character

Your Character’s Desire & Goal

Whatever you are writing – for kids or adults, picture book or young adult or older – your protagonist must have two story arcs: internal, and external. And each of those arcs has a destination. Just to keep it simple, we’ll call the internal destination your character’s desire, and the external destination their goal. In… Read more »

Writing Craft Tips: Character

This week – older content on character. I hope it helps! Voice Voice is such an important aspect of character so here are a few of these posts: Voice and tone What is voice? Avoid headhopping Backstory Backstory is one of the key elements to creating a rich and compelling character: Character motivations and backstories… Read more »

Character or Plot: Which Comes First?

I’m a fan of the Marvel Universe. I find the dialogue snappy, I love the embedded humor, I enjoy the ridiculous costumes and sets, and even the not terribly well-hidden messages. But these mindless movies beg one serious writerly question: is the plot or the characters? Do we create plot-driven or character-driven stories and why?… Read more »

4 Ways To Make Reader/Character Connections

As Lisa Cron says in her terrific craft book Story Genius, our brains are wired for connection. People need other people; readers need characters. When we read, we are looking to make a deep emotional connection with the main character of a story. Here are four ways – dos and don’ts – to ensure that… Read more »

8 Killer Character Questions

By that, I don’t mean your character needs to be a killer. But – what, you writers may ask, is the most important task to tackle while writing? I’m a firm believer that without a great character, your novel will be…lost. The best plot, the most exciting premise, the most challenging adventure is nothing without… Read more »

The 1 Superpower All Writers Possess: Authenticity

I’ve been seeing the word “authenticity” everywhere lately. In webinars geared to writers, in blog posts geared to entrepreneurs, in ads for almost anything. (“Try our authentic Mexican food!”) We seem to be craving authenticity. This isn’t surprising, really, after several years in which rumors, falsehoods, and crazy conspiracy theories dominated the airwaves, and we… Read more »

Making Trouble (For Your Characters)

This writing craft tip might feel a little too uncomfortably familiar at the moment. I know a lot of writers right now can’t find focus, and I hear you. Some days it’s like walking through wet cement. Navigating a terrible situation requires processing. I hope this post helps you when you’re ready. Our Stories, Ourselves… Read more »

She, He, They: The Character-Driven Story

As I stated in my last post, I believe that all (good) stories are character-driven. Let’s discuss. At The Heart of All Stories When you pick up a novel, how long does it take before you commit to reading it all the way through? I’m no longer feeling that I have to slog through something… Read more »