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[justawritingaid]

10 Ways to Flesh-Out Characters

Fill out an online dating profile. Is it funny or serious? How honest would they be? What pictures would they use? Some characters may not make one at all, and if that’s the case, why?

Take a Jung/Myers-Briggs (or any other kind) type indicator test, though take the results with a grain of salt. Not only can this can be tricky depending on what level of development the character is already at, but whole personalities can’t really be perfectly boxed into any quiz result. 

Fill out a character questionnaire or concept form. They can be a great way to help organize parts of your character and help you think about where to go, but be careful not to get tripped up by unnecessary questions that tend to flood most forms. Sure, it’s fun to think about what every character’s favorite food might be, but that is irrelevant compared to their motivations, personality, goals, etc. 

Put your character through a significant challenge. What methodology do they use? At what point do they give up? Succeed or fail, how do they react? The details of the challenge can be related to the plot or more random; the point is to stress test the individual. 

Think about how they live in their world. Are they in a city or a smaller town? What’s normal transportation to them? Favorite place to be? Etc. And think a little beyond face value of any of those answers– some people can be material-rich but monetary-poor, for example, if they have an item of high value, but a low-paying job.

Find a theme song! Though songs with lyrics are a great thing to work with, I recommend looking for instrumental ones if you like that kind of thing. Not every aspect of character needs to be expressed in words (plus finding a exact song can be tricky for some characters).

Give your character power, control, or authority over something. This can be another person, group of people, or more abstract like the environment. Would they take the power in the first place? Be fair or abuse it? When does it become too much to handle?

Writing a monologue or stream-of-consciousness. It can be a good way to discover voice, but it should be on a topic that matters to the character. Let them get passionate and show what they care about!

Interrogate them. Ask them questions, some easy, some hard– and it’s even better if you ask multiple characters to show how they’re all different. Even characters that seem the same on some levels shouldn’t be identical when you get to the details. 

Put your character in front of a tough choice they have to make. What do they prioritize? How willing to take responsibility are they? Would they try to find a way out, or rely on luck? A good story often challenges its characters so get comfortable making them uncomfortable. 

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[brynwrites]

Morally Grey But Still Likable?

Writing morally grey characters readers will love.

@coinsanddeadlypoisons asked:

Do you have any tips about writing from the point of view of a manipulative character? I don’t want him to be an asshole but i am afraid the readers would see him as such. 

The large majority of the characters in The Warlord’s Contract are morally grey in one way or another, with one in particular being rather manipulative, and I’ve found that the same basic principles and tricks apply to them all, no matter which negative “asshole” attributes they exhibit.  

1. Why do they do what they do?

Readers will forgive most morally gray actions if they feel the character has a good reason for it. This reason can be anything number of things, often compounded. These include, but are not limited to:

The character’s goal is worth the sins they commit in the process.

Their past has conditioned them to do what they do.

They believe that they (or someone else) will suffer if they don’t.

They believe everyone else is already doing the same and they’re evening the playing field.

They believe their actions will benefit others in the long run.

They’re convinced they’ll be hurt if they don’t do it.

The reason(s) you character has do doing what they do should also make sense within the context of the story itself. Thematically, it should match or mirror other cause and effect situations you’re presenting, and it should fit (and often intertwine) with the character’s backstory and personality.

Continua a leggere

[callitgoodwriting-deactivated20]

My Personal Character Files: The 6 Box Method

This is for my science fiction WIP, so some things may need to be added/modified depending on your genre. I will also include a screenshot of an example at the bottom so y’all can see how I set it up in my Doc.

1. The Quick Ref

I use this as the first page of my “Character FIles” Doc.

I put all my important characters in a list, then add their height, age, and the page their complete file can be found on. This is helpful when I need to know if a character would have to crane their neck upward to look another character in the eyes. Comes up more than I’d have guessed.

