In the age of instant books, does the opening of a book still matter? James R. Preston contrasts and compares the openings of fiction novels old and new.

Rumors say readers either hate or love prologues. But a strong prologue will pull any reader into and through the story.

To engage readers' feelings, writers can threaten the protagonist readers have come to know and love. This is where emotion amplifiers can be useful.

In part II, Lynette M. Burrows gives us a deeper look into the role of tension, suspense, and conflict in a story and techniques to develop them in your work.

Tension, suspense, and conflict are often confused or underused by writers. Learn to use them in your stories and captivate your readers.