Curation Project

My name is Elizabeth, and this is a curation blog I've created for a class project. This blog contains posts meant for people who already write stories but would like more information on how to create better characters and stories. In this blog I'll also discuss different writing tools and communities that can help expand your writing skills as well as help you get in touch with other writers.

[createwithwriting]

How do you come up with a complicated and political soul mate based love story when no one wants to listen to you talk about the intricate political conflicts of a separate island nation that actually has nothing to do with your main story but you think is important to setting up in universe jokes that you might want to include.

[thewritershandbook]

The Hardest Part of Writing Good Character Arcs—and How You Can Make It Look Easy! - Helping Writers Become Authors

You ready for this? The number one mistake authors make with character arcs is that they try to remake their character into someone new. Find out why!

[writing-questions-answered]

Guide: Describing Clothing and Appearance

When Describing a Character DO:

provide enough detail to give the reader a sense of the character’s physical appearance 

highlight details that serve as clues to who the character is and perhaps what their life is like

describe clothing to establish character or when relevant to scene

DON’T:

go overboard with too many details or take up too much of the reader’s time describing one character

repetitively describe features or fixate on certain characteristics

describe clothing every time the character shows up unless its somehow relevant to the scene. 

describe minor characters’ clothing in-depth unless it’s relevant

Choose a Focal Point When describing a character’s appearance, choose a focal point and work up or down from there. For example, you may describe them from head to toe, or from toe to head. Try not to skip around. If you’re describing their face, start with their hair and work your way down to their mouth, or start at the mouth and work your way up to their hair. Describing Race and Ethnicity There is a lot of debate about the right and wrong way to describe a person’s race. If you want, you can state that a person is Black, white, Hispanic, Native American, First Nations, Latino, Middle-Eastern, Asian, Pacific Islander, etc. Just remember that races are made up of different ethnic groups. Someone of Asian descent could be Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, etc. If you’re describing a character whose ethnicity is unknown or not important to the plot, you could just say that they were Asian or Black, for example. But, the rest of the time you need to be clear about whether they are Chinese, Chinese American, Korean, etc. Also, remember that not all Black people are African-American, such as someone born in England or Haiti, for example. You may instead choose to describe a character’s race through the color of their hair, eyes, and skin. It’s up to you which you feel most comfortable with and is most appropriate for your story. Just remember, if you describe one character’s skin color or otherwise make an issue of their race, you should describe every character’s skin color or race. Describing Clothing Just like with physical appearance, when describing clothing you want to choose a focal point and work up or down. Think about things like the garments they’re wearing (pants, shirt, coat) and accessories (hat, jewelry, shoes). Be sure to choose clothing which are both relevant to your character and to the time and place where your story is set. You can find out about appropriate clothing by Googling the time and place your story is set plus the word clothing: “Clothing in Victorian England” “Clothing in 1960s New York” “9th century Viking clothing” Be sure to look for web sites that aren’t providing cheap Halloween costumes. Shops providing clothes for historical reenactors are often very accurate. Looking for Inspiration There are many resources online for both historical and modern clothing. For historical clothing, you can look for web sites about the period, web sites for or about historical reenactors, or web pages for historical enthusiasts or museums. For modern clothing, you can simply pull up the web site of your favorite department store or clothing designer. Choose an outfit that works for your character, then learn how to describe the relevant parts. Resources for Describing Clothing:

Describing Clothing Describing Clothes Writing Tips on Describing Clothes Describing Clothes and Appearance (If You Should at All) Resources for Garments and Accessories: Shirts Trousers  Dress Types of Dress Shorts Briefs Panties Lingerie Bra Swimsuit Pajamas Shoes Coats and Jackets Sweaters Hats Jewelry Sunglasses Sleeves, Necklines, Collars, and Dress Types Scarves for Men Scarf Buying Guide The Ultimate Scarf Tying Guide

