The “Yes, But / No, And” Trick
How to Keep Your Plot Taut and Ticking
I was making a salad the other day, and I got careless. Did I walk away unscathed? No, and… my finger is still bandaged, which is why this post might contain typos. :)
But let’s get to the business of plotting and writing.
Ever find yourself stuck in the middle of your story, wondering why it’s dragging?
Like your characters are moving through the motions, the action is there, but the tension’s just… gone?
Let me give you a deceptively simple tool that will keep your plot from going soft:
ֿ“Yes, but” and “No, and.”
That’s it. That’s the whole trick.
And once you see it, you won’t unsee it (or want to).
What It Means
Here’s how it goes:
Yes, but… The character gets what they want, but it causes a new problem.
No, and… The character doesn’t get what they want, and now things are even worse.
This creates forward momentum: tension that compounds instead of deflating.
It keeps your character slightly off-balance, which is exactly where we want them.
Why It Works
The opposite options are:
Yes, and… The character succeeds, and everything gets better. Great for real life. Deadly in fiction (unless you’re at the very end of the story).
No, but… The character fails, but it's actually fine. That’s a no-stakes zone. Boring.
In contrast:
Yes, but… = Progress with a catch
No, and… = Failure with fallout
See the difference?
A Quick Example
Let’s say your protagonist needs to sneak into a guarded palace to steal a gem.
YES, she gets inside… BUT she accidentally sets off a silent alarm.
NO, she doesn’t get inside… AND she’s now being chased through the city.
YES, she finds the right room… BUT someone else has already stolen the gem.
NO, the gem isn’t there… AND now she’s locked in a room with someone she betrayed.
Each moment pushes the story forward and ratchets up the tension. No dead ends. No easy wins. Just rising stakes and nail-biting readers.
A Prompt to Try
Pick the next three major plot beats in your story.
Now ask yourself:
Can I reframe each one using “Yes, but” or “No, and”?
If not, can I tweak the beat so that it builds tension rather than diffusing it?
This little structure can turn a “meh” sequence into a pulse-pounding chain of escalation.
If this helped you tighten your story’s spine, hit the ❤️ and share it with another writer who loves a plot that won’t let go.
Because when the story keeps catching the protagonist by surprise, your readers just can’t put it down.
See you next week,
Tal Valante Kilim