Writers of all types — whether fiction or nonfiction, poets or journalists — have struggled with the seemingly insurmountable challenges that come with writer’s block. Sometimes, we have no idea how to proceed with our story. Other times, we are discouraged because we spotted an unexpected plot hole. Perhaps most frustratingly, there are times when…
Since January, Mara and I have been walking through the steps of creating the foundation for any story, from the premise to a plot to a wide cast full of interesting, unique characters. But now the biggest question remains: : What should we call all of these wonderful characters? For most writers, character names do…
So far we’ve set up a premise, a protagonist, a theme, and even loosely outlined a plot for a story. But one thing we haven’t talked about almost at all on the blog is how to write good side characters, so that’s what we’re going to be discussing today. Side-characters can do a lot for…
In the last few workshops, we’ve looked at laying down the foundation for writing a story, from developing an engaging protagonist, forming an interesting premise, and coming up with a theme that will drive the plot, protagonist, and her arc forward. Which leaves us with coming up with a plot for our protagonist. Plotting is…
The last few workshops we’ve looked at how to craft a compelling protagonist. But while desires, fears, and even flaws can be pretty straightforward to nail down, many writers have no idea where even to start when it comes to coming up with a theme for their book. And this makes sense. Themes are so…
In my last two workshops, we’ve created a vibrant, fleshed-out character, and Sophia has shown you how to create an intriguing premise for the story your character is meant to explore. However, every protagonist still needs a flaw. No one wants to read about a Mary Sue who has no problems, no internal conflict, and…
Mara has been doing a wonderful job at showing you how to create vibrant and loveable characters, but your characters will need a story to go with them, right? Though you may put a lot of effort and time into your characters, no one will even get the chance to meet them if your readers…
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…
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,…