Historical Clothing Resources: OMG That Dress! Period Fabric Amazon Dry Goods Reconstructing History Historic Threads Historical Costume Inspiration History of Costume: European Fashion Through the Ages Women’s Fashion Through the Years Clothing in the Ancient World Clothing in Ancient Rome Clothing in Biblical Times Vintage Fashion Guild Reproduction Fabrics Fabrics and Trims Vintage Fabric Fur and Skins Fashion Timeline 1800-1990 18th Century Clothing Tips Clothing Reference Book List Costume Gallery Legit’s Historical Fashion Master Post

Modern Clothing Resources: Clothes on Pinterest Polyvore Fashion Dictionary This is a Fashion Blog What I Wore Fashion is Endless Physical Details Resources: Women’s Body Shapes Men’s Body Shapes Face Shapes Face Reading Guide - Tips & Secrets Human Anatomy Fundamentals: Advanced Facial Features Nose Profiles Nose Shapes Ear Shapes More Ear Shapes Realistic Eye Shape Chart Eye Shapes Lip Shapes More Lip Shapes Facial Hair Types How to Describe Women’s Hair Lengths The Ultimate Haircut Guide for Women Men’s Haircuts (Barber Shop Style) A Primer on Men’s Hairstyles Hair Color Obsidian Bookshelf Hair Color Obsidian Bookshelf Eye Color Skin Color Chart Curl and Texture Chart Writing with Color: Guide to Skin Color, Part I and Part II Hairstyle Descriptions

[writeworld-blog]

Shake off “Impostor Syndrome”

Everyone communicates, and a lot of people write, but few people dare to call themselves "writers”. If you feel like an impostor, take a deep breath and remind yourself of your unique purpose and how important it is. Or take on a fictional persona and write through that mask.

Conjure Your True Voice

If you’re at a loss for words, try meeting a friend for tea and talking your way through the material, or even talking out loud to yourself. Your spoken words might not be publishable, but once you’ve got ‘em down on paper, you can edit to your heart’s content.

Write it as a Letter

Submitting written work can be scary–especially if it’s going to be read by The Powers That Be. But you don’t have to think about those Powers when you’re writing; in fact, it’s probably better not to pay them any mind until the last few editing stages, after you’ve already squeezed out every last idea and captured it on paper. So when you’re still writing, why not imagine you’re writing a letter telling your closest confidante about your project? Try starting your work “Dear ____”, and you might tap into a fountain of lovely, loose conversational prose.

Read More →

[legit-writing-tips]

Legit Tip #87

Fill your stories with ordinary people. 

It’s incredibly tempting to go for wish-fulfillment and to cram your stories full of the people you sometimes wished existed. You want to give them incredible intelligence, fashion sense, you want them to be attractive, you want them to be witty…

But the best characters, the ones that stick around in your heart and your soul, are the ones who are absolutely ordinary people thrown into extraordinary circumstances or given extraordinary gifts. 

Harry Potter may have been the “chosen one”, but deep down he was just some kid who happened to fill some arbitrary requirement in some meaningless prophecy. He didn’t have superior magical ability or intelligence. His greatest skill was his athletic ability, until he learned other important skills, like leadership.

Willow from Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a quiet nerd who gets sucked into the world of the Slayer and who, despite becoming perhaps the most powerful witch in the world, still maintains that shy, nerdy personality. 

Remember too that even a character with no powers or special abilities can do extraordinary things. Just as important as those characters who do have abilities are the characters like Neville Longbottom, who show us that hard work and determination can sometimes be the most important thing to helping you overcome obstacles. And don’t forget the important role that even Dudley Dursley plays in showing us that even muggles can overcome prejudice. 

Fill your stories with ordinary people, and let them shine in the face of adversity. Not just because readers identify with these characters, though that’s important, but because these are the characters who have the most room to grow, to change, and to let you tell a good story. 

[thewordriven]

11 Plot Pitfalls – And How to Rescue Your Story From Them

Source: [X] By: Laura Whitcomb

We’ve all been there: basking in the glow of a finished manuscript, only to read it over and realize something is wrong with the plot. Finding ourselves unable to identify the problem only makes matters worse. But take heart! Here are some common plot gaffes and sensible ways to revise without starting over.

