How to Write Tension in a Scene That Keeps Readers Hooked
Learn how to write tension in a scene using clocks, stakes, subtext, and a few tension killers to cut, so your readers keep turning pages past midnight.
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Welcome, I'm Michelle
Books from a small-town point of view.
I write playful picture books and down-to-earth writing resources, with a little small-town heart in everything. Take a look around. The books, the blog, and a few classroom goodies are all here.
From the blog
How to End a Chapter So Readers Can’t Put It Down
Learn how to end a chapter so readers keep turning pages. Four chapter endings that actually work, the mistakes that stall momentum, and where to cut.
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Cozy Mystery Setting: How to Build a Town Readers Love
Your cozy mystery setting is the town readers fall for first. Learn to build a small town with a map, warm gathering spots, and secrets worth solving.
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How to Write Character Backstory Without Info-Dumping
Character backstory makes people feel real, but info-dumping kills momentum. Here's how to reveal a character's past a little at a time, right where it counts.
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Writing Realistic Dialogue: How to Make Characters Talk
Writing realistic dialogue is where good stories come alive. Learn to fix stiff, on-the-nose lines and give every character a voice readers believe.
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How to Write a Cozy Mystery Ending That Satisfies
A satisfying cozy mystery ending rewards readers without cheating. Learn to plant clues, time the reveal, and land a last chapter that sells book two.
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