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Writing About Pain

The Fear Thesaurus Is Coming: A New Writing Guide for What Holds Characters Back

January 29, 2026

The Fear Thesaurus Is Coming: A New Writing Guide for What Holds Characters Back

January 29, 2026

Fear is more than an emotion; it is an underlying force that runs through every story element, including character development, plot, arc, conflict, and theme. It’s what draws readers in,…

Want to Show Your Character’s Pain? Here’s Everything You Need to Know

October 5, 2023

Want to Show Your Character’s Pain? Here’s Everything You Need to Know

October 5, 2023

For the better part of two months, Becca and I have been exploring pain, and how to write about it in fiction. It’s been enlightening for us, and we hope…

Writing About Pain: Best Practices for Great Fiction

September 28, 2023

Writing About Pain: Best Practices for Great Fiction

September 28, 2023

Are you enjoying this series on writing your character’s pain? That’s a weird and slightly sadistic statement—even more so when we say how much we’ve enjoyed writing about pain. But…

Writing About Pain: Everyday Ways A Character Could Be Hurt

September 26, 2023

Writing About Pain: Everyday Ways A Character Could Be Hurt

September 26, 2023

We’ve covered many aspects of pain so far in this experience, such as the different categories of pain and how to write the discomfort associated with minor, major, and invisible…

Writing About Pain: Taking an Injury from Bad to Worse

September 21, 2023

Writing About Pain: Taking an Injury from Bad to Worse

September 21, 2023

When we put characters in dangerous or unfamiliar situations, they can get hurt, and when they do, things become harder to do. Injuries can mean reduced mobility, pain makes it…

Writing About Pain: Factors that Help or Hinder the Ability to Cope

September 16, 2023

Writing About Pain: Factors that Help or Hinder the Ability to Cope

September 16, 2023

We know that pain is an unfortunate part of life. And if you’re doing your job as an author, your character will be put through the wringer, experiencing many painful…

Writing About Pain: Invisible Injuries and Conditions

September 7, 2023

Writing About Pain: Invisible Injuries and Conditions

September 7, 2023

In this series on pain, we’ve covered everything from minor injuries to major and mortal injuries. But there’s another source of pain that can push our characters to the edge…

Writing about Pain: Describing Major & Mortal Injuries

August 31, 2023

Writing about Pain: Describing Major & Mortal Injuries

August 31, 2023

As you may be aware, we’re smack dab in the middle of a series of posts on writing a character’s pain, and today’s is a doozy. Our last post explored…

Writing About Pain: Describing Minor Injuries

August 29, 2023

Writing About Pain: Describing Minor Injuries

August 29, 2023

When we push characters to their limits, sometimes they get hurt. Injuries can range from annoyances to mortal wounds, and handled well, can add tension and complication to the story,…

Writing About Pain: Different Types to Explore

August 24, 2023

Writing About Pain: Different Types to Explore

August 24, 2023

“Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something.” -The Dread Pirate Roberts Pain is an unfortunate part of life. As our characters go about their day—working, building relationships,…