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4 episodes with writing characters
2 episodes with writing characters
4 episodes with writing characters
4 episodes with writing characters
2 episodes with writing characters
2 episodes with writing characters
2 episodes with writing characters
3 episodes with writing characters
3 episodes with writing characters
What makes a character so compelling that readers will forgive almost anything about the plot? How do you move beyond vague flaws and generic descriptions to create people who feel pulled from real life? In this solo episode, I share 15 actionable tips for writing deep characters, curated from past interviews on the podcast. In the intro, thoughts from London Book Fair [Instagram reel @jfpennauthor; Publishing Perspectives; Audible; Spotify]; Insights from a 7-figure author business [BookBub]. This show is supported by my Patrons. Join my Community and get articles, discounts, and extra audio and video tutorials on writing craft, author business, and AI tools, at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn This episode has been created from previous episodes of The Creative Penn Podcast, curated by Joanna Penn, as well as chapters from How to Write a Novel: From Idea to Book. Links to the individual episodes are included in the transcript below. In this episode: Master the ‘Believe, Care, Invest' trifecta, how to hook readers on the very first page Define the Dramatic Question: Who is your character when the chips are down? Absolute specificity. Why “she's controlling” isn't good enough Understand the Heroine's Journey, strength through connection, not solo action Use ‘Metaphor Families' to anchor dialogue and give every character a distinctive voice Find the Diagnostic Detail, the moments that prove a character is real Writing pain onto the page without writing memoir Write diverse characters as real people, not stereotypes or plot devices Give your protagonist a morally neutral ‘hero' status. Compelling beats likeable. Build vibrant side characters for series longevity and spin-off potential Use voice as a rhythmic tool Link character and plot until they're inseparable Why discovery writers can write out of order and still build deep character Find the sensory details that make characters live and breathe More help with how to write fiction here, or in my book, How to Write a Novel. Writing Characters: 15 Tips for Writing Deep Character in Your Fiction In today's episode, I'm sharing fifteen tips for writing deep characters, synthesised from some of the most insightful interviews on The Creative Penn Podcast over the past few years, combined with what I've learned across more than forty books of my own. I'll be referencing episodes with Matt Bird, Will Storr, Gail Carriger, Barbara Nickless, and Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer. I'll also draw on my own book, How to Write a Novel, which covers these fundamentals in detail. Whether you're writing your first novel or your fiftieth, whether you're a plotter or a discovery writer like me, these tips will help you create characters that readers believe in, care about, and invest in—and keep coming back for more. Let's get into it. 1. Master the ‘Believe, Care, Invest' Trifecta When I spoke with Matt Bird on episode 624, he laid out the three things you need to achieve on the very first page of your book or in the first ten minutes of a film. He calls it “Believe, Care, and Invest.” First, the reader must believe the character is a real person, somehow proving they are not a cardboard imitation of a human being, not just a generic type walking through a generic plot. Second, the reader must care about the character's circumstances. And third, the reader must invest in the character's ability to solve the story's central problem. Matt used The Hunger Games as his primary example, and it's brilliant. On the very first page, we believe Katniss's voice. Suzanne Collins writes in first person with a staccato rhythm—lots of periods, short declarative sentences—that immediately grounds us in a survivalist mentality. We care because Katniss is starving. She's protecting her little sister. And we invest because she is out there bow hunting, which Matt pointed out is one of the most badass things a character can do. She even kills a lynx two pages in and sells the pelt. We invest in her resourcefulness and grit before the plot has even begun. Matt was very clear that this has nothing to do with the character being “likable.” He said his subtitle, Writing a Hero Anyone Will Love, doesn't mean the character has to be a good person. He described “hero” as both gender-neutral and morally neutral. A hero can be totally evil or totally good. What matters is that we believe, care, and invest. He demonstrated this beautifully by breaking down the first ten minutes of WeCrashed, where the characters of Adam and Rebekah Neumann are absolutely not likable, but we are completely hooked. Adam steals his neighbour's Chinese food through a carefully orchestrated con involving an imaginary beer. It's not admirable behaviour, but the tradecraft involved, as Matt put it—using a term from spy movies—makes us invest in him. We see a character trying to solve the big problem of his life, which is that he's poor and wants to be rich, and we want to see if he can pull it off. Actionable step: Go to the first page of your current work in progress. Does it achieve all three? Does the reader believe this is a real person with a distinctive voice? Do they care about the character's circumstances? And do they invest in the character's ability to handle what's coming? If even one of those three is missing, that's your revision priority. 2. Define the Dramatic Question: Who Are They Really? Will Storr, author of The Science of Storytelling, came on episode 490 and gave one of the most powerful frameworks I've ever heard for character-driven fiction. He explained that the human brain evolved language primarily to swap social information—in other words, to gossip. We are wired to monitor other people, to ask the question: who is this person when the chips are down? That's what Will calls the Dramatic Question, and it's what he believes lies at the heart of all compelling storytelling. It's not a question about plot. It's a question about the character's soul. And every scene in your novel should force the character to answer it. His example of Lawrence of Arabia is unforgettable. The Dramatic Question for the entire film is: who are you, Lawrence? Are you ordinary or are you extraordinary? At the beginning, Lawrence is a cocky, rebellious young soldier who believes his rebelliousness makes him superior. Every iconic scene in that three-hour film tests that belief. Sometimes Lawrence acts as though he truly is extraordinary—leading the Arabs into battle, being hailed as a god—and sometimes the world strips him bare and he sees himself as ordinary. Because it's a tragedy, he never overcomes his flaw. He doubles down on his belief that he's extraordinary until he becomes monstrous, culminating in that iconic scene where he lifts a bloody dagger and sees his own reflection with horror. Will also used Jaws to demonstrate how this works in a pure action thriller. Brody's dramatic question is simple: are you going to be old Brody who is terrified of the water, or new Brody who can overcome that fear? Every scene where the shark appears is really asking that question. And the last moment of the film isn't the shark blowing up. It's Brody swimming back through the water, saying he used to be scared of the water and he can't imagine why. Actionable step: Write down the Dramatic Question for your protagonist in a single sentence. Is it “Are you ordinary or extraordinary?” or “Are you brave enough to love again?” or “Will you sacrifice your principles for survival?” If you can't answer this with specificity, your character might still be a sketch rather than a person. 3. Get rid of Vague Flaws, and use Absolute Specificity This was one of Will Storr's most important points. He said that vague thinking about characters is really the enemy. When he teaches workshops and asks writers to describe their character's flaw, most of them say something like “they're very controlling.” And Will's response is: that's not good enough. Everyone is controlling. How are they controlling? What's the specific mechanism? He gave the example of a profile he read of Theresa May during the UK's Brexit chaos. Someone who knew her said that Theresa May's problem was that she always thinks she's the only adult in every room she goes into. Will said that stopped him in his tracks because it's so precise. If you define a character with that level of specificity, you can take them and put them in any genre, any situation—a spaceship, a Victorian drawing room, a school playground—and you will know exactly how they're going to behave. The same applies to Arthur Miller's Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman, as Will described it: a man who believes absolutely in capitalistic success and the idea that when you die, you're going to be weighed on a scale, just as God weighs you for sin, but now you're weighed for success. That's not a vague flaw. That's a worldview you can drop into any story and watch it combust. Will made another counterintuitive point that I found really valuable: writers often think that piling on multiple traits will create a complex character, but the opposite is true. Starting with one highly specific flaw and running it through the demands of a relentless plot is what generates complexity. You end up with a far more nuanced, original character than if you'd started with a laundry list of vague attributes. Actionable step: Take your protagonist's flaw and pressure-test it. Is it specific enough that you could place this character in any situation and predict their behaviour? If you're stuck at “she's stubborn” or “he's insecure,” keep pushing. What kind of stubborn? What kind of insecure? Find the diagnostic sentence—the Theresa May level of precision. 4. Understand the Heroine's Journey: Strength Through Connection Gail Carriger came on episode 550 to discuss her nonfiction book, The Heroine's Journey, and it completely reframed how I think about some of my own fiction. Gail explained that the core difference between the Hero's Journey and the Heroine's Journey comes down to how strength and victory are defined. The Hero's Journey is about strength through solo action. The hero must be continually isolated to get stronger. He goes out of civilisation, faces strife alone, and achieves victory through physical prowess and self-actualisation. The Heroine's Journey is the opposite. The heroine achieves her goals by activating a network. She's a delegator, a general. She identifies where she can't do something alone, finds the people who can help, and portions out the work for mutual gain. Gail put it simply: the heroine is very good at asking for help, which our culture tends to devalue but which is actually a powerful form of strength. Crucially, Gail stressed that gender is irrelevant to which journey you're writing. Her go-to examples are striking: the recent Wonder Woman film is practically a beat-for-beat hero's journey—Gilgamesh on screen, as Gail described it. Meanwhile, Harry Potter, both the first book and the series as a whole, is a classic heroine's journey. Harry's power comes from his network—Dumbledore's Army, the Order of the Phoenix, his friendships with Ron and Hermione. He doesn't defeat Voldemort alone. He defeats Voldemort because of love and connection. This distinction has real practical consequences for writers. If you're writing a hero's journey and you hit writer's block, Gail said, the solution is usually to isolate your hero further and pile on more strife. But if you're writing a heroine's journey, the solution is probably to throw a new character into the scene—someone who has advice to offer or a skill the heroine lacks. The actual solutions to writer's block are different depending on which narrative you're writing. As I reflected on my own work, I realised that my ARKANE thriller protagonist, Morgan Sierra, follows a hero's journey—she's a solo operative, a lone wolf like Jack Reacher or James Bond. But my Mapwalker fantasy series follows a heroine's journey, with Sienna and her group of friends working together. I hadn't consciously chosen those paths; the stories led me there. But understanding the framework helps me write more intentionally now. Actionable step: Identify which journey your protagonist is on. Does your character gain strength by being alone (hero) or by building connections (heroine)? This will inform every plot decision you make, from how they face obstacles to how your story ends. 5. Use ‘Metaphor Families' to Anchor Dialogue and Voice One of the most practical techniques Matt Bird shared on episode 624 is the idea of assigning each character a “metaphor family”—a specific well of language that they draw from. This gives each character a distinctive voice that goes beyond accent or dialect. Matt explained how in The Wire, one of the most beloved TV shows of all time, every character has a different metaphor family. What struck him was that Omar, this iconic character, never utters a single curse word in the entire series. His metaphor family is pirate. He talks about parlays, uses language that feels like it belongs in Pirates of the Caribbean, and it creates this incredible ironic counterpoint against his urban setting. It tells us immediately that this is a character who sees himself in a tradition of people that doesn't match his immediate surroundings. Matt also referenced the UK version of The Office, where Gareth works at a paper company but aspires to the military. So all of his language is drawn from a military metaphor family. He doesn't talk about filing and photocopying; he talks about tactics and discipline and being on the front line. This tells us that the character has a life and dreams beyond the immediate scene—and it's the gap between aspiration and reality that makes him both funny and believable. He pointed out that a metaphor family sometimes comes from a character's background, but it's often more interesting when it comes from their aspirations. What does your character want to be? What world do they fantasise about inhabiting? That's where their language should come from. In Star Wars, Obi-Wan Kenobi is a spiritual hermit, but his metaphor family is military. He uses the language of generals and commanders, and that ironic counterpoint is part of what makes him feel so rich. Actionable step: Assign each of your main characters a metaphor family. It could be based on their job, their background, or—more interestingly—their secret aspirations. Then go through your dialogue and make sure each character is consistently drawing from that well of language. If two characters sound the same