1. THE PLOT ISN’T ORIGINAL ENOUGH. Go through your pages and highlight anything that you’ve read in another book or seen in a movie. In the margin, write where you’ve seen it. Then list these sections and make a note for each one about how it could differ from its lookalike. A mental patient escapes by throwing something heavy through a window. Too much like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest? Instead, the patient walks out with a visiting grandma after convincing her he’s an old friend. Quick notes like these can help you detach from unintentional imitation.

2. READERS ALWAYS KNOW EXACTLY WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN. This may be because you’ve chosen a plot point that’s overused, or because you keep giving away the answer in advance. Readers know the villain is going to whip out a picture of the hero’s son and blackmail her by pretending to have kidnapped the little boy because you showed the villain taking pictures of the child and driving away from the schoolyard. You could be less obvious by only showing the antagonist sitting in the car watching the boy on the playground, and no more. 3. THE PLOT IS BORING. Take each page and imagine what different writers might do with the same plot. Choose extreme examples. Would a comedy writer have the cab driver and the villain coincidentally be childhood friends with unfinished business? Would the mystery writer have the taxi pass a clue on a street corner that makes a new connection for the hero? Would the horror writer have the cab driver channel a ghost? Or, imagine the most surprising thing that could happen in a given scene. It doesn’t matter if these ideas don’t fit your story. You’re not going to use them. But often, after thinking of wild ideas to make the story more interesting, you begin to come up with workable ones that are just as stimulating, but better suited to your book. 4. THE PLOT IS ALL ACTION AND THE FRENZIED PACE NUMBS READERS. Let them breathe. Give the readers a little downtime now and then in your action story. Look back at your favorite action novels. Notice the conversations, summarized passages, meals, introspection and releases of emotions that are set in between the car chases, shootouts and confrontations. List them. Then give the readers a chance to breathe in your own manuscript. Find the dramatic respites that come from your characters’ needs, flaws and strengths.

5. THE PLOT IS TOO COMPLEX. Often, a complex plot can be trimmed into a sleek one by cutting out some steps. Does your protagonist have to visit her father in the hospital twice—once to bring him flowers and talk about Mom, and then again to find he has taken a turn for the worse? Couldn’t he take a turn for the worse while she’s still there the first time? Does your villain need to have three motives for revenge? Would one or two be interesting enough? To find the messiness in your overly complex story, summarize it out loud to yourself. When a section takes too long to explain, make a note. When you find yourself saying, “Oh, wait, I forgot to mention that …” you’re probably in need of a plot trim. When deciding whether or not to simplify the plot, ask yourself over and over again,

“Why does she do that? Why didn’t she just do this?” Making a plot less complicated doesn’t have to make it less clever. 6. THE PLOT IS TOO SHALLOW. Sometimes as writers we get caught up in the action. The symbolism. The metaphors. The witty dialogue. The great character names. The slick descriptions. Sometimes we ride these skills over the surface of the story and forget what’s really important. If you or your first readers (friends, family, agent) complain that the novel feels insubstantial, step back and ask yourself these questions: Why am I bothering to write this story? Why does the outcome matter to the characters? How do the characters change? How did my favorite book affect me the first time I read it?

7. SUSPENSION OF DISBELIEF IS DESTROYED. Readers need to buy into the reality put forward by what they’re reading. You may go too far with a plot point or not far enough with preparing your audience for that plot point. If something that sounded right when you outlined it is coming off as farfetched even to you, look back at the stepping-stones that led to the event. If your murderer turns over a new leaf at the end of act two, make sure you’ve given her reason to.

8. TOO MANY SUBPLOTS MAKE THE PLOT OVERLY COMPLEX. If you start to feel weighed down by your numerous storylines, start cutting them. List the subplots (shopkeeper with a crush, neighbor’s dog that tears up the garden, accountant who threatens to quit every day), and then list under each title all the ways it’s necessary.

Only subplots that are so vital that you could not remove them without destroying your novel get to stick around. Be bold. 9. THE SEQUENCE IS ILLOGICAL. Sometimes the sequence set down in an outline starts to show its true colors when you’re writing the chapters. If you feel the order of scenes or events in your story is off, list each scene on a separate index card and, in red ink, write a question mark on every card that doesn’t feel right where it is in the story. Shuffle the cards. I’m not kidding. Mix them up completely. Lay them out again in the order you think they might work best, giving special attention to those with red question marks.

