Conflict is often thought of as massive battles or one-on-one fights for honor, but really, it's much more than that. Memorable stories hinge on conflict, and not all stories depend on epic fight scenes to engage their readers. The goal of conflict is to drive the story forward.
Story structure matters because it creates a map for your readers to follow as they experience your story. Readers value purposeful storytelling over meandering detours. The way you can tell if your structure is working is to evaluate how each element of plot interacts with the other.
Character transformation lies at the heart of compelling speculative fiction. Whether your protagonist wields magic or pilots starships, their inner journey must resonate just as deeply as their fantastical adventures. The most memorable speculative characters experience recognizable emotional journeys while navigating extraordinary circumstances, with supernatural abilities reflecting internal growth rather than merely increasing power.
Your readers want to see what happens after the climax. The falling action and resolution give the reader the 'so what' of the story. They also justify why the reader spent however many hours and abandoned real world responsibilities to read your book.
Hive presents a familiar world teetering on the brink of catastrophe, where three intelligent individuals must unravel a conspiracy stretching across time. Though hampered by one-dimensional antagonists and overuse of humor, its accessible approach to time travel and ecological warnings offers an intriguing, if imperfect, reading experience.
Kenneth W. Myers 