when you strip away the dialogue tags, this is the fix. 6. Find the Diagnostic Detail: The Diagonal Toast Avoid clichéd character tags—the random scar, the eye patch, the mysterious limp—unless they serve a deep narrative purpose. Matt Bird on episode 624 was very funny about this: he pointed out that Nick Fury, Odin, and eventually Thor all have eye patches in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Eye patches are done, he said. You cannot do eye patches anymore. Instead, look for what I'm calling the “diagonal toast” detail, after a scene Matt described from Captain Marvel. In the film, Captain Marvel is trying to determine whether Nick Fury is who he says he is. She asks him to prove he isn't a shapeshifting alien. Fury shares biographical details—his history, his mother—but then she pushes further and says, name one more thing you couldn't possibly have made up about yourself. And Fury says: if toast is cut diagonally, I can't eat it. Matt said that detail is gold for a writer because it feels pulled from a real life. You can pull it from your own life and gift it to your characters, and the reader can tell it's not manufactured. He gave another example from The Sopranos: Tony Soprano's mother won't answer the phone after dark. The show's creator, David Chase, confirmed on the DVD commentary that this came from his own mother, who genuinely would not answer the phone after dark and couldn't explain why. Matt's practical advice was to keep a journal. Write down the strange, specific things that people do or say. Mine your own life for those hyper-specific details. You just need one per book. In my own writing, I've used this approach. In my ARKANE thrillers, my character Morgan Sierra has always been Angelina Jolie in my mind—specifically Jolie in Lara Croft or Mr and Mrs Smith. And Blake Daniel in my crime thriller series was based on Jesse Williams from Grey's Anatomy. I paste pictures of actors into my Scrivener projects. It helps with visuals, but also with the sense of the character, their energy and physicality. But visual details only take you so far. It's the behavioural quirks—the diagonal toast moments—that make a character feel genuinely alive. That said, physical character tags can work brilliantly when they serve the story. As I discuss in How to Write a Novel, Robert Galbraith's Cormoran Strike is an amputee, and his pain and the physical challenges of his prosthesis are a key part of every story—it's not a cosmetic detail, it's woven into the action and the character's psychology. My character Blake Daniel always wears gloves to cover the scars on his hands, which provides an angle into his wounded past as well as a visual cue for the reader. And of course, Harry Potter's lightning-shaped scar isn't just a mark—it's a direct connection to his nemesis and the mythology of the entire series. The rule of thumb is: if the tag tells us something about the character's interior life or connects to the plot, it's earning its place. If it's just there to make the character visually distinctive, it's probably a crutch. Game of Thrones takes character tags further with the family houses, each with their own mottos and sigils. The Starks say “Winter is coming” and their sigil is a dire wolf. Those aren't just labels—they're worldview made visible. Actionable step: Start a “diagonal toast” notebook. Every time you notice something strange and specific about someone's behaviour—something that feels too real to be made up—write it down. Then gift it to a character who needs more texture. 7. Displace Your Own Trauma into the Work Barbara Nickless shared something deeply personal on episode 732 that fundamentally changed how I think about putting pain onto the page. While starting At First Light, the first book in her Dr. Evan Wilding series, she lost her son to epilepsy—something called SUDEP, Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy. One day he was there, and the next day he was gone. Barbara said that writing helped her cope with the trauma, that doing a deep dive into Old English literature and the Viking Age for the book's research became a lifeline. But here's what's important: she didn't give Dr. Evan Wilding her exact trauma. Evan Wilding is four feet five inches, and Barbara described how he has to walk through a world that won't adjust to him. That's its own form of learning to cope when circumstances are beyond your control. She displaced her genuine grief into the character's different but parallel struggle. When I asked her about the difference between writing for therapy and writing for an audience, she drew on her experience teaching creative writing to veterans through a collaboration between the US Department of Defense and the National Endowment for the Arts. She said she's found that she can pour her heartache into her characters and process it through them, even when writing professionally, and that the genuine emotion is what touches readers. We've all been through our own losses and griefs, so seeing how a character copes can be deeply meaningful. I've always found that putting my own pain onto the page is the most direct way to connect with a reader's soul. My character Morgan Sierra's musings on religion and the supernatural are often my own. Her restlessness, her fascination with the darker edges of faith—those come from me. But her Krav Maga fighting skills and her ability to kill the bad guys are definitely her own. That gap between what's mine and what's hers is where the fiction lives. Barbara also said something on that episode that I wrote down and stuck on my wall. She said the act of producing itself is a balm to the soul. I've been thinking about that ever since. On my own wall, I have “Measure your life by what you create.” Different words, same truth. Actionable step: If you're carrying something heavy—grief, anger, fear, regret—consider how you might displace it into a character's different but emotionally parallel struggle. Don't copy your exact situation; transform it. The emotion will be genuine, and the reader will feel it. 8. Write Diverse Characters as Real People When I spoke with Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer on episode 673—Sarah is Choctaw and a historical fiction author honoured by the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian—she offered a perspective that every fiction writer needs to hear. The key message was to move away from stereotypes. Don't write your American Indian character as the “Wise Guide” who exists solely to dispense mystic wisdom to the white protagonist. Don't limit diverse characters to historical settings, as though they only exist in the past. Place them in normal, contemporary roles. Your spaceship captain, your forensic scientist, your small-town baker—any of them can be American Indian, or Nigerian, or Japanese, and their heritage should be a lived-in part of their identity, not the sole reason they exist in the story. I write international thrillers and dark fantasy, and my fiction is populated with characters from all over the world. I have a multi-cultural family and I've lived in many places and travelled widely, so I've met, worked with, and had relationships with people from different cultures. I find story ideas through travel, and if I set my books in a certain place, then the story is naturally populated with the people who live there. As I discuss in my book, How to Write a Novel, the world is a diverse place, so your fiction needs to be populated with all kinds of people. If I only populated my fiction with characters like me, they would be boring novels. There are many dimensions of difference—race, nationality, sex, age, body type, ability, religion, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, class, culture, education level—and even then, don't assume that similar types of people think the same way. Some authors worry they will make mistakes. We live in a time of outrage, and some authors have been criticised for writing outside their own experience. So is it too dangerous to try? Of course not. The media amplifies outliers, and most authors include diverse characters in every book without causing offence because they work hard to get it right. It's about awareness, research, and intent. Actionable step: Audit the cast of your current work in progress. Have you written a mono-cultural perspective for all of them? If so, consider who could bring a different background, perspective, or set of cultural specifics to the story. Not as a token addition, but as a real person with a real life. 9. Respect Tribal and Cultural Specificity Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer on episode 673 was emphatic about one thing: never treat diverse groups as monolithic. If you're writing a Native American character, you must research the specific nation. Choctaw is not Navajo, just as British is not French. Sarah described the distinct cultural markers of the Choctaw people—the diamond pattern you'll see on traditional shirts and dresses, which represents the diamondback rattlesnake. They have distinct dances and songs. She said that if she saw someone in traditional dress at a distance, she would know whether they were Choctaw based on what they were wearing. She encouraged writers who want to write specifically about a nation to get to know those people. Go to events, go to a powwow, learn about the individual culture. She noted that a big misconception is that American Indians exist only in the past—she stressed that they are still here, still living their cultures, and fiction should reflect that present reality. I took a similar approach when writing Destroyer of Worlds, which is set mostly in India. I read books about Hindu myth, watched documentaries about the sadhus, and had one of my Indian readers from Mumbai check my cultural references. For Risen Gods, set in New Zealand with a young Maori protagonist, I studied books about Maori mythology and fiction by Maori authors, and had a male Maori reader check for cultural issues. Research is simply an act of empathy. The practical takeaway is this: if you're going to include a character from a specific cultural background, do the work. Use specific cultural details rather than generic signifiers. Sarah talked about how even she fell into stereotypes when she was first writing, until her mother pointed them out. If someone from within a culture can fall into those traps, the rest of us certainly can. Do the research, try your best, ask for help, and apologise if you need to. Actionable step: If you're writing a character from a specific culture, identify three to five sensory or behavioural details that are particular to that culture—not the generic version, but the real, researched, lived-in version. Consider hiring a sensitivity reader from that community to check your work. 10. Give Your Protagonist a Morally Neutral ‘Hero' Status Matt Bird was clear about this on episode 624: the word “hero” simply means the protagonist, the person we follow through the story. It's a functional role, not a moral label. We don't have to like them. We don't even have to root for their goals in a moral sense. We just have to find them compelling enough to invest our attention in their problem-solving. Think of Succession, where every member of the Roy family is varying degrees of awful, and yet the show was utterly compelling. Or WeCrashed, where Adam Neumann is a narcissistic con artist, but we can't look away because he's trying to solve the enormous problem of building an empire from nothing, and the tradecraft he employs is fascinating. As I wrote in How to Write a Novel, readers must want to spend time with your characters. They don't have to be lovable or even likable—that will depend on your genre and story choices—but they have to be captivating enough that we want to spend time with them. A character who is trying to solve a massive problem will naturally draw investment from the audience, even if we wouldn't want to have tea with them. Will Storr extended this idea by pointing out that the audience will actually root for a character to solve their problem even if the audience doesn't actually want the character's goal to be achieved in the real world. We don't really want more billionaires, but we invested in Adam Neumann's rise because that was the problem the story posed, and our brains are wired to invest in problem-solving. This connects to something deeper: what does your character want, and why? As I explore in How to Write a Novel, desire operates on multiple levels. Take a character like Phil, who joins the military during wartime. On the surface, she wants to serve her country. But she also wants to escape her dead-end town and learn new skills. Deeper still, her father and grandfather served, and by joining up, she hopes to finally earn their respect. And perhaps deepest of all, her father died on a mission under mysterious circumstances, and she wants to find out what happened from the inside. That layering of motivation is what turns a flat character into a three-dimensional one. The audience doesn't need to be told all of this explicitly. It can emerge through action, dialogue, and the choices the character makes under pressure. But you, the writer, need to know it. You need to know what your character really wants deep down, because that desire—more than any external plot device—is what drives the story forward. And your antagonist needs the same depth. They also want something, often diametrically opposed to your protagonist, and they need a reason that makes sense to them. In my ARKANE thriller Tree of Life, my antagonist is the heiress of a Brazilian mining empire who wants to restore the Earth to its original state to atone for the destruction caused by her father's company. She's part of a radical ecological group who believe the only way to restore Nature is to end all human life. It's extreme, but in an era of climate change, it's a motivation readers can understand—even if they disagree with the solution. Actionable step: If you're struggling to make a morally grey character work, make sure their problem is big enough and their methods are specific and interesting enough that we invest in the how, even if we're ambivalent about the what. 11. Build Vibrant Side Characters Gail Carriger made a point on episode 550 that was equal parts craft advice and business strategy. In a Heroine's Journey model, side characters aren't just fodder to be killed off to motivate the hero. They form a network. And because you don't have to kill them—unlike in a hero's journey, where allies are often betrayed or removed so the hero can be further isolated—you can pick up those side characters and give them their own books. Gail said this creates a really voracious reader base. You write one series with vivid side characters, and then readers fall in love with those side characters and want their stories. So you write spin-offs. The romance genre