Something about these scenes tricked you the first time. This time, really look closely at the proper place for those tricky bits.

10. THE PREMISE ISN’T COMPELLING. If you fear that a mediocre premise is your holdup, take out a sheet of paper. Make a list on the left-hand side of everything that’s dodgy in your present premise. Then write a list down the right-hand side about all the things that work great in the premise of a similar favorite book, play or movie.

See where you might make the stakes higher, the characters more emotional, the setting more a part of the overall plot. Remember: The premise should make your readers curious.

11. THE CONCLUSION IS UNSATISFYING. Once again, write a list of what bothers you about your conclusion, and next to it, a list of what worked great about the end of your favorite novel. Do you have to create more suspense before you give the readers what they’ve been craving? Do you need to make the answer to the mystery clearer? Does the villain need to be angrier, or perhaps show remorse? Unsatisfying conclusions are usually lacking something. Whatever that is, make your story’s ending have more of it.

[createwithwriting]

An Update

To those who may care.

After abandoning Tumblr for a bit I’ve come back to this blog wondering if I should keep posting to it or not. It honestly boils down to my own will and for now I really want to keep posting on here, for my own benefit and for others. However, this is no longer a school project so I will no long be adhering to the strict guidelines put forth by my professor. For now this will be a place where I reblog all the helpful creative writing related things I come across. I may in the future add my own posts to the mix but that was a tiresome task so I’ll likely put it off until I’m no longer in school (3 months from now). Thank you to anyone who has followed me, it makes me happy to see people enjoying things I put a lot of effort into.

[createwithwriting]

Writing Communities

A short list of writing communities you may wish to check out if you haven’t yet. Two of them are rather popular as far as I can tell, and one is just a personal favorite of mine.

NANOWRIMO This community is most active one month out of the year. If you’ve never heard of it, it’s the website for a November writing event called “National Novel Writing Month.” If you have heard of it but never joined, you should, it’s amazing! The website has thousands of people who each dedicate themselves to writing a 50,000 word story in one month. They go through a lot of effort to inspire a sense of community, and facilitate interaction with other writers within your own city. You could even meet up with the other authors, if you’re so inclined. Either way it’s a great challenge and fun experience.

WATTPAD This is a large community of writers and readers, where people can write, read, and comment on stories. Posting stories on the site is rather easy, so anyone with a story in mind can send one out to the world. If you’re looking for a place to easily write and upload stories, and you’re okay with a lot of people potentially seeing your story, this is the place for you.

FICTION PRESS This website is like Wattpad, but smaller. It’s a good place if you want to post and receive feedback on stories, and feel more comfortable putting your work up in a smaller community. There are plenty of websites like this, but I like Fictionpress the best. I’ve always found it easy to use and simple, which is how I prefer my story posting experience.

For more information on my blog please visit my ABOUT PAGE

[createwithwriting]

World Building

Sometimes, writers find it necessary to add more depth to the world surrounding their characters. I’ve collected a few links that should be helpful in this process. Some of these are better for a fantasy stories, but have ideas that could prove useful for writers of all genres, in one way or another.

MAP GENERATION If you have decided to create your own land mass for the sake of your story, you may be grateful to have this link. Users should read the description below before using, but it is easy to use and helpful for anyone wanting to create a new island or continent. I prefer using this tool over any others I’ve seen online. This website only contains the demo. The full version has more ways to edit the map, but getting the full version requires downloading and having proper software. I’ve found that the demo, on its own, should be enough for anyone who can’t get the full version for one reason or another. However, the link for full version is also on the page, should you want it.

WEATHER AROUND THE WORLD Knowing weather details of areas can be helpful when writing about an area, especially if it’s one you’re not familiar with. This website has the recorded weather of pretty much everywhere on Earth, and even provides averages for the past year in specific areas. It’s great for writers who want an understanding of how the weather in their story might affect the characters. For instance: if the summer heat in an area is consistently over 100 degrees, the characters might be less willing to go outside, and be in need of constant hydration.

