's drama, fantasy, suspense, or sci-fi, nothing will tell the reader more about your character than seeing how they react when the pressure is at full tilt. Finally, don't be afraid of being vague at this point. We're not writing yet, we're plotting to write. A sentence will do if it conveys Who, What, Where, and When (Why can wait a while). When you recognize your starting point, give yourself a pat on the back. You've found the starting line. Now, stop the self-congratulations and move on.

2. Know (roughly) where your story will end

This one can be tricky for a number of reasons, but it's possibly the most important part of the whole process. Why? Because knowing the ending allows you, as the author, to seed the path with the kinds of things that readers eat up. Nothing impresses me more as a reader than when I get to the end of a book and find that the author has tied together little bits and pieces of the story that were sprinkled throughout. Plus, as a writer, it gives you a point of focus (we'll talk more about focus in step #3). So, where do you want your characters to be at the end of your novel? Can't see it? Imagine the end of your five favorite movies. Happy endings, sad endings, poignant endings, doesn't really matter. But, the best endings are those that show how life has changed the characters involved, for good or bad. As fiction writers, we're conveying a series of events that happened to people. And, despite what some people may believe, life changes us (if it didn't we'd all be pretty damn boring). So, what are the results of the events in your story? What sort of consequences do your characters have to deal with? This is where you may discover the "Why" of your story. When you find that, you'll have found your finish line.

3. Know where the middle point of your story is

Scranton, home of The Office and... not much else.

Consider this a way point in your plot development. We're trying to get from the start to the finish, and a good plot rarely takes a straight line to get there. If it does, it probably won't be very entertaining. But, there's a difference between a plot detour and a major plot detour. Sure, we could just jump on the Jersey Turnpike to get from Philly to NYC, but it might be more interesting to take a detour through Scranton. Essentially, don't be afraid to take side routes to get to where your going. But, it's important to keep your middle point within shouting distance of your proposed ending. Go to NYC from Philly through Cleveland and you're going to lose readers (and potentially drive yourself insane). Why? You're prolonging the trip. Readers aren't dumb; they can often see where you're going. And, even if they can't, when you do finally get where you're going, you may leave them scratching their heads. Why the heck did he walk around the block to visit the neighbor?! So, what is the middle? Well, in my mind, it's the part of the story that leads right into the climax of the story. Your characters have been introduced and the catalyst of the story has been introduced. The middle is where it all begins to come together and it's a straight shot to the end game.

Your riders (ie, readers) might be a bit ticked at your "short cut."

4. Fill in the gaps of your story

Now, comes the hard part for some folks. You know your beginning, middle, and end, but now how to get from one to another. Well, this is where your ability to build a story shows itself. Here's what I do. Thirty is my magic number. It's the number of chapters I start with. I jot down my starting point at #1, my middle goal around #15, and my finish line at #28 (I like to have some room to let things settle at the end). I then mark out the first 5 chapters, the next 10, and the final 15.

The first 5 chapters are character development and initial action. It's in these chapters that you will capture your audience. Some writers will argue that it has to happen in chapter 1, which is true, but you can't place all of your hope on one chapter. Give the reader 5 strong chapters at the beginning of your novel and they will let you take them on whatever journey you want. Grab their attention and empathy for your character in those chapters and you'll be set. No empathy = no care for what happens to the characters = no reason to read on.

The next ten chapters are entirely a setup for the end game. This is where your characters are challenged, poked, and prodded into their point of no return. The reader should be able to look back at this point of the story and say, "That's where it could have changed." If he had only taken the blue pill!

The final 15 chapters are are where the roller coaster plunges over the precipice and the laws of gravity take over. This is where the novel should run at full speed to the climax of the story. Everything chapter should have a distinct effect on how the story will end. Anything else is just slowing the coaster down.

Now, obviously, 30 is just a number I like. You might have 50 chapters or 20. Either way, you should be sure to balance out the plot so that it makes sense for your story; beginning, middle, and end. End too soon, without enough transition, and you'll leave your readers feeling short-changed. Put too much filler into the "middle" and your readers will get bored before they can get to the end. And, a weak beginning won't stimulate the reader to continue reading about your characters.

Would love to hear your opinions on the subject! Questions? Suggestions? Best practices that have worked for you?