does this brilliantly—think of the Bridgerton books, where each sibling gets their own novel. The side character in one book becomes the protagonist in the next. Barbara Nickless experienced this firsthand with her Dr. Evan Wilding series. She has River Wilding, Evan's adventurous brother, and Diana, the axe-throwing research assistant, and her editor has already expressed interest in a spin-off series with those characters. Barbara described creating characters she wants to spend time with, or characters who give her nightmares but also intrigue her. That's the dual test: are they interesting enough for you to write, and interesting enough for readers to demand more? As I wrote in How to Write a Novel, characters that span series can deepen the reader's relationship with them as you expand their backstory into new plots. Readers will remember the character more than the plot or the book title, and look forward to the next instalment because they want more time with those people. British crime author Angela Marsons described it as readers feeling like returning to her characters is like putting on a pair of old slippers. Actionable step: Look at your supporting cast. Is there a side character who is vivid enough to carry their own story? If not, what could you add—a specific hobby, a distinct voice, a compelling backstory—that would make readers want more of them? 12. Use Voice as a Rhythmic Tool Voice is one of the most important elements of novel writing, and Matt Bird helped me think about it in a technical, mechanical way that I found really useful. He pointed out that the ratio of periods to commas defines a character's internal reality. A staccato rhythm—lots of periods, short sentences—suggests a character who is certain, grounded, or perhaps survivalist and traumatised. Katniss in The Hunger Games has a period-heavy voice. She's in survival mode. She doesn't have time for complexity or qualification. A flowing, comma-heavy style suggests someone more academic, more nuanced, or possibly more scattered and manipulative. The character who qualifies everything, who adds sub-clauses and digressions, is a different kind of person from the character who speaks in declarations. This is something you can actually measure. Pull up a passage of your character's dialogue or internal monologue and count the periods versus the commas. If the rhythm doesn't match who the character is supposed to be, you've found a mismatch you can fix. Sentence length is the heartbeat of your character's persona. And voice extends beyond rhythm to the words themselves. As I discussed in the metaphor families tip, each character should draw from a distinctive well of language. But voice also encompasses their relationship to silence. Some characters talk around the thing they mean; others say it straight. Some are self-deprecating; others are blunt to the point of rudeness. All of these choices are character choices, not just style choices. I find it useful to read my dialogue aloud—and not just to check for naturalness, but to hear whether each character sounds distinct. If you could swap dialogue lines between two characters and nobody would notice, you have a voice problem. One practical test: cover the dialogue tags and see if you can tell who's speaking from the words alone. Actionable step: Choose a key passage from your protagonist's point of view and read it aloud. Does the rhythm match the character? A soldier under fire should not sound like a philosophy professor at a wine tasting. Adjust the ratio of periods to commas until the voice feels right. 13. Link Character and Plot Until They're Inseparable Will Storr made the case on episode 490 that the number one problem he sees in the writing he encounters—in workshops, in submissions, even in published books—is that the characters and the plots are unconnected. There's a story happening, and there are people in it, but the story isn't a product of who those people are. He said a story should be like life. In our lives, the plots are intimately connected to who we are as characters. The goals we pursue, the obstacles we face, the same problems that keep recurring—these are products of our personalities, our flaws, our specific ways of being in the world. His framework is that your plot should be designed specifically to plot against your character. You've got a character with a particular flaw; the plot exists to test that flaw over and over until the character either transforms or doubles down and explodes. Jaws is the perfect example. Brody is afraid of water. A shark shows up in the coastal town he's responsible for protecting. The entire plot is engineered to force him to confront the one thing he cannot face. Will pointed out that the whole plot of Jaws is structured around Brody's flaw. It begins with the shark arriving, the midpoint is when Brody finally gets the courage to go into the water, and the very final scene isn't the shark blowing up—it's Brody swimming back through the water. Even a film that's ninety-eight percent action is, at its core, structured around a character with a character flaw. This is the standard I aspire to in my own work, even in my action-heavy thrillers. The external plot should be a mirror of the internal struggle. When those two are aligned, the story becomes irresistible. Will also made an important point about series fiction, which is where most commercial authors live. I asked him how this works when your character can't be transformed at the end of every book because there has to be a next book. His answer was elegant: you don't cure them. Episodic TV characters like Fleabag or David Brent or Basil Fawlty never truly change—and the fact that they don't change is actually the source of the comedy. But every episode throws a new story event at them that tests and exposes their flaw. You just keep throwing story events at them again and again. That's a soap opera, a sitcom, and a book series. As I wrote in How to Write a Novel, character flaws are aspects of personality that affect the person so much that facing and overcoming them becomes central to the plot. In Jaws, the protagonist Brody is afraid of the water, but he has to overcome that flaw to destroy the killer shark and save the town. But remember, your characters should feel like real people, so never define them purely by their flaws. The character addicted to painkillers might also be a brilliant and successful female lawyer who gets up at four in the morning to work out at the gym, likes eighties music, and volunteers at the local dog shelter at weekends. Character wounds are different from flaws. They're formed from life experience and are part of your character's backstory—traumatic events that happened before the events of your novel but shape the character's reactions in the present. In my ARKANE thrillers, Morgan Sierra's husband Elian died in her arms during a military operation. This happened before the series begins, but her memories of it recur when she faces a firefight, and she struggles to find happiness again for fear of losing someone she loves once more. And then there's the perennial advice: show, don't tell. Most writers have heard this so many times that it's easy to nod and then promptly write scenes that tell rather than show. Basically, you need to reveal your character through action and dialogue, rather than explanation. In my thriller Day of the Vikings, Morgan Sierra fights a Neo-Viking in the halls of the British Museum and brings him down with Krav Maga. That fight scene isn't just about showing action. It opens up questions about her backstory, demonstrates character, and moves the plot forward. Telling would be something like: “Morgan was an expert in Krav Maga.” Showing is the reader discovering it through the scene itself. Actionable step: Look at the main plot events of your novel. For each major turning point, ask: does this scene specifically test my protagonist's flaw? If not, can you redesign the scene so that it does? The tighter the connection between character and plot, the more powerful the story. 14. The ‘Maestra' Approach: Write Out of Order If you're a discovery writer like me, you may feel like the deep character work I've been describing sounds more suited to plotters. But Barbara Nickless gave me a beautiful metaphor on episode 732 that reframes it entirely. Barbara described her evolving writing process as being like a maestra standing in front of an orchestra. Sometimes you bring in the horns—a certain theme—and sometimes you bring in the strings—a certain character—and sometimes you turn to the soloist. It's a more organic and jumping-around process than linear writing, and Barbara said she's only recently given herself permission to work this way. When I told her that I use Scrivener to write in scenes out of order and then drag and drop them into a structure later, she was genuinely intrigued. And this is how I've always worked. I'll see the story in my mind like a movie trailer—flashes of the big emotional scenes, the pivotal confrontations, the moments of revelation—and I write those first. I don't know how they hang together until quite late in the process. Then I'll move scenes around, print the whole thing out, and figure out the connective tissue. The point is that discovery writers can absolutely build deep characters. Sometimes writing the big emotional scenes first is how you discover who the character is before you fill in the rest. You don't need a twenty-page character worksheet or a 200-page outline like Jeffery Deaver. You need to be willing to follow the character into the unknown and trust that the structure will emerge. As Barbara said, she writes to know what she's thinking. That's the discovery writer's credo. And I would add: I write to know who my characters are. Actionable step: If you're stuck on your current chapter, skip it. Write the scene that's burning in your imagination, even if it's from the middle or the end. That scene might be the key to unlocking who your character really is. 15. Use Research to Help with Empathy Research shouldn't just be about factual accuracy—it's a tool for finding the sensory details that create empathy. Barbara Nickless described research as almost an excuse to explore things that fascinate her, and I feel exactly the same way. I would go so far as to say that writing is an excuse for me to explore the things that interest me. Barbara and I both travel for our stories. For her Dr. Evan Wilding books, she did deep research into Old English literature and the Viking Age. For my thriller End of Days, I transcribed hours of video from Appalachian snake-handling churches on YouTube to understand the worldview of the worshippers, because my antagonist was brought up in that tradition. I couldn't just make that up. I had to hear their language, feel their conviction, understand why they would hold venomous serpents as an act of faith. Barbara also mentioned getting to Israel and the West Bank for research, and I've been to both places too. Finding that one specific sensory detail—the smell of a particular location, the specific way an expert handles a tool, the sound of a particular kind of music—makes the character's life feel lived-in. It's the difference between a character who is described as living in a place and a character who inhabits it. As I wrote in How to Write a Novel, don't write what you know. Write what you want to learn about. I love research. It's part of why I'm an author in the first place. I take any excuse to dive into a world different from my own. Research using books, films, podcasts, and travel, and focus particularly on sources produced by people from the worldview you want to understand. Actionable step: For your next piece of character research, go beyond reading. Watch a documentary, visit a location, talk to someone who lives the experience. Find one sensory detail—a smell, a sound, a texture—that you couldn't have invented. That detail will make your character feel real. Bonus: Measure Your Life by What You Create In an age of AI and a tsunami of content, your ultimate brand protection is the quality of your human creation. Barbara Nickless said that the act of producing itself is a balm to the soul, and I believe that with every fibre of my being. Don't be afraid to take that step back, like I did with my deadlifting. Take the time to master these deeper craft skills. It might feel like you're slowing down or going backwards by not chasing the latest marketing trend, but it's the only way to step forward into a sustainable, high-quality career. Your characters are your signature. No AI can replicate the specificity of your lived experience, the emotional truth of your displaced trauma, or the sensory details you've gathered from a life of curiosity and travel. Those are yours. Pour them into your characters, and they will resonate for years to come. Actionable Takeaway: Identify the Dramatic Question for your current protagonist. Can you state it in a single sentence with the kind of specificity Will Storr described? Is it as clear as “Are you ordinary or extraordinary?” or “Are you the only adult in the room?” If you can't answer it with that kind of precision, your character might still be a sketch. Give them a diagonal toast moment today. Find the one hyper-specific detail that proves they are not an imitation of life. And then ask yourself: does your plot test your character's flaw in every major scene? If you can align those two things—a precisely defined character and a plot that exists to test them—you will have a story that readers cannot put down. References and Deep Dives The episodes I've referenced today are all available with full transcripts at TheCreativePenn.com: Episode 732 — Facing Fears, and Writing Unique Characters with Barbara Nickless Episode 673 — Writing Choctaw Characters and Diversity in Fiction with Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer Episode 624 — Writing Characters with Matt Bird Episode 550 — The Heroine's Journey with Gail Carriger Episode 490 — How Character Flaws Shape Story with Will Storr Books mentioned: The Secrets of Character: Writing a Hero Anyone Will Love by Matt Bird The Science of Storytelling by Will Storr The Heroine's Journey by Gail Carriger How to Write a Novel: From Idea to Book by Joanna Penn You can find all my books for authors at CreativePennBooks.com and my fiction and memoir at JFPennBooks.com Happy writing! How was this episode created? This episode was initiated created by NotebookLM based on YouTube videos of the episodes linked above from YouTube/TheCreativePenn, plus my text chapters on character from How to Write a Novel. NotebookLM created a blog post from the material and then I expanded it and fact checked it with Claude.ai 4.6 Opus, and then I used my voice clone at ElevenLabs to narrate it. The post Writing Characters: 15 Actionable Tips For Writing Deep Character first appeared on The Creative Penn.