FANTASY JOBS THAT AREN’T KNIGHT OR PEASANT Anyone who is writing a story that takes place in a less developed civilization, be it medieval times, or a fantasy world that hasn’t quite hit its industrial revolution, should probably have this list. It’s a simple list of a 100 jobs that you might consider giving to the characters in your story to make them seem like real people. The creator of the list even adds a few at the end for younger characters. Choosing any of them for your story may take some added research, but will be worth the depth added to your story.

FAMILY TREE TOOL If you’ve ever read the series “Lord of the Rings”, you may know that pretty much everyone in the books has a long list of ancestors. While I would never endure such an endeavor, if you feel so inclined to come up with a lineage for your character, this is a tool you can use. It’s easy to use, and allows for adding information beyond name and year of birth/death. You’re able to change what information shows up on the table, and when finished you can even print it out.

HOME DESIGNER So this is good if you have time to kill and really want to do some in-depth building. This tool will let you be the designer of the home of your characters. You’ll get out what you put into it, so if your character lives in a three story, 10 bedroom home, you may have to put in a bit more effort to use this tool effectively. You can also simply create individual rooms, if that’s more along the lines of what you want. Over all, while this tool may take a bit of time to learn, it isn’t very complicated. I suggest it to everyone who wants to explore how the home of their characters looks.

LANGUAGE CREATION If you were thinking about writing your own language, this link will make you decide whether you really want to create your own language, or if you want to give up on the idea entirely. It’s a long process, but is completely spelled out in this link, and the additional pages that the website provides links to. You can also buy the book by the same author for $0.99; but all the information is available for free. Either way, it should be an easy choice to make after reading through what the website has to offer. I think creating a language is for people with more time, patience, and understanding of their own language than I have, but it is certainly fun to think about. The author also discusses different methods people use to create languages, and what is wrong with those methods. I believe this is, by far, the best resource for creating a language.

For more information on my blog please visit my ABOUT PAGE

[createwithwriting]

Characterization Part 3

PART 3 - Using Your Character

DIALOGUE MISTAKES TThis article is a simple four-point list of common dialogue mistakes, and how to avoid them. I like this because it is very clear, and provides great examples of the mistakes as well as how to fix them. Obviously, writing dialogue that feels real is a bit tricky. While it isn’t addressed in this article, one thing I’ve always like to do is say what the characters are saying out loud. If the sentence feels weird to say, it probably feels weird to read, and needs to be changed. This article also points out a few times that writing dialogue based on the character’s history and personality is very important. I believe it’s important to keep the things this article addresses in mind while writing. While there are many different mistakes one can make in dialogue, the article tackles those that seem to be the most frequent.

KILLING CHARACTERS This article covers when you should and should not kill a character. It is direct and to the point. I like how structured it is with a list of both good and bad reasons to kill a character. The writer also included a checklist of things that need to be done prior to killing the character. I think this article important for anyone even vaguely considering killing off a character. I find it a bit too common for people to be killed off in various media for seemingly no good reason. Many of the bad reasons listed involve killing a character simply for the emotions or reactions it will get from the reader, or viewer. Generally speaking, I find a good reason is required.

WRITING WOMEN (FOR MEN) / WRITING MEN (FOR WOMEN) Both of these articles deals with something that a lot of writers (particularly new ones) seem to struggle with. The article for men should be read by all male writers, even if you think your female characters are fine. It mainly covers creating women who are not stereotypes, and rather, creating female characters that have realistic motivations or goals. The writer of the article picks out examples of weak female characters, and includes examples of strong ones. As for the article for women, it should be read by women who feature male characters heavily, but have even the slightest doubt in the realism of those characters. It covers a general male mindset that female authors can often miss the mark on. The link also calls on female writers to observe their male friends and family to get a better understanding of them. The author also included examples of male characters that are realistic which is always a plus for me. However, the article sort of fails to express that while these general things are good for general people, for characters I think anything can be a realistic trait if you give enough details on the character. The fact is: you have to know what will make a character unrealistic so you can know what to change or to expand on.

