You have a new cool original character that is a surefire hit. She’s got skill, an insanely complex backstory, and a sword the size of a front door. You know, everything you need to write a dozen bestselling novels. The only problem is that you don’t have a name.

There’s no perfect guide to writing a story, which means there aren’t universal steps to preparing to write a story either. Every writer is different and the goal should be to find the structure that works for you.

Twists can elevate or wreck your story. Twists are trying to surprise the audience, and the audience likes to feel smart. Readers like to feel a step ahead, so if you are you to try to pull one over on them, it has to be clever and fun.

I probably watch more monster movies and read more monster fiction than most people, which is exactly why I also feel confident making this grandiose statement… the majority of this genre is bad. So how do you write a great monster story and not discount schlock?

Concocting a good ending can seem like a daunting task. It’s the final beat, image, or idea a reader will get from your story. An ending is so important that many, including me in our article on things to do before writing a story, would suggest having it in mind before you even begin writing.

When starting your next story, consider experimenting with one or multiple of these to see if they can help you create a hook so good that anyone who gives your first page a glance has to keep reading.

When you craft a scene for your story, you can create a simple list of goals that will guarantee you don’t technically “waste” a single scene.