2. The Individual Profile: 6 Box Method

I add and subtract stuff based on how important the character is. Without further ado…

Box One: Reference Photo

This is where I add in any actor, model, drawing, etc that I base the look on. When I don’t need one, sometimes I’ll put in a picture that represents the character’s style.

Box Two: The Introduction

Full Name

Nickname(s) 

Age 

Occupation 

Current home 

Situation: How do they enter this story?

Motivation: What do they want?

Favorite quote/saying

Biggest strength

Biggest issue 

Strongest trait 

Box Three: Behavior

Personality

Habits

Ambition/Short and Long Term Goals

Greatest fear(s)

Phobias

Biggest secret(s) 

Social skills

Interior talents

Box Four: Background

Home moon/planet

Important history

Family

Friends, Enemies, Acquaintances, and Colleagues

Finances

Education

Phys. Health/Mental Health

Religion

Romantic/sexual preference

Interests/Hobbies

Box Five: Appearance & Physicality

Height

Body type

Skin tone/Ethnicity/Species

Facial description

Prominent/distinguishing features

Dress 

Mannerisms

Physical talents

Box Six: Speech

Normal tone

Language & accent

Favorite phrases

3. The Example

Rey from The Force Awakens. Made in Google Docs.

Boxes 1 and 2

Boxes 3 and 4

Boxes 5 and 6

Best of luck on your writing journey!

[callitgoodwriting-deactivated20]

Here is the link for the Google Docs template! 

Just click File > Make a Copy

[letswritesomenovels]

How to Get the First Chapter Right

The first chapter of your novel is the most important chapter of your novel. Anyone who picks up your book will read the first page, but unless that first page is good, there’s little chance they’ll make it to Chapter Twenty-Three, the the best piece of writing ever set down on a page. 

So how do you get it right? 

By remembering three things: 

1. The first chapter is a promise to your reader.

Your first chapter is a promise to your reader that this is what this book is going to be–that there’s not going to be a sudden switch in focus in chapter fifteen. 

It’s important that the first chapter accurately sets up the rest of the book–that it lets the reader know what they’re in for, whether they’ve read the synopsis on the back or not. 

If your book is a murder mystery, don’t start the book with a funny, romantic scene featuring your detective’s love interest. Instead, set a sinister tone, display your detective’s ability to perceive things others can’t, use imagery that suggests violence, show the murder victim being a jerk to the detective soon to be investigating their death. Set up a murder mystery. 

What’s the best way to do this? By remembering that…

2. The first chapter focuses on introducing three essential story elements. 

There are three essential story elements your first chapter needs to focus on:

The protagonist: who they are, what they want, and why we’re reading about them.

The world: whether the world is Middle Earth or Minneapolis, we need a sense of what we can expect of the setting - what its “rules” are

The plot: this might not come until the very end of chapter one, but we need a hint as to where the story’s heading before the words “Chapter Two.” 

But it shouldn’t linger too long explaining them because….

3. The first chapter’s primary job is to hook the reader. 

Your first chapter needs to hook your reader by intriguing and engaging them.

Intrigue your reader by taking your readers directly into a scene that shows off how interesting your protagonist, and world are, by ending on some sort of plot point that turns everything on its head - a revelation or action that will make us go “ooh, what’s going to happen next?” 

Engage your reader, however, by using your protagonist, plot, and world by showing them in action, not description.

Don’t stop to explain that this is a fantasy world–have your protagonist summon fire from her fingers when she goes to light a candle. 

Anything that takes us too far away from the main action of the first chapter, should be put on hold. 

Any time you pause the action to explain what’s going on, what the world is, who the main character is, stop and save it for the second chapter, or third–once you already have your reader’s attention and their trust that you’re going somewhere with this. 

Because that’s what your first chapter is all about: showing you reader that you’re going somewhere with this, and that somewhere is going to be good.

Once you’ve done that, there’s a much better chance your reader will make it to that perfect Chapter Twenty-Three. 

