The Pitch Master Newsletter Nothing yanks me out of a story faster than a plot hole. If they’re really stupid, I get mad. And I quit reading or watching. That disconnect doesn’t just “break immersion”, it breaks trust, and it quietly murders your relationship with your reader/viewer. Plot holes can happen anywhere, but they’re most common in mysteries, thrillers, and action stories, where the engine of the story is cause-and-effect. At their core, plot holes are logic problems with motives,...
13 days ago • 4 min read
The Pitch Master Newsletter How to make sure AI can find and recommend you, your novel, or screenplay. In the last few months, you may have noticed that internet search has changed. Now when you Google something, Gemini, Google’s AI, answers your question in a paragraph, giving you links if you want to read further. Many people have stopped Googling altogether, starting their search with their favorite AI tool. This shift is why writers need a new internet visibility strategy – GSO. What is...
27 days ago • 3 min read
The Pitch Master Newsletter Let’s Talk about the AI Disruption Using or even talking about AI freaks a lot of creatives out. It’s time to get real. The genie is out of the bottle. Things are not going back to Peak TV of 2017 or the movie theaters of 1993. Ever since 1904, when fiction films became popular with audiences, entertainment has been evolving with technology. Movies did not kill live theater, and they survived the arrival of television. Movies made by and starring humans will not go...
about 1 month ago • 4 min read
Hi Reader, Here’s a worksheet to create your henchmen. 1) Pick their story job/archetype. ☐ The Dragon: Big Bad’s right hand man / #2 / chief lieutenant. ☐ The Heavy: the most active threat the hero tangles with, even if they’re not the top villain. ☐ The Gatekeeper / Threshold Guardian: blocks access to a place, person, or clue. ☐ The Tracker: keeps the hero from ever truly getting away. ☐ The Temptation engine: tries to pull the hero off the path. 2) Define their rank + reach. ☐ What’s...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Give your Big Bad a staff meeting worth attending! Supervillains, spies, and wizards rarely work alone. Even the most dramatic Big Bad needs a support system: henchmen, minions, and evil sidekicks. A great henchman is built from three ingredients: Distinct identity: We recognize them instantly. Real motivation: They’re not just evil furniture. Clear function: They have a job in the villain ecosystem. Let’s build your evil team. Make Them Pop: The No Numbers Rule Henchmen should...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader, Last week we talked about the villain's journey. Now let's build your villain. 1) Villain or Antagonist? A villain is a malicious character who opposes the hero through selfish, immoral actions. An antagonist is anything that opposes the protagonist’s goal (person, force, idea, emotion). ☐ Is your opposing force malicious (villain), or simply in the way (antagonist)? 2) The Villain thinks he’s the Hero. Your villain wakes up thinking: “I’m justified.” “I’m correcting an injustice.”...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, Your hero’s journey is the focus of your story. But plot twist, have you ever thought about your villain’s journey? In The Villain’s Journey: How to Create Villains Readers Love to Hate, Debbie Burke takes us through the bad guy’s character arc, giving a fun new way to think about stakes and conflict. Villains vs Antagonists: What’s the Difference? The villain is a malicious character who opposes the hero and drives conflict through evil, selfish, and immoral actions. The...
2 months ago • 4 min read
Hi Reader, Every year, I pick a theme, one simple idea I can use like a compass. Not a 37-item resolution list. Not a personality transplant. Just one guiding star that helps me make better decisions when life (and inboxes) get crazy. This year’s theme: I Love Data! Before you hide under a cozy blanket with your favorite novel, hear me out. Data doesn’t have to mean spreadsheets. Data can be as friendly as a sticky note. It’s just information that helps you make smarter choices. And if you’re...
2 months ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader, Every January 1, something delightful happens in the creative universe: Public Domain Day. It’s the moment a fresh batch of older books, films, songs, art, and characters becomes legally free to remix, adapt, and reboot. And in 2026, that means works from 1930 (plus sound recordings from 1925) are now available under U.S. law. So What is the Public Domain? In plain writer-speak: creative works that are not protected by copyright make up the public domain. You don’t need permission....
3 months ago • 5 min read