Ready Player One: 3 Painful Lessons About Success for Writers
Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One has earned some harsh criticism. So how did it sell so well and earn so much attention, despite the polarizing reviews? Can writers duplicate that kind of success with their own work?
Script Classics: Everything I Needed to Know About Character Development I Learned From a Fish
Author, playwright and screenwriter Wendy Whitbeck delves into the unique underwater characters of the box-office hit Finding Nemo to explore how combining this particular mix of characters melded to create a totally memorable movie with strong character development.
Getting the Details Right in Your Writing: Myths and Facts About 3 Major Religions
Accurately portraying the complexities of different religions is no easy task. Here are a few debunked myths to keep your characters from becoming caricatures.
5 Tips on Writing Multiple Points of View While Keeping the Reader in Suspense
Books with multiple points of view can yank readers out of the story or make readers feel detached from the main character. Here’s what you can do to keep readers turning the pages.
5 Tips for Writing About an Established Relationship
Whether the relationship is healthy, codependent or even antagonistic, established relationships have a few unique things in common.
6 Key Traits for Writing the Contemporary Literary Heroine
Today’s female reader is pressed for time, demanding as hell, and both scared and excited about the future. If you want to craft a dynamic literary heroine, you must speak to that.
5 Ways to Save Your Character From a Drowning Story
When a story isn't working, you may be able to save your character by stripping away everything else and rebuilding using sturdier, more developed bricks.
Clowns to the Left, Jokers to the Right: What to Do When You’re Stuck in the Middle of Your Novel
Are you stuck writing the middle of your novel? These tips from Gabriela Pereira's DIY MFA will help you add meat to those core bones of your narrative.
What My Military Experience Taught Me About Creating Heroes
In order to write a complex, realistic hero you should get to know one. Luckily, they are all around us.
6 Lessons Writers Can Learn from Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things’
Stranger Things' roaring success was the result of its blend of nostalgia, unexpected storytelling elements, an immersive plot—as well as other aspects that writers can emulate in their own writing to craft compelling tales.
Writing From Other Cultural Perspectives Encourages Empathy and Understanding
In order to help readers imagine life in a different era or from different cultural perspectives, writers of historical fiction must do in-depth research and ask detailed questions.
What Color Are Your Ideas?
How comfortable should you be writing from perspectives outside of your culture, gender, sexuality, race, class or other background that isn’t yours?
Using Physicality to Bring Your Characters (And Your Fiction) to Life
One of the most common challenges writers face in the character development process is conveying their personalities (even those of side characters) in a naturally complex and believable way. Here, Joan Dempsey dives into the heart of a critical element that can help you flesh out—no pun intended—your characters and enrich...
What Is Your Character’s Cornerstone?
If you’re not watching the excellent HBO series Westworld, you should. Not only is the show a study in deft plotting and complex themes, but it’s a delicious, entertaining mystery that continues to surprise me week after week. (The season 1 finale is tonight at 9:00 EST, but it’s worth a binge-fest.)...
11 Secrets to Writing an Effective Character Description
The following is an excerpt from Word Painting Revised Edition by Rebecca McClanahan, available now! The characters in our stories, songs, poems, and essays embody our writing. They are our words made flesh. Sometimes they even speak for us, carrying much of the burden of plot, theme, mood, idea, and...
Writing the Unlikable Character (and Why You Should)
We talk a lot about the importance of writing characters that readers like or can relate to—and by “we” I mean anyone who feels strongly about books, regardless of profession. It’s nice to know when the good guy is good and when the bad guy is bad. That’s what you expect...
How to Find the Perfect Names for Your Characters
No matter what genre of fiction you write, be it horror like King or Lovecraft, crime like Patterson or Spillane, or more literary fare like Sontag, Roth, or Updike, there’s one very basic thing all fiction writers have in common—we love coming up with perfect place and character names, and we...
How to Find The Moment of Truth For Your Main Character
This excerpt is from Jeff Gerke’s book, Plot versus Character. To find the moment of truth for your main character, bring to mind your hero’s knot. You’ve got her “problem” already figured out. You’ve also chosen the alternative, the sunny land of promise she could get to if she lets go...
Writing a Romance Novel? Try this Exercise & Develop Your Characters
If you want to write a successful story, you’ll need to know who your characters are including their personalities, goals, and desires. To help you better understand your characters, read Eric Maisel’s book, What Would Your Character Do? Inside you’ll find 30 situations into which you can drop your characters to...
Bring Your Characters to Life: An Exclusive Writing Kit
Creating a cast of characters that fit the story you're trying to tell is essential. Buy the Bring Your Characters to Life Premium Collection and learn how to create, name, and develop your characters.
Writing Strong Female Characters: Defining a Bitch
If you’re interested in breaking the mold with your character, there is no single criterion for a bitch. However, you might want to consider making several of her dominant traits negative or what society has typically not expected of females. For example, her traits might include being manipulating, selfish, cunning, power-seeking,...
Writing Scenes: Stepping Forward, Falling Back
Author of The Breakout Novelist, Donald Maass, discusses writing scenes in today’s tip of the day. He explains the importance of setting goals for each scene with an example from George R.R. Martin’s book, A Storm of Swords. Most instruction in writing scenes begins with this sound advice: Send your character...
What is a Minor Character: Understanding the Minor Characters’ Role
So where is the dividing line between major and minor charactors? There isn’t one. The different levels shade into each other, and as you master the techniques appropriate to each level, you’ll be able to create each character at exactly the level of importance the story requires. Here's how to master...
Learn How To Motivate Your Characters
At some point or another, all writers will struggle with their story’s characters. If you are hitting a brick wall when it comes to developing your characters or simply need inspiration for creating them–read today’s tip of the day from Story Engineering by Larry Brooks. You’ll learn about characterization and how...