[concerningwolves]

some mini collections of tips for writers

(based on things that yours truly notices as a freelance editor. This list is in no way complete, and will probably be added to as I continue to find repeated mistakes) 

Dialogue

Use beats in your dialogue to break it up. Even “said” can make a very effective beat between lines. 

(No beats: “It’s not lethal. Just highly dangerous with a good chance of being mutilated.” // Beats: “It’s not lethal,” he said. “Just highly dangerous with a good chance of being mutilated.”)

Note how the break allows a bit of a pause for ~dramatic effect 

thinking of dialogue, use punctuation and distinct speech patterns! “Life, uh, finds a way.” is an iconic line anyway, but Jeff Goldblum’s signature verbal tic gives it character. 

It’s okay if characters stutter. Don’t let the condemnation of stuttering characters as “cringey” in fanfic put you off. (and on that note, fuck cringe culture. Seriously. It saps all the fun out of creativity and fun is important.)

Start! A! New! Line! Whenever! Someone! New! Speaks!!

DO NOT FEAR THE WORD “SAID” 

Setting & Blocking

 Use the landscape and settings around your character, and always, always remember a scene’s blocking. Where is everything in relation to your characters? Have you left someone holding a coffee cup for the last three scenes? Did you lose a character somewhere along the way? 

using the contents of a scene is also great for fight sequences. 

Similarly, large character casts are hard to keep track of so don’t be afraid to break them up. Sending someone off somewhere else can create some nifty little subplots. 

Keep a personal note of how time passes. Trust me, it’s incredibly helpful to you as a writer and also for future readers. 

Characters

Character growth does not have to be positive. Sometimes characters fail or suffer or get their motivations twisted up, and they finish the book as a villain rather than a hero. 

All that matters is that a character changes throughout the plot in a way that readers can see; the sort of change they go through is entirely up to you. 

scrap the idea that someone has to deserve a redemption arc. They probably don’t deserve it, which is the whole point. So don’t be afraid to make your villains seem completely irredeemable. 

and you don’t need to redeem your antagonists in order to make them complex, sympathetic villains, anyway. Sometimes people get so stuck in their beliefs that they can’t see another way and it goes too far. Not everyone comes back from that. 

Also, motivations and goals can absolutely change. That’s okay. You just need to have something that drives your character so that your readers are rooting for them. 

Protagonists don’t need to be heroic. How you define the protagonists and antagonists in your story is based entirely on the morality in your story-world, NOT the moral ideas in the real world. What counts as a complex protagonist in a world torn apart by biological warfare will be very different than one living in our world. 

Prose & Grammar

simple prose is just fine and you don’t need to fluff it up for pretty quotes.

Remember to vary your sentence structures and length. Start smaller and build it up, drawing your reader’s attention. 

“And” and “But” are very valid sentence starters that are great for communicating the tone of internal narrative. You’re allowed to tweak grammar if that’s helpful for telling the story, it just needs to be accessible. Test out what you’ve written on other people. 

Check that your tenses are consistent!! 

[fictionwritingtips]

Easy Ways to Pick up the Sagging Middle of Your Novel

A lot of writers have trouble writing the middle of the novel. Either they don’t know how to structure it properly or they’ve just lost motivation (I’ve written endless posts on motivation, so try searching for them). I think we’ve all read books that have just lost all momentum in the middle, so here are a few ways to stop that from happening to your novel:

Try to lead to something important – The middle is a great time for a really exciting moment or the climax. There can be more than one, so don’t think you’re going to waste any momentum you have.

Throw in a twist – Blow your readers minds! Is there a moment you’ve been waiting to reveal to your audience? Do it in the middle of your novel and then deal with the aftermath.

Divide it into another three acts – Try to break down the middle of your novel into smaller pieces. Think of it as a beginning, middle, and end. Create a structure to follow.

Introduce some new blood – Focus on a new character. Introduce a new character. There should be a reason for them, so don’t go completely wild, but get excited about your new addition. Weave it into the plot.