QUICK HELP: BODY LANGUAGE I’ve linked this page because it can be tricky to figure out just what body movements you can use in your writing to give more life to your characters’ emotions. The page is just a quick cheat sheet for body language that corresponds to different emotions, which makes it good for pretty much anyone having a bit of trouble with that aspect of writing. What I like most about this sheet is how many emotions it lists. You should be able to use it to help with most of the emotional states you may put your characters in. Body language is a good way of making sure your characters’ emotions seem more real, and to portray their emotions without ever needing to explicitly say what the emotions are being experienced (showing vs. telling). You’ve probably already come across the show vs. tell argument multiple times, but if you need a refresher, there are links at the bottom of the page that direct you to a few different articles on the topic.

QUICK HELP: SKIN TONE Tan, pale, dark… these are just about all the words I previously knew to describe skin color. If find yourself with a similar problem, you should probably keep the images in this link handy. It’s a set of words next to a various skin tones that are in the range of one that could be described with that word. It’s great for a quick reference when creating and writing a character’s description. While I don’t think it’s always necessary to include skin color in writing, some people prefer to, so this works for anyone who falls on or near that end of the spectrum. While some of them may be found offensive to some, (i.e. chocolate, coffee, other foods stuffs), the creator of the images marked them as such and provided an explanation of why, which I believe is better than excluding them altogether.

PART 1 - Types of Characters

PART 2 - Building a Character

For more information on my blog please visit my ABOUT PAGE

[createwithwriting]

Characterization Part 2

PART 2 - Building a Character

One of the most important aspects in stories are the characters, so it makes sense to spend as much time as you can building them into characters that feel as real as any person you might encounter on the street. With that in mind, I’ve collected some sources that will make the process easier by giving some clear guidelines on what the process should be like. Please note that while a lot of these are best for the main characters, these links are also great for creating more developed side characters.

THE BASICS This article is great at outlining the steps to create characters that don’t need to be guided along by your plot. The characters become capable of cutting their own path, while passing through your major plot points with ease. I also like that this article does more than just state what to do. It starts off with why it’s important to know how to create a three-dimensional character, and then gives you the list of things needed to do so. After the list, the author tells you how to create these things for your characters, so you won’t be left uncertain of how to execute this process. Overall, this link is great for anyone who wants to be sure their characters have actual life in them, whether they’re main characters, side characters, or even that one guy who dies in the first two pages. If you want a developed character, this is a good way to get it.

CHARACTER DESIGN SHEET While there are many character design sheets out on the internet, this is the one that I think proves to be the most helpful. It’s useful for anyone developing a character of any kind, and can be useful to practice making characters as well. It’s very in-depth, with some sections being more necessary than others, depending on what the sheet is being used for at the time. I think it is the best, simply because it is the most all-encompassing character sheet I’ve come across. It covers so many aspects of character’s lives that the “necessary” questions are there, the “somewhat-necessary” questions are there, and even the “I don’t actually want to write my story right now, but if I don’t get some work done on it soon I’ll never forgive myself” questions are there.

CREATING COMPELLING CHARACTERS This article highlights some specific traits that make characters more compelling. It also discusses how to take people you encounter, and emotions you feel in your own life, and use them to create deeper characters. I think the first part is great for anyone who is worried there character may be a bit bland or unexciting. The second part is good for anyone who isn’t sure where to start with the building of a character. I like this article because it contains the characteristics of compelling characters. The writer adds examples of characters with these traits, which I always think is helpful. Even if you think your characters are fine as they are, reading through this article may give you some ideas that could help your stories.

UNREALISTIC CHARACTERISTICS This article simply states some traits characters tend to have in stories (whether they be movies, books, comics, etc.) that can make them seem unrealistic. This article is useful for anyone creating their character’s background, and plotting out the events of their story. It is best to read this article and consider your own story, before deciding whether or not you should change something. Even if your characters have one of the traits listed in the article, you may not have to change anything, and may, instead, need to work harder to make these traits seem realistic within the work you create.

