Clay Stafford 6/4/25 Clay Stafford 6/4/25

Deadline-Driven Drama: How Time Pressure Shapes Story Stakes

If your scene feels slow, no matter how perfectly written, it may be missing urgency. Add a meaningful deadline and let it reshape your character’s actions, raise the stakes, and create real-time evolution that your reader can feel.

Clay Stafford 5/21/25 Clay Stafford 5/21/25

Mastering the Ticking Clock: How Urgency Drives Scene Momentum

Urgency is one of the most powerful tools a writer can use. By introducing a ticking clock—physical, emotional, or relational—you create momentum, force decisions, heighten conflict, and keep your readers turning pages. This post shows you how to add meaningful time pressure to every character and scene.