Do something drastic – Do something unexpected to your hero. Throw a wrench in their plans. There should be ups and downs in your novel, so fit some in here.

Build an intense action sequence – Sometimes an intense scene breaks writers out of their doldrums. If it fits in your story, try it. Pump up the adrenaline.

Plan, plan, plan – For me, planning is the best way to figure out where my novel is going. Take a moment to think about what’s happening in your story and find a way to organize it.

Focus on tension – Build tension and put your readers on the edge of their seat. If there’s something exciting happening in your third act, now’s the time to build it up.

Think about the ending – If you’re unsure about the middle of your novel, take a look at the other parts. How are you going to get to your ending? Focus on that journey.

Make it less complicated – Sometimes middles are hard to write because they’re too complicated. Cut subplots that you can’t follow or just muddle up your story.

Obviously, trying all of these will make an absolute mess of your story, so pick and choose what might work for you.  These are just suggestions and they won’t work for everyone’s story. Think of them as ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

And remember, the most important ideas to pursue are those that help drive the story forward or help reveal information about your characters!

-Kris Noel

[fictionwritingtips]

Since you might be approaching the middle of your novel soon….

[onamountaintop]

[whataboutwriting-blog]

I have Characters and World, but no Plot!

I love to build worlds and characters. But then I don’t know what to do with them. I have a plot problem. Do you have any advice? Is my best bet to pair up with another author who has a plot but no world? - anonymous

Congratulations! You’ve made it through the hardest part. Now you just need to let your characters speak for themselves. Answer these questions, and hopefully, they will help you understanding what your plot should be. 

Regarding characters…

What has your character struggled with in the past?

Are your characters’ personalities compatible? If not, why not?

Considering your characters’ personalities, what would be the worst that could happen to them? What would hurt them the most? (If possible, answer this question about each of your characters)

What is your character’s goal? 

Who is your character’s worst enemy and why?

Regarding world…

What are the taboos in your world?

What are the worst crimes in your world?

How do people interact in your world?

In what ways do the laws of your world limit its inhabitants’ freedom?

How are the typical parents-children relationships in your world?

How are the typical friendships in your world?

How are the typical romantic relationships in your world?

Does your world hide secrets? If so, what secrets?

Try to see in what ways you can connect your characters and how they go around the world you built. Hopefully, once you have specific links character-character and character-world, you will be able to form ideas in your mind regarding what problems your characters could have. All you need is a main conflict, and then let your characters’ personality and back story guide you on how to resolve that conflict. 

I hope this helped!

[kiingocreative]

The twenty-first principle of Pixar's 22 storytelling rules is "You gotta identify with your situation/characters. Can’t just write 'cool.' What would make YOU act that way?" In other words, characters have to act contextually and subjectively rational (or "in character"). If a character is having an emotional breakdown or acting erratically, does it make sense? What might push a character into their "emotional warzone"? What would push them over the edge? What would you have to threaten to make a character act a certain way? What sort of emotional stress would a character need to be under? How could you put your character under that sort of stress? What could you take away to make them question their identity? Additionally, characters act differently at different points in their arc. A character who's acting co-dependently at the beginning of the story might act independently at the end without going "out of character". Likewise, a character may start a story as a moral beacon and later be murdering his enemies (like Michael Corleone in The Godfather). We must consider where a character is in their arc at any given point in time.

What Would Push Your Character Over The Edge?

Characters have to act contextually and subjectively rational (or "in character"). What might push a character into their "emotional warzone

[secretlyawuss-deactivated202010]

There are two important elements that create character within a story:

The character's aesthetic (the things they like, the way they look/dress, their overarching personality, their philosophy ect)

And the way they interact with the world around them, basically their impact (their relationship to other people, their goals, their position in the world, ect)

Basically, one can think of a character as a complex element within a story, everything the character does reflects who they are, everything they interact with is an opportunity to learn more about them.

[jamiatt-deactivated20201227]

Raymond Carver giving writing advice to Jay McInerney is advice for US ALL.

