Write well. Write often. Edit wisely.
Give your main character a tour de force moment where he reveals his true personality and all the needs and fears he’s been repressing and stuffing deep for a lifetime.
Continue reading Character Rants and Breakdowns—Let ’em Rip »
Use celebrations and holidays in your stories to make characters real, to tap into emotional moments in a character’s life.
Continue reading Celebrations in Story—Marking the Special Days »
Author intrusion is disruptive and annoying. Look at ways to identify and cut out the writer’s obvious intrusions into a story.
Nice characters make for bland fiction. Don’t strip imperfect characters of their personality and flaws, not if those flaws and traits make them who they are and what you need in your stories.
Continue reading Bitches and Bastards, Maybe. But No Perfect Characters Wanted »
Character reaction propels story from initial event to climax and resolution. Remember to include character responses as your plot progresses.
Continue reading Character Reaction—Make Your Characters Respond »
Stories can gain strength and meaning when the words we use suit characters and genre and story events. Create memorable stories by clothing characters with words that fit.
Continue reading Clothe Characters Well—Choose Words that Fit »
Characters should use words specific to their backgrounds and histories, and not sound like the author who created them. Explore the importance of word choice for characters.
Continue reading Character Voices Shouldn’t Sound Like Yours »
Unfamiliar situations and places can be disconcerting for any of us. But the unfamiliar and stressful can be great for creating character unease and increasing tension.
Continue reading New Experiences? Use Them in Your Writing »
Characters who don’t react are cold and distant, and their lack of reaction keeps readers at a distance. Engage readers by using character reaction to stir readers’ emotions.
Continue reading Engage Readers Through Character Reaction »
Old-West lawmen had codes that governed their behaviors. Your characters should have codes as well. Codes that dictate what they’ll do and codes that you’ll make them break as you as raise the stakes in their stories. Explore the character’s code and options for breaking it or holding tight to its standards.
The reader will focus on what stands out. Turn the reader's attention where you want it to go.
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Write well. Write often. Edit wisely.
