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Recent feedback from a writer concerning a novel that I’m drafting said, “One character is more interesting than the other.” Since I’m writing a rotating Point of View, both are protagonists. The comment told me that one character was not sympathetic enough. Writing Tip for Today: How can we make our characters more sympathetic? Likable, […]
Thanks to those who have been waiting for this post. I evidently forgot I was still doing the compelling characters theme. But never fear!Writing Tip for Today: Tricks might not be the best way to describe creation of a character. It’s mostly trial and error and a lot of writing and exploring. But there are […]
Some writers seem to have a built-in knack for creating characters that readers can’t help but follow. For the rest of us, it’s a learning process.Writing Tip for Today: In that learning process, we often start out with less-than compelling characters. This shortcoming is critical. Story IS character. Character IS story. Here are a few […]
In fiction, creative nonfiction and memoir, one of a writer’s most important tasks is to create a narrator who readers are compelled to follow. I remember not quite getting the idea of compelling early in my writing life. I finally understood compelling to mean a character who I may or may not exactly like but […]
Continuing with the fiction ailments/fixes idea, I’m always surprised at how many possible pitfalls a novelist can get stuck in. Writing Tip for Today: If you’re drafting your first novel, maybe you’re surprised too. So many things can go wrong. The novels you’ve read didn’t seem this complicated. Ah, but there’s the rub. Good novels […]
Whether you’re in a checkout line, at the ball game or a writing conference, people ask, “What’s your novel about?” You’ve learned enough to know one thing: When people ask–and they always do–the writer had better be able to give a brief, exciting and concise answer. How do you arrive at that answer?Writing Tip for […]
Pets are those non judging, devoted friends we often turn to when life is handing out lemons. They hold no grudges, never tell you the outfit you’re wearing makes you look fat and are warm and furry for the most part. When you’re inventing a fictional character, one easy way to deepen the reader’s sympathy […]
You may have heard the saying, “Story IS character, character IS story.” Inventing a great character is key to writing a great story. And vice versa. But how do you invent a character that can carry a story?Writing Tip for Today: Another writing slogan says, “A good novel is interesting people in trouble.” All you […]
Sorry to take so long, but today we’ll add the last part of what makes a good protagonist: one who is likeable, one who is compelling and today’s topic, a character who is redeemable. What is redemption for this lead character? A protagonist can be pretty unlikeable IF there is at least a glimmer of […]
Last post, we discussed the kinds of qualities that can make a lead character likeable. Most of us need our readers to like the protagonist. Yet other stories call for a different approach. Compelling characters may not be as likeable, but they command attention and force the reader to see what happens. How do writers […]