Writers Helping Writers^®

Posts by Lisa Hall Wilson

Identify Your Character’s Emotional Triggers

July 19, 2022

Identify Your Character’s Emotional Triggers

July 19, 2022

Every one has emotional triggers – are you using this to increase the emotional tension in your story? What does your character pride themselves on having, being, doing, possessing, needing,…

One Quick Reason Readers Cheer For Unlikable Characters

April 19, 2022

One Quick Reason Readers Cheer For Unlikable Characters

April 19, 2022

How do we get readers to cheer for unlikable characters? We cheer for anti-heroes and characters who are surly, have anger issues, and even questionable morals. Why? They all have…

Using Physical Pain to Show a Character’s Past Trauma

January 18, 2022

Using Physical Pain to Show a Character’s Past Trauma

January 18, 2022

There doesn’t seem to be much info out there to tell writers how to realistically capture emotions and trauma while still leaving room for plot, characterization, and genre tropes. The…

5 Ways Trauma Makes Your Character an Unreliable Narrator

October 30, 2021

5 Ways Trauma Makes Your Character an Unreliable Narrator

October 30, 2021

Trauma is defined as anything that’s overwhelming or unpleasant that causes long-term mental or emotional problems. It rewires the brain and causes disordered thinking. So, if you’re looking for a…

Use Trauma Strategically To Create An Emotional Arc

August 26, 2021

Use Trauma Strategically To Create An Emotional Arc

August 26, 2021

Many authors give their characters past trauma that makes life more difficult and at the very least adds internal conflict. But are you strategic with the kind of trauma you…

4 Tips for Writing Your Character’s PTSD and Trauma Memories

April 22, 2021

4 Tips for Writing Your Character’s PTSD and Trauma Memories

April 22, 2021

Trauma: any event that overwhelms our ability to cope, causes feelings of helplessness, and diminishes our ability to feel a full range of emotions. Anything can be traumatic depending on the…

7 Ways Deep POV Creates Emotional Connections With Readers

January 19, 2021

7 Ways Deep POV Creates Emotional Connections With Readers

January 19, 2021

Deep POV (point of view) is a popular (and lately, divisive) writing style to employ. Many blogs about deep pov will list out the same four or six foundational tools…

What You Can Learn from Rhetorical Questions in Your Manuscript

October 20, 2020

What You Can Learn from Rhetorical Questions in Your Manuscript

October 20, 2020

It is such an easy thing to do. Once you become aware of author intrusion and what that looks like in limited third person, first person, or deep POV, the easy…

How To Research Mental Health and Trauma For Your Characters

August 4, 2020

How To Research Mental Health and Trauma For Your Characters

August 4, 2020

Giving a character a trauma or mental health backstory seems like an easy way to add internal conflict to our characters – and it is. But where do you start…

What Is Emotional Context And Why Does Your Story Need It?

April 21, 2020

What Is Emotional Context And Why Does Your Story Need It?

April 21, 2020

Have you ever had an editor or critique partner say “go deeper”? And you throw up your hands and glare at the screen because you DID go deeper. Deep point…