Writers Helping Writers^®

Dialogue

9 Tension-Building Elements For Character Dialogue

March 24, 2022

9 Tension-Building Elements For Character Dialogue

March 24, 2022

By Becca Puglisi I’ve been thinking a lot about dialogue lately, because when it’s done poorly, it pulls me right out of the story. There are a lot of issues…

How to Show Emotion for Non-Viewpoint Characters

November 16, 2021

How to Show Emotion for Non-Viewpoint Characters

November 16, 2021

Those of you who are familiar with me know that Angela Ackerman and I talk a lot about emotion. A LOT. That’s because we believe that clearly conveying emotion—particularly that of…

How to Showcase Your Character’s Unique Voice

November 4, 2021

How to Showcase Your Character’s Unique Voice

November 4, 2021

Almost every character should have their own voice—their distinctive way of communicating their worldview. To illustrate, here are three lines from Harry Potter that reveal Hermione’s, Ron’s, and Harry’s individual…

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…

Nods, Smiles, and Frowns: How Can We Avoid “Talking Heads”…and Cliches?

June 8, 2021

Nods, Smiles, and Frowns: How Can We Avoid “Talking Heads”…and Cliches?

June 8, 2021

Context is often an underappreciated element of our writing because when not done well, a context-filled passage can become a tell-not-show info dump. However, context is essential for most aspects…

Want a Stronger Manuscript? Read It Aloud

April 8, 2021

Want a Stronger Manuscript? Read It Aloud

April 8, 2021

Editing freaks a lot of people out. Drafting is creative and inspirational, and every writer LIVES for that moment when you get into the groove and the words just flow.…

Writing Better Dialogue

January 12, 2021

Writing Better Dialogue

January 12, 2021

Have you ever read a book or watched a movie where the dialogue has been so beautifully written that you are in that moment, experiencing the character’s emotions and hanging…

3 Ways to Differentiate Your Characters

May 30, 2020

3 Ways to Differentiate Your Characters

May 30, 2020

We’ve invited Resident Writing Coach Sacha Black to give us an extra dose of wisdom as she’s just released a new book that I think will help a lot of…

Surprising Your Readers in Every Scene

November 12, 2019

Surprising Your Readers in Every Scene

November 12, 2019

Often we think of surprising audiences with large twists and turns, with thrilling midpoints or shocking losses, but bringing surprise into smaller story pieces, like interactions and beats, can sometimes…

When Telling, Not Showing, Emotion is the Right Choice

August 6, 2019

When Telling, Not Showing, Emotion is the Right Choice

August 6, 2019

Hi everyone! A past resident writing coach is visiting us with an excerpt on a new course she’s teaching on mastering emotions: C.S. Lakin. This post is a touch longer…