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An investigative podcast hosted by world-renowned literary critic and publishing insider Bethanne Patrick. Book bans are on the rise across America. With the rise of social media, book publishers are losing their power as the industry gatekeepers. More and more celebrities and influencers are publishing books with ghostwriters. Writing communities are splintering because members are at cross purposes about their mission. Missing Pages is an investigative podcast about the book publishing ind ...
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How much time passes between Page 1 and “The End” - and where, exactly, do you begin and finish? In this episode of Master Fiction Writing, we pair Step 12 (Story Timeline) and Step 13 (Opening & Closing) to shape your novel’s container and its proof of change. You’ll learn how to define your story present (the “now” of your narrative), pick a time span that supports tension, and design opening/closing scenes that mirror each other to reveal transformation.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
What “story present” is—and why tense and chronology aren’t the same thing
How different time containers (day, season, year, decades) change pacing and stakes
The “mirror technique” for opening/closing scenes that land emotionally
Common pitfalls (timeline mush, flashback overload, soft starts) and quick fixes
Mini exercises to name your container and draft before/after snapshots
Leave with a clear time frame, a purposeful opening, and a closing image that proves how your protagonist changes.
68 episodes
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