Creativity as a Lifeline: A Conversation with Jaime TownzenWhat happens when grief, loss, and uncertainty open a doorway back to creativity? In this soulful episode of The Creative Genius Podcast, host Kate Shepherd speaks with artist and author Jaime Townzen about how watercolour became her lifeline during a dark time, and how following her spark led her to write and publish her debut novel Absorbed. Together they explore creativity as healing, intuition as guidance, the courage to embrace being an artist, and how art helps us through times of crisis.Listeners will hear about Jaime's journey from stay-at-home mom to professional artist and novelist, the power of daily creative rituals, the role of curiosity as an antidote to anxiety, and how to trust your own calling. This conversation is a balm for anyone longing to reconnect with their creative spark and live more fully as themselves.This week on the Creative Genius Podcast, I sat down with artist and author Jaime Townzen. Her story is one of grief, healing, and rediscovering herself through creativity — a path that eventually led her to publish her first novel Absorbed.We talked about why art matters in times of crisis, how daily creative rituals can reorient your whole life, and what it means to follow your calling even when it doesn't make sense on paper.Jaime's journey is a beautiful reminder that creativity isn't indulgent — it's essential.
Send us a textIsrael López Reyes swung by the studio before the opening of his recent commission to discuss his background leading up to it and his success as an Angeleno playwright. We discuss his journey from actor to playwright, how he fell into theatre and his discovery to figuring out story and telling stories that matter. We unpack the evolution of emerging playwrights, the process and approach to character, the elements of structure, learning from the Greats, mastering the craft as well as tricks and tools, and the equation and formula to playwriting. We also touch on community as a market, raising stakes, receiving commissions, the purpose of a mentor, and writing for your "species." It's an impactful conversation that every playwright can benefit from. Enjoy!Israel López Reyes is a playwright and actor born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. He is currently a commissioned writer with the Latino Theater Company as part of the Circle of Imaginistas. In addition to The Little King of Norwalk other worka includes Queen of Califas, South Gate and The Rehabilitation of Walter. His plays have been developed with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival's Black Swan Lab/Latinx Play Project, the Latinx Theatre Alliance Los Angeles, Company of Angels, LA City College New Visions New Voices, and the Latino Theater Company at the Los Angeles Theatre Center. He received his B.A. in English from Southern Methodist University and his M.F.A. in Acting from UCLA School of Theater, Film & Television. He has also taught courses in theater at UCLA School of Theater Film & Television and Los Angeles City College.For tickets to The Little King of Norwalk at the Latino Theater Company, September 25th - November 2nd, visit - https://purchase.latinotheaterco.org/EventAvailability?EventId=345&ref=bookNow&scroll=timeAndDatesTo watch the video format of this episode, visit - https://youtu.be/IgzoQwjQ7r0Website and Socials for Israel López Reyes -IG - @IsraelLopezreyes Websites and socials for James Elden, Punk Monkey Productions and Playwright's SpotlightPunk Monkey Productions - www.punkmonkeyproductions.comPLAY Noir -www.playnoir.comPLAY Noir Anthology –www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.htmlJames Elden -Twitter - @jameseldensauerIG - @alakardrakeFB - fb.com/jameseldensauerPunk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir - Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods - @playnoirla IG - @punkmonkeyprods - @playnoir_la FB - fb.com/playnoir - fb.com/punkmonkeyproductionsPlaywright's Spotlight -Twitter - @wrightlightpod IG - @playwrights_spotlightPlaywriting services through LACPFest - www.lacpfest.comSupport the show
Taking a mini break from our genre essentials series this week to chat about characters. How do you get to know your characters? I'm sharing 5 tips on some fun ways to help your characters reveal themselves to you before you start writing, or even during the writing process. I hope you enjoy this one. And don't forget if you have a question you'd like answered just reach out. Don't forget to like and subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode. And if you have a burning questions you'd like answered, please email through my contact form on my website https://www.jfgibson.com.au/, or reach out on Instagram where you'll find me @jfgibsonwriter subscribe to my Substack https://writesquadcommunity.substack.com/ for lots more on writing, publishing, books and more. You can also support the podcast by buying me a coffee on https://ko-fi.com/jodigibson Your support helps with the hosting and production costs of the show, so thank you. And, you'll get a shout out on the next episode too! Happy listening (and writing)! Jodi
Let's review the key scenes that each novel needs and how to get started on writing a novel. Like Substack? Find me at Lessons In Story. https://lessonsinstory.substack.comSign up for my writers' newsletter to learn more about the craft of writing, know when my workshops are and be the first to get exclusive information on my writing retreats. https://katcaldwell.com/writers-newsletterWant more information on my books, author swaps, short stories and what I'm reading? Sign up for my readers' newsletter. https://storylectory.katcaldwell.com/signup You can always ask me writing questions on instagram @katcaldwell_writing
This week we're looking into the stories that inspire and move us, focusing on those that focus on everyday characters who are extraordinary in their very ordinariness. We speak to guest Sadeqa Johnson about the characters who've called to her, those voices that became well-rounded characters who she brought to life. This episode touches on a bit of magic, and what it's like to listen to and get to know the characters who end up in the books we want to write. There's much to love about this episode, not the least of which is Sadeqa's energy and enthusiasm for her craft. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week we're looking into the stories that inspire and move us, focusing on those that focus on everyday characters who are extraordinary in their very ordinariness. We speak to guest Sadeqa Johnson about the characters who've called to her, those voices that became well-rounded characters who she brought to life. This episode touches on a bit of magic, and what it's like to listen to and get to know the characters who end up in the books we want to write. There's much to love about this episode, not the least of which is Sadeqa's energy and enthusiasm for her craft. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Episode Summary: In this episode, Kelly and Alix interview The Stardust Thief author Chelsea Abdullah.Special OfferVisit litjoycrate.com/chelsea to get 15% off Chelsea's collection using the code "LOULIE". Only valid within 48 hours of the airing of this episode!Topics Discussed:[1:20] The Ashfire King by Chelsea Abdullah https://amzn.to/47eJcfT[3:41] Becoming an Author and Publishing The Stardust Thief[12:53] The Sandsea Trilogy[14:45] Writing Characters[22:54] Bringing a Character to Life[32:16] Writing the First Draft[35:50] Chelsea's Writing Ritual[38:13] Fictional World to Visit[41:14] Fictional Character to Meet[48:30] Chelsea's TBR[50:20] Final QuestionsAuthor BioChelsea Abdullah is the award-winning author of The Sandsea Trilogy, an epic fantasy series that begins with The Stardust Thief. An American-Kuwaiti writer born and raised in Kuwait, she grew up listening to stories about mysterious desert creatures and wily (only sometimes likable) heroes.Consumed by wanderlust, she has put down roots in various states. After earning her MA in English at Duquesne University, she moved to the East Coast, where she currently lives. When not immersed in her own fictional worlds, she spends her free time playing video games, doodling characters, and hoarding books she doesn't have the shelf space for.Other Resources MentionedThe Starless Sea by Erin MorgensternThe Night Circus by Erin MorgensternGideon the Ninth by Tamsyn MuirStrange the Dreamer by Laini TaylorThe Dividing Sky by Jill TewThis Ends in Embers by Kamilah ColeThe Princess Bride by William GoldmanWhat's New at LitJoy?You asked—we delivered...our coveted Throne of Glass Bookshelf Alley is BACK, but only for a limited time! Take home this iconic moment before this opportunity disappears into the forest like the Lord of the North. Follow LitJoy!Join our Lunacorns private membership group at https://litjoycrate.com/podcast-lunacornsFollow us on Instagram @litjoycrateFollow us on TikTok @litjoycrateUse the code PODCAST10 for a 10% off discount! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Notes:Though we don't directly mention them by name, these previous episodes are connected with this series:Episode 31: Writing diverse charactersEpisode 188: Neurodivergence and Creativity Part 1Episode 189: Neurodivergence and Creativity Part 2Episode 190: A panel on neurodiversity and creativityEpisode 202: Language affects perceptionEpisode 239: Writing with DisabilitiesEpisode 240: Writing Characters with DisabilitiesEpisode 241: Diversity in Six of CrowsAs part of this discussion series, we use this definition of embodying:- “To give a concrete form to; To express, personify, or exemplify; To make corporeal, to give body to a spirit, or to incorporate.”Here are a few articles and videos we consulted in preparation for this series of episodes:- Amy Tan Teaches Fiction, Memory, and Imagination Masterclass Video “3. Memory, Truth, and Imagination”- TedEd Video “How to write descriptively - Nalo Hopkinson”- Diane Callahan Quotidian Video “Writing Fiction with Emotional Honesty”- Jericho Writers Article “Emotions In Writing: How To Make Your Readers Feel”- Writers Helping Writers Website & “https://onestopforwriters.com/thesaurus”- LitHub.com Article “Nicola Griffith on Writing Immersive Historical Fiction”- Writer's Digest Article “The Journey of Character Creation: How Trauma and Empathy Inspire Fiction”- The Guardian Article “Character building and what makes a truly great actor”- Arts.ac.uk Article “Techniques: Get audition ready- Embody a character”- Mariam-Webster.com Definition of Empathy- GreaterGood.Berkely.Org Article “What is Empathy?”