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Characters

Three Ways to Make Readers Care About Secondary Characters

October 17, 2023

Three Ways to Make Readers Care About Secondary Characters

October 17, 2023

A common mistake I see in client manuscripts is a cast of secondary characters that simply exist to help or to outright block the protagonist. They’re either ready, willing, and…

Writing Flawed Characters Who Don’t Turn Readers Off

October 10, 2023

Writing Flawed Characters Who Don’t Turn Readers Off

October 10, 2023

No one in the real world is perfect, and so characters shouldn’t be either. To seem as real as you or me, they should have flaws and strengths, and these…

How to Create Mood Effectively in Your Fiction

October 7, 2023

How to Create Mood Effectively in Your Fiction

October 7, 2023

By C. S. Lakin Every person or character, at any given time, is in a particular mood. Generally, mood is a person’s state of mind, but it’s more than that.…

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…

Happy 8th Birthday, One Stop for Writers!

October 3, 2023

Happy 8th Birthday, One Stop for Writers!

October 3, 2023

Let the good times roll…One Stop for Writers‘ BIRTHDAY WEEK is here! It’s hard to believe Becca and I have been helping writers grow into confident storytellers at One Stop…

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…

How To Write A Psychological Thriller Without Frying Your Own Brain

September 19, 2023

How To Write A Psychological Thriller Without Frying Your Own Brain

September 19, 2023

Writing A Psychological Thriller Whether you’re a fan of the genre or looking to try your hand at writing one, a psychological thriller can be fun to both read AND…

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…