Friday March 29
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Get to Know Your Characters

March 22, 2013 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

A whopping big list of questions to ask so you can get to know your characters and then manipulate them so you can create compelling fiction.

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Second Bananas and Sidekicks

December 2, 2012 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Secondary characters are vital for adding depth to stories. Few men, no matter how hard they may try, are islands unto themselves. This is true for fictional characters as well as real people. Explore the importance of secondary characters in fiction.

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Fish Out of Water, Character Out of Time

November 18, 2012 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

A character thrust into an unfamiliar world is a character off balance. Such characters should respond to the unusual in their lives. And their responses should draw them into deeper trouble.

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The Eyes Don’t Always Have It

September 9, 2012 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Writers tend to highlight what a character sees while ignoring the character’s other senses. A reminder that characters should react to their worlds through all the senses.

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Claustrophobia—Don’t Imprison Readers in a Character’s Head

June 16, 2012 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

There is more to story than a character’s thoughts. Be sure to step outside a character’s head so readers can experience a full story that includes action, dialogue, emotion, setting, and thought.

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Characters Need Goals

May 10, 2012 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

The major characters in your fiction need goals to see them through the story you’ve dropped them into. Make sure you’ve given them goals sufficient for the adventure.

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Include Surprises in Your Stories

April 16, 2012 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Are your characters and plot so predictable that even you are bored? Add surprises to make stories fresh and characters engaging.

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Variety in Character Voices

March 15, 2012 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Speech and thought patterns should differ from character to character. Learn tips for differentiating character voices.

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Inner Dialogue—Writing Character Thoughts

February 28, 2012 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Tips for writing character thought and inner dialogue. There are options for punctuation and method.

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Deny, Deny, Deny

December 26, 2011 by Fiction Editor Beth Hill

Ramp up story conflict by repeatedly denying characters what they want or need.

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