CHARACTER NAMES Naming characters can often be difficult, and there are a few mistakes people can make when naming a lot of characters at once. This article should help you identify any problems in your character names, as well as some things you should think about when naming your characters. The writer of the article also adds some links that can be used to find names. The article includes a document template to put character names into, so that you can view all of the names you chose at once, and can spot anything that may need to be changed. This article is great for anyone in the process of naming characters, having a bit of trouble, or simply anyone who writes stories.

MARY SUES This one is a tad silly, but I find it to be fun and a helpful for analyzing your own characters. “Mary Sue” characters are very flat, and uninteresting most of the time, and there’s a lot of stigma against them in the writing community. This link leads to a "Mary Sue Litmus Test”. While the result of the test itself may not bear correct results, answering the questions should make you think a bit more critically of the characters you’ve created. This can help you to narrow in on what you may want to change. This source is generally helpful for anyone who has most of a story planned out and wants to check if their characters are flat or need a bit more depth.

PART 1 - Types of Characters

PART 3 - Using Your Character

For more information on my blog please visit my ABOUT PAGE

[createwithwriting]

Characterization Part 1

PART 1 - Types of Characters

Anyone familiar with writing stories is likely familiar with main character types (antagonist, protagonist, best friends, dead parents, etc.), so this post won’t focus much on those. However, there are some interesting elements to main character personalities that I think are worth having more information on.

ANTIHEROES I’ve always found antiheroes to be a bit more fun than regular heroes, as they can add darker elements to your stories. The article I’ve linked to is good for people who know what antiheroes are in general. You have almost certainly read stories with them, or maybe even attempted to write a story with one yourself. But you should pay attention to this article because it helps make your antihero relatable. This is an important factor in making sure your main character is not hated by your readers. If you write your own stories, and want an antihero in them, this article is great for helping you understand what kinds of traits help readers to connect with the antihero. The article even provides well known character examples for each type of antihero so that you can get a good understanding of what the writer is explaining. You shouldn’t look at this article as the ultimate guide to a relatable antihero, but rather (as with most things in the world of creative writing) a springboard from which you can leap into a better development of this particular character type.

COLD PEOPLE (aka: standoffish, aloof, detached). This particular link is only the first part of the article, but for writers I feel it is the most necessary. If your interest happens takes you further, the link to the second part is at the end. If you have ever even considered adding a character who fits this description to your story (even if they’re small side characters), please read this. It covers a basic description of “cold” people, as well as some synonyms because let’s face it, “cold” is not a great descriptor. More importantly, it has a section on what causes people to become this way, which is VERY important when developing a character. It’s better to have a reason for a character’s standoffish nature, even if it’s never actually mentioned explicitly in the story; it’s good to know these things.

MENTAL DISORDERS. Mental disorders can add interesting elements to a story, as well as allowing people with varying mental disorders to have accurate representation. This article is not a description of any one disorder, as those are best researched on your own to suit your specific needs. The article is, however, a general guide for how you should, and should not, approach writing a character with a mental disorder. It’s very easy to create an offensive and/or inaccurate story line when dealing with things as complicated as mental disorders, and the idea should never be taken lightly. To best portray these characters, follow the advice in the article, look at the helpful links, and do a lot of your own research.

FOILS What are they? Why are they important? If either of these questions cross your mind, read the article. This is really useful for any writer who doesn’t have a firm grasp on how foils contribute to the story. Still unsure afterward? Google will always be your friend. It’s good to do your own research, but its better when you know what questions to ask, i.e.: “How do I write a good foil character? What are some examples of foil characters?” Questions like these, when further researched, can always lead to a better developed character or story.

ANTAGONISTS What is a Hero without a Villain? Bored, and worse still, boring. Antagonists are the driving forces behind every story. This article provides some simple, but very helpful, tips that you can use to make your antagonists more well-rounded, which will, in turn, help to make your stories better in general. If you’re not quite getting the impact from your antagonist that you want, your character may be missing one of the qualities in the article.

Remember, these articles aren’t the be-all-end-all of creative writing. You can explore outside the guidelines, but if something is lacking in your stories, you may want to check these articles out. This is also nowhere near the end of what is necessary to create a character. In light of this, I have a few more posts lined up with this same topic. Links will be added below as I post the others.

PART 2 - Building a Character

PART 3 - Using Your Character

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