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Writing Lessons

Using Talents and Skills to Reveal Hidden Layers

June 8, 2023

Using Talents and Skills to Reveal Hidden Layers

June 8, 2023

When you’re creating a well-rounded and realistic character, there are many factors to consider: their backstory, personality traits, fears, desires…the list goes on. Each is important because it plays a…

The Link Between Character Thought and Credibility

June 6, 2023

The Link Between Character Thought and Credibility

June 6, 2023

Readers come into a story eager to greet a new world, willing to temporarily suspend their belief in the way the world works to explore your vision of the alternatives.…

Personalizing Your Protagonist’s Emotional Wound

June 1, 2023

Personalizing Your Protagonist’s Emotional Wound

June 1, 2023

Emotional wounds are tricky to write about. Abuse, betrayal, victimization, and the death of a loved one may exist in a character’s past and so should be explored, but these are…

How a Show-Don’t-Tell Mindset Helps You Write Stronger Stories

May 25, 2023

How a Show-Don’t-Tell Mindset Helps You Write Stronger Stories

May 25, 2023

Show-Don’t-Tell is something we hear a lot about as writers, and yet many struggle to apply it. Why? Because while most understand the basics of show-don’t-tell, not every writer can…

Character Voice Versus Author Voice

May 16, 2023

Character Voice Versus Author Voice

May 16, 2023

We’ve all heard about the importance of finding your voice as a writer. Maybe you’ve had a critique from an editor who felt the narrative voice wasn’t sharp enough. Or…

Adversarial Conflict: Who Is Making Trouble In Your Story?

May 4, 2023

Adversarial Conflict: Who Is Making Trouble In Your Story?

May 4, 2023

Is there anything better than well-written conflict? The vengeful enemy, sharks circling a sinking boat, a carefully guarded secret getting out in the open. Readers, fearful for the characters they…

Using Wound Categories & Pointed Questions to Identify a Character’s Past Trauma

May 2, 2023

Using Wound Categories & Pointed Questions to Identify a Character’s Past Trauma

May 2, 2023

The wound is a fascinating and vital piece of your character’s past that has lasting, formative effects on who they’ll be at the start of your story. As such, it’s…

5 Ways to Crash Your Character’s Pity Party

April 18, 2023

5 Ways to Crash Your Character’s Pity Party

April 18, 2023

We generally craft characters with the intention of making them someone the reader cares about. One of the primary ways to achieve that is to tap into reader empathy, and…

What Are Your Protagonist’s Flaws?

April 13, 2023

What Are Your Protagonist’s Flaws?

April 13, 2023

The most relatable characters are ones who mirror real people, meaning they are complex individuals with a blend of strengths, failings, attributes, and flaws. Of these four, flaws are often…

Why Readers Love Anti-Heroes

April 11, 2023

Why Readers Love Anti-Heroes

April 11, 2023

To understand why readers love anti-heroes, we first need to define what they are. An anti-hero is a flawed, complicated character who thrives in shades of gray. They play the…