[wordsnstuff]

Hi there, love your blog! So I just finished the first draft of my WIP. I like a lot of things about it but the pacing feels rushed even though I thought I spaced out the conflict appropriately. Any advice?

The pacing issues of a story can usually be solved by playing with your subplots a little. If the main conflict is playing out too fast, there’s a good chance that your subplots aren’t extended enough to give the conflict time to build suspense. Break up the main plot points with various scenes that are meant to develop subplots and the problem will most likely go away. 

I have some resources for this that you may find useful:

Tackling Subplots

A Guide To Tension & Suspense In Your Writing

Ways To Fit Character Development Into your Story

How to Engage The Reader

Tips on Writing Flashbacks

Coming Up with Scene Ideas

Tips on Planning Out A Series

VISIT THE WORDSNSTUFF WEBSITE AT WORDSNSTUFFBLOG.COM

If you enjoy my blog and wish for it to continue being updated frequently and for me to continue putting my energy toward answering your questions, please consider Buying Me A Coffee or supporting me on Patreon.

Wordsnstuff also has a newsletter, which you can subscribe to by filling out the pop up on wordsnstuff.tumblr.com.

I’d also really appreciate it if you would check out my separate blog dedicated to my current work in progress. I also run writing sprints over on snapchat.

[delusioninabox]

Daily #2,292! No one is more shocked than me.

Now if only I could *always* not be anxious…

[writersblockbecomesunblocked]

How To End Your Story

The Circle Ending- A story that does a full circle and comes back to the beginning

The Moral Ending- An ending where you learn a lesson and see the character develop

The Surprise Ending- A big plot twist last minute

The Reflection Ending- The Character looks back on their past achievements and experiences

The Emotional Ending- Leave your readers feeling sad, bittersweet, or happy

The Cliff Hanger Ending- End on something that will leave your readers at the edge of their seat

The Humor Ending- Finish in a funny or humorous way

The Question Ending- Make the reader wonder what will happen next

The Image Ending- Show, don’t tell

The Dialogue Ending- Finish with a quote from one of your characters

[rsingwriting]

I saw a post talking about how Terry Pratchett only wrote 400 words a day, how that goal helped him write literally dozens of books before he died. So I reduced my own daily word goal. I went down from 1,000 to 200. With that 800-word wall taken down, I’ve been writing more. “I won’t get on tumblr/watch TV/draw/read until I hit my word goal” used to be something I said as self-restraint. And when I inevitably couldn’t cough up four pages in one sitting, I felt like garbage, and the pleasurable hobbies I had planned on felt like I was cheating myself when I just gave up. Now it’s something I say because I just have to finish this scene, just have to round out this conversation, can’t stop now, because I’m enjoying myself, I’m having an amazing time writing. Something that hasn’t been true of my original works since middle school. 

And sometimes I think, “Well, two hundred is technically less than four hundred.” And I have to stop myself, because - I am writing half as much as Terry Pratchett. Terry fucking Pratchett, who not only published regularly up until his death, but published books that were consistently good. 

And this has also been an immense help as a writer with ADHD, because I don’t feel bad when I take a break from writing - two hundred words works up quick, after all. If I take a break at 150, I have a whole day to write 50 more words, and I’ve rarely written less than 200 words and not felt the need to keep writing because I need to tie up a loose end anyways. 

Yes, sometimes, I do not produce a single thing worth keeping in those two hundred words. But it’s much easier to edit two hundred words of bad writing than it is to edit no writing at all.

[tinsnip]

“One of the most solid pieces of writing advice I know is in fact intended for dancers – you can find it in the choreographer Martha Graham’s biography. But it relaxes me in front of my laptop the same way I imagine it might induce a young dancer to breathe deeply and wiggle their fingers and toes. Graham writes: ‘There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.’”

— Zadie Smith (via campaignagainstcliche)

[toboldlywrite]

I know adverbs are Controversial, but “said softly” means something different than “whispered” and this is the hill I will die on.