tension in fiction

The #1 Problem I See in Manuscripts Right Now

8 April 2026 / Mark Posey

The most common problem I see in manuscripts right now isn’t bad prose or weak dialogue. It’s stories where the protagonist could simply walk away—and nothing meaningful would happen. If your character can shrug and go home, they probably should. So why don’t they?

Confessions of a Sadistic Author

7 October 2025 / Mark Posey, Thrillers

Why do authors put their characters through hell? Because without conflict, there’s no story. In Confessions of a Sadistic Author, Mark explains why Jacobine, Billings, and the rest of his cast are constantly battered and bruised — and why their scars make them unforgettable.