Time travel stories appeals to readers in how it lets authors explore the deepest questions about causality, free will, and the nature of time itself.

While sci-fi claims the most obvious examples—think Wells’ “The Time Machine”—this plot device turned sub-genre can be found in many stories, from romance to historical fiction to contemporary literary works.

But not everyone needs elaborate systems grounded in physics:

• In romance, authors often sidestep the mechanical details entirely. Rather than explaining the quantum physics of how their heroine landed in 1815, they focus on her struggle to navigate Regency society while hiding her modern knowledge (see Diana Gabaldon’s “Outlander”).
• Some mystery writers use time loops to craft puzzles. Kate Atkinson’s “Life After Life” follows Ursula Todd as she repeatedly relives her life, each iteration revealing new clues about a murder that spans decades.

Often, the “how” matters less than the emotional impact. You don’t need to explain why the DeLorean works. You need to show what your character does with those 1.21 gigawatts.

Still, time travel plots can quickly spiral out of control. Each change to the timeline spawns new possibilities, new paradoxes. You must decide early: Does changing the past create alternate universes? Can you kill your own grandfather? Is time a single stream that can be overwritten, or does it branch like a river delta?

Some authors embrace the chaos, letting multiple timelines tangle together. Others establish strict rules - no interaction with past selves, no bringing future technology back, no preventing major historical events. The key is consistency.

Once you set your time travel rules, stick to them.

Like footprints in fresh snow, foreshadowing leaves subtle traces of what’s to come. In this month’s Research Corner, we’re diving into this essential literary technique that can transform your story from predictable to masterfully crafted.

Take Brandon Sanderson’s “Mistborn” series. Early mentions of ash falling from the sky seem like world-building, until they become central to the plot’s climax. Or consider how George R.R. Martin scatters prophecies throughout “A Song of Ice and Fire” - some misleading, others devastatingly accurate.

Effective foreshadowing doesn’t always need to be dramatic. Sometimes it’s in the small details: the way a character fidgets with their wedding ring before a difficult conversation, or how the weather mirrors an approaching conflict. These subtle cues create emotional resonance without telegraphing your plot twists.

Likewise, your foreshadowing should scream “this is crucial detail”. In the moment, there should be a purpose for the information, whether to build character, or advance the current scene.

To enhance your foreshadowing, you could try to:

1. Use setting details to mirror future events
2. Have characters say things that carry double meaning
3. Introduce items that will gain significance later

Good foreshadowing should feel natural on first reading, but inevitable in hindsight. You’re not trying to hide the truth—you’re presenting it in plain sight, knowing your audience won’t recognize its significance until the perfect moment.

We love making resolutions, but often can’t quite follow through. Those shiny New Year’s writing goals feel exciting and attainable, only to end up on a list of eternal ‘what-ifs’.

Why is this? Most writing goals fail because we’re relying on factors outside our control. Traditional publishing? That’s in the hands of agents and market trends. Bestseller dreams? That’s algorithms and marketing wizardry.

Even daily word counts can become our nemesis if they’re too ambitious. The whole “I can write 1,000 words in a sprint, so 5,000 daily should be easy” is not something a lot of people can keep up for long.

The secret to getting things done? SMART goals. They’re:

• Specific (Write 500 words each weekday > “write regularly”)

• Measurable (Track those numbers!)

• Achievable (Start small - half your best word count or less)

• Relevant (Connect to your bigger writing dreams)

• Time-bound (Set those deadlines!)

Make your goals so easy they feel like cheating. Success breeds success, and those small daily wins build momentum better than occasional massive achievements.

Remember: 250 words daily = 91,250 words per year (if you write every day). Small actions, repeated consistently, create finished books.

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