One of the most fundamental techniques of fiction writing is skillful creation of tension, sometimes referred to as conflict. Our favorite authors hook us on page one with a character so compelling that we read further to find out what happens. The character is engaging, with likeable traits that endear […]
RAH-RAH ROOTING FACTORS! How to make your readers love your characters as much as you do.
What’s one of the biggest reasons you keep reading when you pick up a new book? Think about it for a moment. For me, it’s characters who are interesting, multi-dimensional, unpredictable…and likeable. Yet this is an element many of us struggle to achieve. One of the most common phrases in […]
What’s it all about? How Theme can help your story shine.
Theme comes in lots of shapes, sizes, and variations, but embodies the core of what something is about, whether it’s your brand as a writer, the story you’re writing, the characters you’re writing about – or the music you’re listening to while writing. So what is theme, and how can […]
Interview Your Characters
Some characters seem to come to fiction writers fully formed. Others are mere shells that need a lot of fleshing out. For characters that you are having difficulty developing, consider giving them an interview. Imagine this. You are hiring this character for a job, or even better, taking him out […]