- Linda S. Clare Article “Writing with Empathy”Books and Films Mentioned:- Getting into Character: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn From Actors by Brandilyn Collins Music from: https://filmmusic.io ‘Friendly day' by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:Though we don't directly mention them by name, these previous episodes are connected with this series:Episode 31: Writing diverse charactersEpisode 188: Neurodivergence and Creativity Part 1Episode 189: Neurodivergence and Creativity Part 2Episode 190: A panel on neurodiversity and creativityEpisode 202: Language affects perceptionEpisode 239: Writing with DisabilitiesEpisode 240: Writing Characters with DisabilitiesEpisode 241: Diversity in Six of CrowsAs part of this discussion, we use this definition of embodying:- “To give a concrete form to; To express, personify, or exemplify; To make corporeal, to give body to a spirit, or to incorporate.”Here are a few articles and videos we consulted in preparation for this episode:- Amy Tan Teaches Fiction, Memory, and Imagination Masterclass Video “3. Memory, Truth, and Imagination”- TedEd Video “How to write descriptively - Nalo Hopkinson”- Diane Callahan Quotidian Video “Writing Fiction with Emotional Honesty”- Jericho Writers Article “Emotions In Writing: How To Make Your Readers Feel”- Writers Helping Writers Website & “https://onestopforwriters.com/thesaurus”- LitHub.com Article “Nicola Griffith on Writing Immersive Historical Fiction”- Writer's Digest Article “The Journey of Character Creation: How Trauma and Empathy Inspire Fiction”- The Guardian Article “Character building and what makes a truly great actor”- Arts.ac.uk Article “Techniques: Get audition ready- Embody a character”- Mariam-Webster.com Definition of Empathy- GreaterGood.Berkely.Org Article “What is Empathy?”- Linda S. Clare Article “Writing with Empathy”Books and Films Mentioned:- The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression (Second Edition) by Becca Puglisi and Angela Ackerman - The Emotional Wound Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Psychological Trauma by Becca Puglisi and Angela Ackerman Music from: https://filmmusic.io ‘Friendly day' by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:Though we don't directly mention them by name, these previous episodes are connected with this series:- Episode 31: Writing diverse characters- Episode 188: Neurodivergence and Creativity Part 1- Episode 189: Neurodivergence and Creativity Part 2- Episode 190: A panel on neurodiversity and creativity- Episode 202: Language affects perception- Episode 239: Writing with Disabilities- Episode 240: Writing Characters with DisabilitiesAs part of this discussion, we use the CDC's definition:- “A disability is any condition of the body or mind (impairment) that makes it more difficult for the person with the condition to do certain activities (activity limitation) and interact with the world around them (participation restrictions).”- “There are many types of disabilities, such as those that affect a person's: Vision, Movement, Thinking, Remembering, Learning, Communicating, Hearing, Mental health, and Social relationships.”- “Although ‘people with disabilities' sometimes refers to a single population, this is actually a diverse group of people with a wide range of needs. Two people with the same type of disability can be affected in very different ways. Some disabilities may be hidden or not easy to see.”Here are a few articles we consulted in preparation for this series:- DisabilityinKidLit.com Article “Interview with Leigh Bardugo about Six of Crows”- CDC Disability and Health Overview Website - “What is a Disability?”- ADA (Information, Guidelines, and Training on the Americans w/ Disabilities Act) Website Guidelines for Writing About People With Disabilities- NEA.org Article “What to Know About Invisable Disibilities”- PenguinRandomHouse.com Article “Beloved Book Characters With Disabilities”- TheGuardian.com Article “The disabled villain: why sensitivity reading can't kill off this ugly trope”- DiverseBooks.org Article “How Stories About Disability Help Create Empathy”- Mariam-Webster.com Definition of Empathy- GreaterGood.Berkely.Org Article “What is Empathy?”- BookRiot.com Article “On Imperfect Representation vs. No Representation”- TheMighty.com Article “8 Movie Characters That Show These 6 Classic PTSD Symptoms”- TheMighty.com 22 Fictional Characters People w/ Anxiety Relate To- Modcast.blog Article “Ranked: Deaf Characters in Fiction”- Yahoo Insider Article “'Bridgerton' fans are praising the disability representation in season 3, including an 'autistic-coded' character”- DisabilityHorizons.com Article “20 books with a disabled character as the lead or focus of the story”- BurlingtonCountyTimes.com Article “Dyspraxia, Daredevil and disabilities in fiction”- LaneWilliam.wordpress.com Article “Disabled Characters Who Rock”Books and Films Mentioned:- Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo - Crooked Kingdom: A Sequel to Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo Music from: https://filmmusic.io ‘Friendly day' by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Notes:Though we don't directly mention them by name, these previous episodes are connected with this series:- Episode 31: Writing diverse characters- Episode 188: Neurodivergence and Creativity Part 1- Episode 189: Neurodivergence and Creativity Part 2- Episode 190: A panel on neurodiversity and creativity- Episode 202: Language affects perceptionAs part of this discussion, we use the CDC's definition: - “A disability is any condition of the body or mind (impairment) that makes it more difficult for the person with the condition to do certain activities (activity limitation) and interact with the world around them (participation restrictions).”- “There are many types of disabilities, such as those that affect a person's: Vision, Movement, Thinking, Remembering, Learning, Communicating, Hearing, Mental health, and Social relationships.”- “Although ‘people with disabilities' sometimes refers to a single population, this is actually a diverse group of people with a wide range of needs. Two people with the same type of disability can be affected in very different ways. Some disabilities may be hidden or not easy to see.” Here are a few articles we consulted in preparation for this series:- CDC Disability and Health Overview Website - “What is a Disability?”- ADA (Information, Guidelines, and Training on the Americans w/ Disabilities Act) Website Guidelines for Writing About People With Disabilities- NEA.org Article “What to Know About Invisable Disabilities”- PenguinRandomHouse.com Article “Beloved Book Characters With Disabilities”- TheGuardian.com Article “The disabled villain: why sensitivity reading can't kill off this ugly trope” - DiverseBooks.org Article “How Stories About Disability Help Create Empathy”- Mariam-Webster.com Definition of Empathy- GreaterGood.Berkely.Org Article “What is Empathy?”- BookRiot.com Article “On Imperfect Representation vs. No Representation”- TheMighty.com Article “8 Movie Characters That Show These 6 Classic PTSD Symptoms”- TheMighty.com 22 Fictional Characters People w/ Anxiety Relate To - Modcast.blog Article “Ranked: Deaf Characters in Fiction”- Yahoo Insider Article “'Bridgerton' fans are praising the disability representation in season 3, including an 'autistic-coded' character”- DisabilityHorizons.com Article “20 books with a disabled character as the lead or focus of the story”- BurlingtonCountyTimes.com Article “Dyspraxia, Daredevil and disabilities in fiction”- LaneWilliam.wordpress.com Article “Disabled Characters Who Rock” In this series, the Verbivore talks about her experience with learning about dyspraxia and mentions that she'd never even heard the word until several years ago and that it's a type of neurodivergence that's not as well known. Here are some of the resources that she‘s found helpful in her journey:- Dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk Article “Dyspraxia at a glance”- YouTube Video "Rewiring Dyspraxia from the Brain | Farah Nanji | TEDxLuxembourgCity”- YouTube Video “Dyspraxic and Fantastic! | Ellie Madeira | TEDxCCGrammarSchool”- Attitudemag.com article “What is Dyspraxia? Clumsy Child Syndrome”- TheUnwritten.co.uk article “How the Media Discusses Daniel Radcliffe's Dyspraxia is Outdated and Damaging”If you'd like to learn more about neurodiversity, here are a few articles and videos to get you started:- ChildMind.org Article “What Is Neurodiversity? And how can parents support kids who are neurodivergent?”- MedicalNewsToday.com Article “What to know about autism in girls”- PsychCentral.com Article “Masking in Autism: The ‘Why' Matters”- Ted-Ed Video “What is dyslexia? - Kelli Sandman-Hurley”- YouTube Video “Autism is a difference, not a disorder | Katie Forbes | TEDxAberdeen”- YouTube Video “Unmasking the Stigma Behind Autism in Females | Emmy Peach | TEDxUGA”Music from: https://filmmusic.io ‘Friendly day' by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) Licence: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Today we discuss the reasons for having an author email list. What the benefits are and how you can utilise this method for promotion of your book and for maintaining a closer contact with your readers, followers and subscribers to your website, blog, etc.
Making sure you have characters that are realistic means describing them vividly. It is your job as the writer to ensure that your reader can envisage the characters in their mind when reading about them. Todays podcast gives you some insight into how to do this.
In this podcast I wanted to share with you a few writing tips that I think may help you when it comes to writing your story. Remember, most stories have already been told just not in the way you will tell it. And that is what writing is all about. By using your imagination, emotions, experiences etc and by thinking outside the box you should be able to produce a great masterpiece.
