Writers Helping Writers^®

Character Wound

Introducing…The Fear Thesaurus!

February 12, 2022

Introducing…The Fear Thesaurus!

February 12, 2022

Fear is an undeniable part of the human experience, for both real and fictional people. At its most basic, it warns our characters of potential danger and encourages them to…

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…

Describing a Character’s Emotions: Problems and Solutions

August 14, 2021

Describing a Character’s Emotions: Problems and Solutions

August 14, 2021

Characters are the heart of a story, but what really draws readers in is their emotions. Only…showing them isn’t always easy, is it? Like us in the real world, characters…

Don’t Let Excess Baggage Bring Down Your Character’s Plane

August 10, 2021

Don’t Let Excess Baggage Bring Down Your Character’s Plane

August 10, 2021

We’ve all heard that characters need backstory, and in particular, an emotional wound that they’re carrying around when we meet them on page one. (As an aside, if you haven’t…

Changing Your Reader’s Perspective

July 8, 2021

Changing Your Reader’s Perspective

July 8, 2021

As writers, we all know how difficult it can be to win readers over. The writing has to be strong, the events realistic, the characters well-rounded, etc. etc. We know…

Does Your Character Have a Secret?

May 25, 2021

Does Your Character Have a Secret?

May 25, 2021

We all have secrets – you do and I do. And let’s face it, we work hard to not let them get out. But at the same time, when we…

How to Write Emotion Well: Know Your Character

April 29, 2021

How to Write Emotion Well: Know Your Character

April 29, 2021

We’ve all read stories where our breath slows, the world falls away, and the page disappears. We’re somewhere else, a place that isn’t real, yet is. We’re with people who…

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…

What Is Your Character’s Emotional Shielding and Why Does It Matter?

March 23, 2021

What Is Your Character’s Emotional Shielding and Why Does It Matter?

March 23, 2021

In the real world, we’re all products of our pasts. Good and bad, the people, events, and situations we’ve encountered have influenced us in profound ways, impacting our morals and…