Writers Helping Writers^®

Psychology

Fears vs. Phobias: What Writers Need to Know

April 30, 2026

Fears vs. Phobias: What Writers Need to Know

April 30, 2026

When we think about phobias, extreme fear comes to mind. But phobias are actually considered a class of anxiety disorder, and they hijack the body’s alarm system. Understanding how this…

How to Write Authentic Character Behavior

March 5, 2026

How to Write Authentic Character Behavior

March 5, 2026

Some stories stick with us more than others, and why? The characters. They feel so real. How they view life, the way they interact with others, the beliefs that steer…

Coping Mechanism Thesaurus: Intellectualization

November 29, 2025

Coping Mechanism Thesaurus: Intellectualization

November 29, 2025

When a character suffers emotional pain, the brain’s response is to stop the discomfort, and often this results in a coping mechanism being deployed. Whether it’s an automatic response or…

Coping Mechanism Thesaurus: Spending Time in Nature

November 22, 2025

Coping Mechanism Thesaurus: Spending Time in Nature

November 22, 2025

When a character suffers emotional pain, the brain’s response is to stop the discomfort, and often this results in a coping mechanism being deployed. Whether it’s an automatic response or…

Coping Mechanism Thesaurus Entry: Altruism

November 1, 2025

Coping Mechanism Thesaurus Entry: Altruism

November 1, 2025

When a character suffers emotional pain, the brain’s response is to stop the discomfort, and often this results in a coping mechanism being deployed. Whether it’s an automatic response or…

Coping Mechanism Thesaurus Entry: Asking for Help

October 18, 2025

Coping Mechanism Thesaurus Entry: Asking for Help

October 18, 2025

When a character suffers emotional pain, the brain’s response is to stop the discomfort, and often this results in a coping mechanism being deployed. Whether it’s an automatic response or…

Workshop: How to Write Compelling Inner Conflict with Angela Ackerman

May 9, 2025

Workshop: How to Write Compelling Inner Conflict with Angela Ackerman

May 9, 2025

Ready to dive into your character’s internal struggle and put all that incredible gut-twisting conflict on the page? If so, don’t miss this upcoming Zoom workshop on Saturday, May 24th,…

Using a Character’s Personality Traits to Generate Conflict

April 10, 2025

Using a Character’s Personality Traits to Generate Conflict

April 10, 2025

When it comes to generating conflict, your character’s personality can help ensure that sparks fly, especially when their traits clash with someone else’s. When people grate on one another their…

10 Reasons Why Emotion Amplifiers Are Good for Your Story

May 9, 2024

10 Reasons Why Emotion Amplifiers Are Good for Your Story

May 9, 2024

As you may have heard, we recently released The Emotion Amplifier Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Stress and Volatility, a companion to The Emotion Thesaurus. If you aren’t familiar…

Why Writers Should Use Psychology In Their Storytelling

April 2, 2024

Why Writers Should Use Psychology In Their Storytelling

April 2, 2024

A writer’s job is to do one thing well: pull the reader in. Our words should act like a tractor beam, sucking them into our story’s world. We tap into…