A.J. Noctuam

Dark Fantasy & LatAm Folklore Horror
Author of the NOCTUAM UNIVERSE (6+ books).
I write about witches, ghosts, ancient creatures, & haunted places.

[A.J. Noctuam @ajnoctuam]

Amateur writers:

• Wait for the perfect idea
• Fear the blank page
• Keep ideas secret

Professional writers:

• Work any idea obsessively
• Write daily. Inspired or not
• Share and improve through feedback

Choose your path.

[A.J. Noctuam @ajnoctuam]

Imagine a single reader sitting in front of you who won't get up until you finish the story.

This keeps your writing intimate and direct.

You're not writing for critics or awards or to impress other writers. You're telling a story to the person who matters most: the reader.

[A.J. Noctuam @ajnoctuam]

The key to success is knowing how to say NO to everything that doesn't bring you closer to your dream:

• NO to distractions until you finish your story
• NO to brilliant new ideas for now
• NO to Netflix or 10 more minutes in bed

Say YES to your dream of being a writer

[A.J. Noctuam @ajnoctuam]

5 James Patterson tips to keep readers glued to your story:

• Every chapter must push the story forward
• Stakes must feel real and devastating
• Write for one person, not for "everyone"
• Surprises don't have to be huge twists
• Make the villain fascinating, not just evil

[A.J. Noctuam @ajnoctuam]

Signs you have shiny object syndrome as a writer:

• You've started 10 stories this year and finished none
• Halfway through a story, another "perfect idea" arrives
• You have 15 half-finished stories gathering digital dust.

One story at a time. Always.

[A.J. Noctuam @ajnoctuam]

Write every chapter as if it were Chapter One.
It should feel equally fresh and vital.

This doesn't mean constant explosions, it means each chapter should matter enough that, if a reader started there, they'd be hooked immediately.

If they'd skim it, cut or rewrite it.

[A.J. Noctuam @ajnoctuam]

Steps to commit to one idea and finish your first novel:

1. Write down and rank all your ideas
2. Calculate word count each one needs
3. Define your realistic daily goal (20–30 minutes?)
4. Set a non-negotiable time
5. Write your commitment and sign it

Make it specific.

[A.J. Noctuam @ajnoctuam]

5 tips for creating a villain worthy of your hero:

• Make them smarter than your hero
• Reveal them early
• Give them deeper multiple dimensions
• Make the chase unpredictable
• Readers should want to spend time with them

The hero is only as great as their opponent.

[A.J. Noctuam @ajnoctuam]

Every finished story teaches you something important:

• Maintaining a coherent plot across 80,000 words
• Developing consistent characters
• Solving narrative problems in real time
• Finishing what you start.

You can only edit a bad draft.
You can't edit a blank page.

[A.J. Noctuam @ajnoctuam]

James Patterson suggests having your story theme in a couple of lines:

• Gatsby has everything except love
• Gatsby gets love
• Gatsby loses love and everything else

If you can't tell your complete story in 10 minutes, your premise isn't clear. Less is always more.

[A.J. Noctuam @ajnoctuam]

Shiny object syndrome is the No. 1 killer of any writing career.

Not because of lack of talent or ideas, but because of the inability to commit to a story until it's finished.

An imperfect finished story is 100x better than ten perfect stories that only exist in your mind.

[A.J. Noctuam @ajnoctuam]

3 types of conflict every writer needs:

• External: The detective vs the killer who's smarter than him
• Relational: "I love you, but I can't live with your dangerous profession"
• Internal: The personal demons the character has never faced

Without conflict, there's no plot

[A.J. Noctuam @ajnoctuam]

3 criteria for choosing which story to write first:

• Which one are you most passionate about?
• Which one can you finish in 30–90 days? Start easy, not with a 150,000-word epic
• Does it have potential in your ideal genre?

Choose one. There's no wrong answer.

[A.J. Noctuam @ajnoctuam]

An unforgettable thriller isn't about complex twists or tangled plots.

It's about revealing who your character really is under extreme pressure. Facing impossible decisions, pushed to their absolute limit, that's where readers discover their true nature.

[A.J. Noctuam @ajnoctuam]

Waiting for a publishing deal to validate your writing is like waiting for permission to live your life.

But readers? They're already here, searching for stories like yours.

Stop asking for permission and start building.

[A.J. Noctuam @ajnoctuam]

How to build/write worlds that feel real:

• Know the everyday details of life
• Create systems with their own internal logic
• Research when writing outside your experience
• Recognize your cultural blind spots

When the world works, the reader focuses on your story.

[A.J. Noctuam @ajnoctuam]

Amateur fantasy writers:

• Copy Medieval Europe
• File off the serial numbers
• Use cultures as props

Professional fantasy writers:

• Create something completely new
• Research thoroughly
• Build systems with their own logic

Go all in or don't go.

[A.J. Noctuam @ajnoctuam]

5 mundane details you must know about your fantasy world:

• How your characters go to the bathroom
• How long it takes them to get ready in the morning
• How they commute to work
• What they eat on a normal day
• How they make their coffee

Mundane details make worlds real.

[A.J. Noctuam @ajnoctuam]

Worldbuilding isn't just to make things look pretty. It's to create distance. That distance allows your readers to engage with your ideas without the weight of their own personal history. A blank canvas where they can see your story with clarity.

[A.J. Noctuam @ajnoctuam]

These are just a few lessons from one of the greatest bestseller authors of all time.

If this helped: save it, share it with a writer working on a thriller, and follow me for more insights, tips and tools that will help you finish your first novel.

[A.J. Noctuam @ajnoctuam]

Have you ever wanted to write a thriller, but had no idea where to start?

James Patterson has sold 400+ million books by mastering one thing: plot.

Here are 10 rules he follows for thrillers that readers can't put down:

[A.J. Noctuam @ajnoctuam]

10. Understand story vs. plot

Story: "The king died, then the queen died."
Plot: "The king died, and then the queen died of grief."

Plot isn't just what happens. It's WHY it happens. Causality is everything.