Are we willing to walk with our characters? Are we willing to go far enough? Are we willing to let go to find transcendence? This episode's special guest is former Editor in Chief of Philomel Books, Patricia Lee Gauch. Patti (as she's known by her friends) was T. A. Barron's editor for over 30 years – editing 27 of his 32 books. T. A. and Patti speak passionately about finding the core values of your story, then protecting and nurturing them, and letting them shine organically. Hear two seasoned writers explore the power of humor and magic in stories, as well as the importance of voice. Patti urges us, “Trust the universal storyteller in you. If you only trust your brain, you may have a compositionally powerful piece, but you may have missed the beating heart. And that is what we're going for – the beating heart.” Where did it all begin for Patti? And… how do we, as authors, earn our ending? You don't want to miss this lively and completely inspiring conversation about voice, character, and the beating heart of story. Aspiring writers – this one's for you. About Patricia Lee Gauch: I am Patricia Lee Gauch, my writers call me Patti. I have worn many hats – journalist, author, teacher, lecturer and finally editor, but all of my hats have been grounded in writing. And my relationships with my writers have passed into sacred space, from my point of view. I have worked with Patricia Polacco, Brian Jacques, Eric Carle, Andrew Clements, Janet Lisle, Jane Yolen, but the first writer I worked with at Philomel was T.A. Barron. The renowned Madeleine L'Engle discovered him at a retreat, was impressed, and brought him to my agent Dorothy Markinko, and she brought him to me, fledgling editor. He was and always has been an unusual mix of writer of fantasy writer and environmentalist, wroter of fantasy and philosopher. As he walks his Colorado mountains, which he does regularly, he is always searching for ideas. His characters are often paradigms, rich in their humor, their courage, their humanity. That's Tom, searching. And discovering. Tom and my fondest memories were rooted in editorial sessions at his mountaintop cabin in Colorado. We would sit in a window that looked out on a meadow, simply breathing open air, and we would begin a somewhat miraculous brainstorming. I was often the tip-master, but Tom could catch fireflies of ideas, and when he realized that there was a key Merlin story still to be told, he began writing his life's work. We are partners still. And partners here today. Check out Patricia Lee Gauch's novels and picture books. Magic & Mountains is hosted by T. A. Barron, beloved author of 32 books and counting. Carolyn Hunter is co-host. Magic & Mountains Theme Song by Julian Peterson.
This week, Ramya and Jacob convene with the book club to have an in depth discussion on what specifically makes a book enjoyable. Everyone shares their ranking of the following 4 elements in order of personal importance to their enjoyment of a book; Plot, writing, characters and setting. Spoiler alert, opinions differ. We also wrap up banned books week, which ended on October 7th, with a few shocking statistics from the ALA, American Library Association as well as take a look back at the history of book bannings
In this podcast, Richard Chizmar talks about Becoming The Boogeyman, writing characters based on real people, future writing projects, and much more. About Richard Chizmar Richard Chizmar is a New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Amazon, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author. He is the co-author (with Stephen King) of the bestselling … Continue reading
Are you a fan of celebrity romances? Prepare to get the behind-the-scenes scoop with author Ava Wilder as we delve into her latest novel, Will They or Won't They. Plus, we explore the complexities of her main characters, Lilah and Shane, and the real-life celebrity gossip that inspired this story. From discussing her writing process to sharing her literary influences and current reading recommendations, Ava offers an exclusive insight into her creative world.BOOK: Will They or Won't They by Ava Wilder on Amazon or Bookshop.SHOW NOTES & BOOKLIST: Find the episode show notes and a list of all the books mentioned here.MORE RESOURCES: Visit bibliolifestyle.com for more information and resources to help you in your reading journey.JOIN THE COMMUNITY:Join the BiblioLifestyle Community & the Bring Your Own Book (BYOB) Club for a fun, online book club experience! Come and share books you've read, get inspiration for what to read next, make friends, and encourage each other along the way. Learn more and join the community: bibliolifestyle.com/community.Join the members-only BiblioLifestyle Community & Bring Your Own Book (BYOB) Club! Here we read what we want, make friends, and encourage each other along the way. Attend our online book club, seasonally-themed brunches, workshops, plus more. Visit bibliolifestyle.com/community for more details and to join us. Download your free copy of The BiblioLifestyle 2023 Summer Reading Guide by visiting thesummerreadingguide.com. This year's guide features forty-eight new books, organized across eight categories, plus a minimalist reads list of eight must-read books. The guide also includes fun recipes, summer activities, reading and lifestyle tips, classic books, and a fun challenge. Get your free guide today!
So much is happening in the world of film and entertainment! And from a depth perspective there is no one better to talk about this with than "Wiz" Remi Adeleke! He's a former Navy SEAL, actor, entrepreneur, filmmaker, and SO MUCH MORE! Noah & Remi will wax the potential coming WGA Writer's Strike (writers create stories), the power of authentic characters, AND a non-spoiler review from Remi on "John Wick: Chapter 4". Noah wants to know if it lives up to the original film. PLUS, there's a major UPDATE on upcoming film projects Remi is working on. Be salt. Be light. https://www.youtube.com/@remiadeleke1278 --> Remi Adeleke's YouTube Channel. #TransformedStory#TheUnexpected#RemiAdeleke#ThePowerOfWriting#AuthenticCharacters#JohnWickChapter4#FilmMakingSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5 Minute WriterArticleJosh's WebsiteConnect with Josh on Twitter!Connect with David on TwitterLast week on the interview series I talked to Rob Hart, author of six novels. He shared how he develops suspense early in a novel to keep readers engaged. 3 BIG TAKEAWAYS Writing real charactersFinding people you trust to work withHow our life experiences can drive our fictionBIOJosh Stallings' latest book TRICKY, was listed by Library Journal as one of the ten best crime books of 2021. YOUNG AMERICANS, a disco heist novel was nominated for the Lefty and Anthony awards. Born in Los Angeles, and raised by counter-culture activists in Northern California, he grew up an undiagnosed dyslexic and spent some time as a petty criminal and failed actor before becoming a movie trailer editor. He, his wife, and two wonderful mutts now live in Idyllwild. TRICKY, was written in honor of his son Dylan, who is intellectually disabled.
If you're looking to write a character with mental illness, here's my experience and some tips for writing them.
“All three of the books that I have written during the pandemic have really been my way of going into another world and finding a place where none of this was happening. And that I could just relax and have fun. And so, I hope that my books are that kind of fun, joyous of maybe slightly salacious time for readers, too, because that's what I enjoyed as I was writing them.” Jasmine Guillory is one of our favorite rom-com authors, with her seventh and eighth books (By the Book and Drunk on Love) releasing this year. Jasmine joins us on the show to talk about writing Black leads in romance, her literary influences, releasing three books during the pandemic and connecting with readers in person again, her love for the Bay Area, the elements that make up a signature Jasmine Guillory novel, and much more with guest host, Elani Wilson. And we end this episode with a TBR Topoff with Marc and Rhys riffing on their favorite Jasmine Guillory novels Featured Books (episode) Drunk on Love by Jasmine Guillory While We Were Dating by Jasmine Guillory By the Book by Jasmine Guillory Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory The Wedding Party by Jasmine Guillory Counterfeit by Kirstin Chen This episode of Poured Over is produced and hosted by Elani Wilson and mixed by Harry Liang. Follow us here for new episodes Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays). A full transcript of this episode is available here.
In this law and order episode of Writing Break, I'm dishing out two scoops of courtroom drama with a sprinkling of murder. So, let's take a break from the summer heat and discuss antagonists, the characters we love to hate. https://medium.com/@dinchamion (Greg Fazekas) - Featured Author https://www.facebook.com/IdaZimsen/ (Iða Zimsen, Reykjavik, Iceland) - Featured Bookstore https://www.theatlantic.com/books/archive/2022/07/where-the-crawdads-sing-delia-mark-owens-zambia-murder/670479/ ('Where the Crawdads Sing' Author Wanted for Questioning in Murder - The Atlantic) https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-07-19/stephen-king-set-to-testify-in-book-publishing-antitrust-trial (Bloomberg - Stephen King Set to Testify in Book Publishing Antitrust Trial) https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-sues-block-penguin-random-house-s-acquisition-rival-publisher-simon (Justice Department Sues to Block Penguin Random House's Acquisition of Rival Publisher Simon & Schuster | OPA | Department of Justice) https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/jul/14/alleged-book-thief-filippo-bernardini-may-avoid-trial-in-the-us (Alleged book thief Filippo Bernardini may avoid trial in the US | Books | The Guardian) https://forms.aweber.com/form/64/1857023764.htm (Free Style Sheet Templates) https://medium.com/@rosemi (Free Writing Tips) Music licensed from Storyblocks: “More Jam Please” by Raighes Factory “Spirit in the Sunrise” by Jon Presstone “Warm Honey” by Jon Presstone “Summer Funk Disco Madness” by MEDIA MUSIC Group “Action Bravery Music” by Bobby Cole
WE ARE BACK!!!In this episode, we talk about how to write a strong female character without using the stereotypes we often see!Come have a drink & listen!Shout out to D.M. Lewry for her first book in the Wynter Blood Series: The EOS Key!Support the show
How do we decide on the hero for our story? How can we write distinctive — but still believable — characters? Matt Bird talks about aspects of writing character. In the intro, a guide to UBLs, Universal Book Links [Draft2Digital]; Your author brand [Ask ALLi with me and Orna Ross]; The Creator Economy in Bath. […] The post Writing Characters With Matt Bird first appeared on The Creative Penn.
Amelia Loken, author of Unravel, talks to us about her debut novel featuring a main character who is a deaf, self-rescuing princess with embroidery magic. Amelia talks about her efforts to make sure her book represents the true experience of a deaf person, even though its set in a fantasy world. And she shares her own experience dealing with hearing loss. Get Unravel: books2read.com/u/4joMrD Connect on Twitter: @amelialoken
Welcome to Episode 37 of the Stories to Love Podcast. Today's episode is with AC Arthur. AC Arthur has worked as a paralegal in every field of law since high school, but her first love is and will always be writing romance. She's written and won awards for her acclaimed Donovans and Shadow Shifters contemporary and paranormal romance series. Under her pen name, Lacey Baker, she created the quaint small town of Sweetland and wrote the novelization for the Original Hallmark Channel Movie, A Gingerbread Romance.After years of hosting reader appreciation events, AC created the One Love Reunion, an event designed to bring readers and authors together to celebrate their love of books.AC resides in Maryland with her family, where she's currently working on her next book…or watching Criminal Minds.In this episode we discussed her most recent AC Arthur book The After Party and the freedom she felt in writing it, the magic of the first line, her four pen names, and the reader conference she founded called One Love Reunion.We also get to hear little snippets of Vader, AC's sweet dog!Links discussed:Christmas in Rose BendNo Ordinary ChristmasChristmas Data BreachUnwrapped Romance PodcastAffiliate links are included with these links.
