Writers Helping Writers^®

Conflict

Why Characters Need Choices in Fiction

August 29, 2017

Why Characters Need Choices in Fiction

August 29, 2017

Choices drive every single conflict in a novel. The protagonist wants something (the goal), something is preventing her from getting it (the conflict), and she must choose what to do…

The Myths and Misconceptions of Villains & Mental Health

July 18, 2017

The Myths and Misconceptions of Villains & Mental Health

July 18, 2017

Villains are fun characters, but writers sometimes take shortcuts to make them “villainous,” including giving them a mental health disorder. There are two problems with that: The disorders aren’t always…

How to Add Meaningful Subplots to Your Novel

July 5, 2017

How to Add Meaningful Subplots to Your Novel

July 5, 2017

Many people are familiar with subplots. They are those side stories that give a novel’s plot depth. A subplot may involve the main character or minor characters, but they enrich…

Keep It Fresh: 10 Ways To Show Your Character’s Emotions

June 22, 2017

Keep It Fresh: 10 Ways To Show Your Character’s Emotions

June 22, 2017

Years ago, Becca and I grumbled about how our characters always expressed emotion the same way. My big thing? Frowning. Did my characters EVER know how to frown. They were…

Conflict and Suspense Belong in Every Kind of Novel

March 7, 2017

Conflict and Suspense Belong in Every Kind of Novel

March 7, 2017

What is the goal of the novel? Is it to entertain? Teach? Preach? Stir up anger? Change the world? Make the author a lot of money? It can be any…

How To Accurately Write About a Character’s Pain

February 9, 2017

How To Accurately Write About a Character’s Pain

February 9, 2017

The best thing about this online world of ours is you never know who you are going to meet. I don’t know about you, but one of the areas I…

How to Choose Settings that Have Emotional Impact

October 20, 2016

How to Choose Settings that Have Emotional Impact

October 20, 2016

Generic settings won’t cut it if you want readers to feel the story–instead, your locations need emotional impact as this immerses them better in the point-of-view character’s experience. Shared experiences…

Level Up Your Setting (and Story) by Thinking Outside the Box

May 31, 2016

Level Up Your Setting (and Story) by Thinking Outside the Box

May 31, 2016

Want to level up your setting and instantly pull readers deeper into your scenes? Start by thinking outside the box about where each moment takes place. The right setting does…

Show Character Depth by Challenging Their Moral Beliefs

May 28, 2016

Show Character Depth by Challenging Their Moral Beliefs

May 28, 2016

When we start brainstorming a character, we usually focus on their traits—qualities, flaws, quirks, habits, likes, and dislikes. Then we dig deeper, building out their backstory: who influenced them, what…

How To Turn Your Setting Into a Conflict-Rich Obstacle Course

May 18, 2016

How To Turn Your Setting Into a Conflict-Rich Obstacle Course

May 18, 2016

Every story element should pull its weight—including the setting, which is a built-in source of conflict just waiting to be used. A simple first-date picnic in the park? Cue the…