Make the fight worth it

You want people to love your protagonist. You want people to root for him or her and be on their side. You want them to believe that the person they like might be able to win this fight.

But you don't want people to think they can win too easily.

An unworthy opponent is an opponent not worth writing about.

If you're going to take the time to invent a villain, make it someone that people can't forget. Make it someone who scares your readers. Make it someone who gives your protagonist a run for their money.

You don't want readers to root for your antagonist more than your hero, but you still need them to believe the villain is worth their time. Make your villain worthy of your story.

Any object can be scary

Clowns are scary. A lot of people would agree.

Dolls like Meghan and Anabelle are scary. TVs are scary in poltergeist. Hell, tomatoes are even the antagonist in a certain movie. You can make any object scary. You don't have to stick to the old favourites.

In fact, making an everyday object terrifying can reach people even more than something they rarely see.

If you're looking to make something terrifying to move your story forward, don't think that you're stuck with what you've seen used before. Just look around and see if there's anything at hand that might scare your readers more than they've ever been scared before.

Your writing ear

It's always good to read your writing out loud to make sure that you haven't missed any spelling or quirky errors.

Having someone else read it to you can be beneficial as well. And you don't even have to bother any human for it to happen.

If you get some computer software to read your text to you, you may be surprised at what you discover. The computer won't know where to put the accents or emphasis, so you'll really be hearing each word and the syntax of each sentence. You'll hear where you've missed a little word like "or" or where you spelled "now" as "own."

The computer doesn't assume anything, so you'll hear every word that you wrote as you wrote it.

Give a reading of your writing by the computer a try and see how it can help you improve your writing.

There's a language for that

It might be hard to believe, but there is an insider language for almost everything.

Podcasters have terms specific to their work. Scientists have words that only they can pronounce. Children talk in a language that you have to listen to daily in order to understand.

Groups, jobs, enthusiasts, and people of all kinds have their own language that they use to discuss various subjects across the world.

If you're going to write about any of these people, make sure that you look into their inner language so that you don't sound like an outsider pretending to know what you're writing about. It's as important as making sure you follow the days of the week and ensuring your characters follow the laws of physique. It's just one more part of reality you can bring to your writing.

New surroundings

I don't know where you are at this moment, but where I am, the signs of summer's impending arrival are clear. The days are longer and the weather is warmer.

It's the perfect time to change your writing location to the great outdoors.

See what a little sunshine does for your writing. Listen to whatever conversations are around. Be inspired by the animals that waddle by you.

New scenery can always offer some good unexpected inspiration. See what new thoughts the summer weather offers you.

Choose the right write form

Novels can be written all kinds of ways.

Sure, it can be straight narrative, but it can be many other things.

A novel can be a series of letters. It can be a series of texts. It can be written like a script or a play. It can be written like an instruction manual or a cookbook. It can be written like a poem with a tale hidden in the footnotes.

When you think you've found the perfect story but can't seem to figure out how to get it down on paper, try using a different form. You might just find the perfect way to tell this particular tale.

Your own bad guy

As a writer, there's a good chance you know about being your own worst enemy. There's a chance that you've slowed down your progress or talked yourself out of thinking you can do something.

In the right situations, your protagonist can be their worst enemy as well. Your hero can be their own villain.

It might be because of a confidence problem. It might be because they have an alter ego. It might be because they are afraid to let themselves love and keep getting in their way.

There are all kinds of obstacles that come up in a novel to keep the plot moving. Don't underestimate the possibility that your protagonist might be one of those obstacles.