Guest author Tamie Dearen is in a discussion with Alessandra Torre about writing characters your readers will love and sympathize with, even when your plot forces them to do unlikable things.This is an unedited chat loaded with questions and answers. Listen in!Did you know you can get an expert analysis of your novel in just minutes?Get your book analyzed here > https://authors.ai/
In this episode, we discussed:Writing to market vs. writing what you feel inspired to writeFreewriting to really get to know your charactersTips on how to make character's voices distinct in dialogueDifferentiating characters based on the impact they have on other characters in a storyElizabeth's Books and Books we discussed in the episodeGeorgie Girl by Elizabeth Sumner WaflerIn Robin's Nest by Elizabeth Sumner WaflerWriting the Breakout Novel by Donald MaassBefore and After the Book Deal by Courtney MaumMeet Elizabeth Sumner WaflerElizabeth is a writer and the author of four novels. She is an active volunteer with the Women's Fiction Writers Association and loves working with developing writers through her side hustle Four Eyes Editorial. Elizabeth, her husband and cairn terrier Mirabelle recently moved from Charlottesville Virginia to the booming southern hotspot--and the place of her birth--Greenville, South Carolina, which Conde Nast ranked the sixth best small city in America. She never misses a farmer's market or chance to explore art, music, and foodie destinations, or hiking opportunities in the Blue Ridge Mountains of the upstate.Connect with Elizabeth Sumner WaflerElizabeth on InstagramElizabeth on TwitterElizabeth's Website Like the Podcast?Are you a subscriber? If not, I invite you to subscribe, so you'll get notified every time a new episode goes up.Click here to subscribe on iTunes.Click here to subscribe on Stitcher.And, if you're enjoying what you're hearing, I'd be super grateful if you left me a review. Those help other creative souls find this show, and they're fun to read. To leave a review, open up the podcast in your podcast player, and scroll down to the bottom where it gives you the option to review the show.Stay Connected with AmyJoin the bi-monthly cowriting/creating sessions, you can subscribe to the newsletter to get ideas, tips, and inspiration to get started creating and acting on those creative callings.Connect on FacebookConnect on LinkedIn.Connect on Instagram.
But today I want to talk about Characters and where they come from.Recently, an article came out on a newsletter that I am a huge fan of, “Writer's Write”. And it was basically a collection of quotes from famous authors about the issue of character development. It was a fascinating list and I want to read a few of them here for you and discuss them a little in terms of how they impact my own writing life.Naturally, I will share that link in the show notes for those people interested in taking a look at it. And, if you are a writer, feel free to sign up for their newsletter. I get it and I enjoy it. Not a terribly long read, but some great links in there.Huge thank you to Jim Wink who is an active supporter through Patreon. Won't you consider joining him in helping the show along?Recently, an article came out on a newsletter that I am a huge fan of, “Writer's Write”. And it was basically a collection of quotes from famous authors about the issue of character development. It was a fascinating list and I want to read a few of them here for you and discuss them a little in terms of how they impact my own writing life.Take a listen and I hope you love it as much as I do. Check it out here!You can find out more about Dingbat Publishing here.See you again soon!-Bryan the Writer Support the show (http://paypal.me/BryanNowak)
In this episode we talk about the ruler archetype: what is it, how to write it, thoughts to think about when writing the ruler! Come have a drink & listen!Support the show (http://patreon.com/EDWpodcast)
Want to write memorable characters who stand out from each other? Want to clear the “character clones” out of your manuscript? This is your episode! Learn essential tips for making your characters shine (and be delightfully different from each other) so that your books are easier to write and easier to sell. Plus, in the Episode Action Tip I share what you should be focused on during social media woes.
Want to write memorable characters who stand out from each other? Want to clear the “character clones” out of your manuscript? This is your episode! Learn essential tips for making your characters shine (and be delightfully different from each other) so that your books are easier to write and easier to sell. Plus, in the Episode Action Tip I share what you should be focused on during social media woes.
Candace and I chat about her approach to writing and co-writing, what is compelling about dark fantasy, and creating social media content as an author. Candace Robinson Online Official Website https://authorcandacerobinson.wordpress.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/literarydust/ Twitter https://twitter.com/literarydust TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@candacerobinsonauthor Facebook https://www.facebook.com/literarydust All Books https://books2read.com/ap/R5yg9r/Candace-Robinson My Recommendations Blue Weekend by Wolf Alice Listen to the Album Feel Good Watch the Show
In this episode, we talk about motivations. What motivates your character? What do your characters' motivations drive them to do? Come have a drink with us & listen!Support the show (http://patreon.com/EDWpodcast)
One thing you hear about a lot when you start sending your manuscript out into the world is ‘agency'. Most agents (and publishers) are looking for characters who make things happen, not ones who merely react to the situation they're stuck with. It's okay to start off with a character with minimal agency, but most readers want to see the characters come into their own. ============================================== Thanks for listening! I'll be back next Monday with more rambling ideas about writing. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends and subscribe! And I've got a pretty bad social media addiction... I'm a Blogger (https://morganhazelwood.com) | Vlogger/Youtuber (https://youtube.com/MorganHazelwood) Of course, I'm on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/morganHazelwoodPage/) | Twitter (https://twitter.com/MorganHzlwood) | Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/morganhazelwood/) | Tumblr (https://www.tumblr.com/blog/morganhazelwood) | Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/morganshazelwoo/) | Reddit (https://www.reddit.com/user/MorganHazelwood/) | and I've even got a Ko-fi tip jar (https://ko-fi.com/morganhazelwood) Plus? Check out my podcast on ... oh wait. Hi.
Quick and easy ways to character build, write character traits + show not tell. Mums are one of the most important characters in our lives. So this Mother's Day, give your mum the gift of preserving her as a VIP character in your life story. ⇨ YOU WILL LEARN: * Who are characters in a life story * What facts help create a character * Why character setting is so crucial * How to use 'show not tell' for character building * Write characters who are memorable and sparkle on the page! ⇨ FULL ARTICLE Click to read: https://www.foreveryoungautobiographies.com/writing-characters/ ⇨ VIDEO PODCAST Click to watch: https://youtu.be/S8ceaAFPNII ⇨ FREE GIFT Your Family Stories System: Easily capture your loved ones' memories for future generations - FREE sections, click to sign up: https://wp.me/P8NwjM-b5 ⇨ YOUR SAY Had a go writing characters? Send me an example! I'd love to read your work. Leave me a comment below or here https://www.foreveryoungautobiographies.com/contact/ ⇨ RELATED LINKS Writing tips: The ultimate guide of life-story tips for new writers https://www.foreveryoungautobiographies.com/writing-tips/ Memory recall: How to fast track remembering childhood memories + long-term memory retrieval https://www.foreveryoungautobiographies.com/memoryrecall/ Dialogue like a pro: See how easily you can use speech marks and quotes in writing https://www.foreveryoungautobiographies.com/dialogue/ Super settings: Setting examples and how to write the setting for your life story https://www.foreveryoungautobiographies.com/setting/ Visual writing: Become a visual storyteller with visual writing techniques https://www.foreveryoungautobiographies.com/visual-writing/ ♡ Thanks for listening - PLEASE SUBSCRIBE if you are new and SHARE THE SHOW if you found it helpful! Happy writing! ⇨ ABOUT ME Hi and welcome! My name is Nicola and I help you learn how to write and self-publish life stories for family and friends so that unique memories live on. For decades I've told thousands of people's stories as a print journalist and would love to hear yours! ⇨ WEBSITE https://www.foreveryoungautobiographies.com ⇨ YOUTUBE https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6nfZWWTeRpBWMcxluLDa-w ⇨ FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/foreveryoungautobiographies
This week I am talking to award winning author, Marni Graff about writing characters that endure and continue to be believable throughout a series.
What does it take to write characters readers connect with, ones they'll never forget? We'll ask Jonathan Maberry, author of the hit Joe Ledger series and the Netflix-filmed V Wars novels, exactly how he does it. *** * Relentless: A Joe Ledger and Rogue Team International Novel, by Jonathan Maberry https://amzn.to/3cMk8Bb * Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook, by Donald Maass https://amzn.to/3eTPXe0
When learning how to write, I had a difficult time working with the characters in the scene. Until I discovered the Coordinated Management of Meaning theory, or CMM for short. The CMM theory argues that the way people communicate with one another is often times more important than the matter being discussed. The mood and mannerisms that a person adopts during an interaction or experience plays a large part in the construction of the reality. Instead of simply focusing on the message content or what people are thinking which made my characters sound robotic. I turned more focus on the pattern of communication and what that pattern creates. Email: seriesoflivesinc@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kiarakaihorowitzwriter
Lee Goldberg steps into the Interrogation Room to try getting his story straight. Lee is an international bestseller who broke into television with a freelance script sale to “Spenser: For Hire.” Since then, his TV writing & producing credits have included sci-fi (“seaQuest”), cop shows (“Hunter,” “The Glades”), martial arts (“Martial Law”), whodunits (“Diagnosis Murder,” “Nero Wolfe”), the occult (“She-Wolf of London”), kid’s shows (“R.L. Stine’s The Nightmare Room”), T&A (“Baywatch,” “She Spies”), and comedy (“Monk”) clip shows (“The Best TV Shows That Never Were”). Lee’s mystery writing for television has earned him two Edgar Award nominations from the Mystery Writers of America. His two careers, novelist and TV writer, merged when he wrote the eight books in the “Diagnosis Murder” series of original novels. He followed that up by writing fifteen bestselling novels based on the television show “Monk” that have been translated and published internationally. Lee lives in Los Angeles and still sleeps in "Man From U.N.C.L.E." pajamas. His latest release is "Bone Canyon” which is his second contribution to his Eve Ronin series. In this episode, Lee and host Gavin Reese discuss police procedurals, crafting three-dimensional characters, and composing genre-breaking fiction. Lee's works: https://www.amazon.com/Lee-Goldberg/e/B000APXNDQ/ Lee's site: https://leegoldberg.com Gavin's works: www.amazon.com/Gavin-Reese/e/B072W5PPGS Gavin's site: https://gavinreese.com #writersbeat #writerslife #writerscraft #amwriting #amwritingfiction #amwritingthrillers #amreading #amwritingcrime #amreadingcrime #amreadingfiction #amreadingthrillers #fiction #bestseller #writer #author #thriller #gavinthecop #gavinreese #leegoldberg #everonin #bosch #monk #amwritingcops #amreadingcops #book #podcast #novelist #nyt #nytbestseller #detective #strongwomen #amwritingmysteries --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/writersbeatpodcast/support
Lee Goldberg steps into the Interrogation Room to try getting his story straight. Lee is an international bestseller who broke into television with a freelance script sale to “Spenser: For Hire.” Since then, his TV writing & producing credits have included sci-fi (“seaQuest”), cop shows (“Hunter,” “The Glades”), martial arts (“Martial Law”), whodunits (“Diagnosis Murder,” “Nero Wolfe”), the occult (“She-Wolf of London”), kid's shows (“R.L. Stine's The Nightmare Room”), T&A (“Baywatch,” “She Spies”), and comedy (“Monk”) clip shows (“The Best TV Shows That Never Were”). Lee's mystery writing for television has earned him two Edgar Award nominations from the Mystery Writers of America. His two careers, novelist and TV writer, merged when he wrote the eight books in the “Diagnosis Murder” series of original novels. He followed that up by writing fifteen bestselling novels based on the television show “Monk” that have been translated and published internationally. Lee lives in Los Angeles and still sleeps in "Man From U.N.C.L.E." pajamas. His latest release is "Bone Canyon” which is his second contribution to his Eve Ronin series. In this episode, Lee and host Gavin Reese discuss police procedurals, crafting three-dimensional characters, and composing genre-breaking fiction. Lee's works: https://www.amazon.com/Lee-Goldberg/e/B000APXNDQ/ Lee's site: https://leegoldberg.com Gavin's works: www.amazon.com/Gavin-Reese/e/B072W5PPGS Gavin's site: https://gavinreese.com
This week's episode of the Spoonie Authors Podcast features debut author Elissa Grossell Dickey. Elissa Grossell Dickey is a former journalist who now works in higher education communications. Stories have always been a big part of Elissa’s life—from getting lost in a book as a child to now reading bedtime stories to her kids. As a columnist for the National MS Society, Elissa shares her personal journey of living with multiple sclerosis. Though she grew up among the lakes and trees of northern Minnesota, Elissa now lives on the South Dakota prairie with her husband and children. The Speed of Light is her first novel. For information, visit www.elissaadickey.wordpress.com. The Spoonie Authors Podcast is devoted to sharing the life and stories of a different disabled author every other Friday. To be considered for an interview, send your author bio + the project you would like to discuss during your interview to diannalgunn @ gmail.com.
