As Sophia pointed out in last week’s article, a little complexity goes a long way, especially as far as characters and relationships go. But how does complexity apply to plot? Plenty of mysteries feature confusing plots and connections, or, worse, complexity that is completely unnecessary. How can we balance complexity without making it overdone? How…
As Sophia pointed out a few months ago, first impressions are a big deal — especially for readers. Readers categorize characters by their first few lines, often causing a reader to immediately decide whether they like a character, relate to them, or resent them. And that impression can last for the rest of your work. …
Climaxes mean a lot more than you think. Just a few minutes of screentime or chapters in a book can completely change how viewers (or readers) consider the value of a story. And if they’re done well, a climax can elevate a rather boring plotline to become an incredibly valuable story. Last week we looked…
In my last writing workshop, we walked through creating a character with an interesting, multilayered personality. We created a character that would be fun to read about and one that a reader would want to spend more time with. But there’s more to a protagonist than just their quirks, tastes, and career. There’s something deeper…
Love it or hate it, Star Wars is undeniably a big part of our culture. The original trilogy sent shockwaves through the storytelling industry that are still reverberating today, nearly half a century later. So when LucasFilm announced that, after 42 years of movies, prequels, and sequels, they were finally closing the nine-part Skywalker movie…
In an article this month, I talked about how to create vibrant characters by using conflicting traits. We looked at the Map of Tiny Perfect Things, and how the writers put together unusual traits to create a protagonist that was unforgettable. We don’t just want to create protagonists that make our readers laugh, or cry,…
They say a picture paints a thousand words. But not all writers can paint. And we as writers miss out when we can’t include them in our novels. Art can have a truly profound effect on emotions, actions, and even how we understand complicated concepts — results most writers have to find a substitute for….
Unfortunately, we’ve recently switched to a new email service, and we’ve been having some technical issues with the transition. Hopefully we’ll have our latest email up and ready for you guys shortly. We’re both excited to send out our first newsletter of the year, complete with a whole bunch of new bonus material. So check…
Recently I read a mystery novel (the first in a series) that ended the first book with a cliffhanger. The mystery hadn’t been solved, the character arcs weren’t concluded, and the biggest questions that the author had been leading up to throughout several hundred pages remained unanswered. I had enjoyed the book up until that…
Some characters are just plain awesome. They’re memorable, we root for them, and they become impossible to forget. They generate so much interest around the plot, setting, and story just by being who they are. But others seem like cut-outs. They aren’t necessarily cliched, but they speak and act just like the other characters in…