Lee Goldberg steps into the Interrogation Room to try getting his story straight. Lee is an international bestseller who broke into television with a freelance script sale to “Spenser: For Hire.” Since then, his TV writing & producing credits have included sci-fi (“seaQuest”), cop shows (“Hunter,” “The Glades”), martial arts (“Martial Law”), whodunits (“Diagnosis Murder,” “Nero Wolfe”), the occult (“She-Wolf of London”), kid’s shows (“R.L. Stine’s The Nightmare Room”), T&A (“Baywatch,” “She Spies”), and comedy (“Monk”) clip shows (“The Best TV Shows That Never Were”). Lee’s mystery writing for television has earned him two Edgar Award nominations from the Mystery Writers of America. His two careers, novelist and TV writer, merged when he wrote the eight books in the “Diagnosis Murder” series of original novels. He followed that up by writing fifteen bestselling novels based on the television show “Monk” that have been translated and published internationally. Lee lives in Los Angeles and still sleeps in "Man From U.N.C.L.E." pajamas. His latest release is "Bone Canyon” which is his second contribution to his Eve Ronin series. In this episode, Lee and host Gavin Reese discuss police procedurals, crafting three-dimensional characters, and composing genre-breaking fiction. Lee's works: https://www.amazon.com/Lee-Goldberg/e/B000APXNDQ/ Lee's site: https://leegoldberg.com Gavin's works: www.amazon.com/Gavin-Reese/e/B072W5PPGS Gavin's site: https://gavinreese.com
Welcome faithful listeners! Today we'll be talking about characters in writing, and how to construct them. Let's begin!
You may have been told your characters are too 'flat', not 'rounded' or 'believable' - that's an important note, but how do you actually go about fixing that? Kira-Anne Pelican, the author of 'The Science of Writing Characters', has written extensively about this very question. Using the latest research from the major branches of psychology to explain how to make a character interesting, we combine this in typical '21st Rewrite style' to look at a screenplay through this lens, focusing this week on Chloé Zhao's majestic film 'The Rider'. Kira-Anne's book 'The Science of Writing Characters' is available now in ebook and paperback. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact
In this episode, we discuss character archetypes. There are hundreds of these, and we talk about some of them. Why to use character archetypes and more! Come have a drink with us and listen!Support the show (http://patreon.com/EDWpodcast)
Dogs Are Smarter Than People: Writing Life, Marriage and Motivation
Hi! If you’re just joining us we’re talking about character this week. To find the posts about character, just look at the tags WRITING CHARACTERS or MAKING CHARACTERS. So, in the comments of a blog I used to guest star in, a writer, Helen, mentioned that she once took a writing class and “the teacher … Continue reading "How to Write Awesome Characters"
Developing characters is a favourite part of writing for today's guest. D.J. Munden, which is one reason I asked him on as a guest. D.J. is a science fiction and fantasy author with multiple books to his name, including Tavern, which we discuss during the interview. D.J.'s author story is interesting because he found his love for writing while pursuing a different career. In this episode of the Author Your Dream podcast we talk about where to start in the character development process, how to find inspiration for your physical descriptions and how you don't need to write a full biography. D.J. Munden gives some fantastic tips for how to help you when you are developing your characters and gives us an idea that many of you may not have considered. Playing Dungeons and Dragons! He also shares some tips for how to write non-human characters and how to avoid creating flat ones. Developing Characters Highlights: 02:09 D.J. Munden's author journey 07:46 Writing Characters that differ from you 9:36 How D.J. approaches developing characters 10:28 Where to start 13:43 Your character's backstory 14:40 developing physical attributes 18:14 Where to get visual ideas for characters 25:31 What is a flat character and tips to help you avoid them 29:06 Developing the core milestones and turning points of your character's life 34:52 Non-human characters 38:36 How to know if a character is developed enough 41:09 D.J.'s final piece of advice Head to the Author Your Dream website for more show notes.
All about writing historical fiction and historical fantasies, and taking inspiration from history for stories; and stuttering awareness in media while also mentioning some tips and misconceptions to take into account if you are writing a character who stutters! We also talk about Julianna’s personal WIPs! The Lost Phoenix and her fantasy short story collection. Follow Julia on Instagram @julia_goodwin_writer Julianna’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNoTN3gFafu4kN2lx4os9ag
There are characters, and then there are characters that leap off the page. Today I'm talking the latter with historian and author, Lexie Conyngham. Join us and immerse yourself in all things characterisation and find out how you can write realistic characters that readers will simply love.
What is the best part of a book? Or maybe I should ask another question: what is the core of a story? I would say the answer to that question is character. Who am I journeying with? Who am I getting to know. Now, you most likely learned a specific way to describe characters in your stories. That strategy is likely by blocking all the text about when character is introduced. Now, I don't think this is a bad start, but on today's episode of How to Write Good I am going to talk about three strategies that will help you write characters into your story in a natural way. My Book: https://amzn.to/31UI7ZgMy Newsletter:https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/a1r2k2My episode on editing:https://www.spreaker.com/episode/33660047My Website:www.danielpoppie.com HTWG Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/howtowritegoodHTWG Twitter: https://twitter.com/danielpoppieHTWG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howtowritegoodOne Last Toast for Ebenezer Fleet:https://www.spreaker.com/show/one-last-toast-for-ebenezer-fleet
What is the best part of a book? Or maybe I should ask another question: what is the core of a story? I would say the answer to that question is character. Who am I journeying with? Who am I getting to know. Now, you most likely learned a specific way to describe characters in your stories. That strategy is likely by blocking all the text about when character is introduced. Now, I don't think this is a bad start, but on today's episode of How to Write Good I am going to talk about three strategies that will help you write characters into your story in a natural way. My Book: https://amzn.to/31UI7ZgMy Newsletter:https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/a1r2k2My episode on editing:https://www.spreaker.com/episode/33660047My Website:www.danielpoppie.com HTWG Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/howtowritegoodHTWG Twitter: https://twitter.com/danielpoppieHTWG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howtowritegoodOne Last Toast for Ebenezer Fleet:https://www.spreaker.com/show/one-last-toast-for-ebenezer-fleet
Join us as we talk about the differences between men and women and how that affects the way we write our characters. Can we smash the stereotypes and discover what makes the best realistic heroes and heroines? Questions (From A Lee Martinez below) to ask while developing a character of the opposite gender: IS THIS CHARACTER OBJECTIFIED? IS GENDER BEING SUBSTITUTED FOR PERSONALITY? AM I TRYING TOO HARD TO SUBVERT EXPECTATIONS? DO I CARE ABOUT THIS CHARACTER? Links from the podcast: A Lee Martinez and How to Write from the Opposite Genders POV—https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/how-to-write-from-the-opposite-genders-point-of-view The Four Rs of Writing Characters of the Opposite Gender-- https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/the-four-rs-of-writing-characters-of-the-opposite-gender Being a better writer: Writing the opposite gender—https://maxonwriting.com/2015/05/18/being-a-better-writer-writing-the-opposite-gender/ Fast and Easy Guide to writing opposite gender--https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/fast-and-easy-guide-to-writing/ Range: How Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PHLNR28 Website: https://www.charitybradford-riverford.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/looseleafpodcast Charity Bradford's Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.com/Charity-Bradford/e/B00FA3QRKO River Ford's Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.com/River-Ford/e/B071NRRS1T Hillary Ann Sperry's Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.com/Hillary-Ann-Sperry/e/B07FJY2ZCQ Intro Music: Easy Lemon (30 second) by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3695-easy-lemon-30-second- License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/charity-bradford/support
Wizards, Warriors, & Words: A Fantasy Writing Advice Podcast
Our hosts share their best tips for writing memorable characters. Featured book: War of Gods (Paternus # 3) by Dyrk Ashton. Read it here: https://bit.ly/warofgods Contact us: Send us questions/thoughts by emailing wizardswarriorswords@gmail.com . Jed reads and replies to every email. We might even answer your question on the show! For more about our hosts and our books: Dyrk Ashton: paternusbooks.com Michael R. Fletcher: michaelrfletcher.com Rob J. Hayes: robjhayes.co.uk Jed Herne: jedherne.com --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wizardswarriorswords/support
Wall Street Journal and USA Today best-selling author, JC Andrijeski. She is the author of many books (and numerous short stories) in the science fiction, paranormal, cyberpunk-like and urban fantasy genres. Many of her books are parts of series like the Quentin Black psychic detective books or the latest Nick Tanaka Vampire detective books. Her books are sexy, gritty, romantic, and often dystopian. In a word, I find her books page-turners. You want to know what happens next and the sex and romance sizzle. JC's website: https://www.jcandrijeski.com/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1150834498264133/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jcandrijeski/
I cannot say this enough: your main character is at the core of your story. The main character is what the reader experiences your story through. With few exceptions, your story is going to be understood through your main characters. Whoever you make that character is going to color every aspect of your story. If this is the case, we should probably take some time to develop our main characters, should be not? In this episode, I go through five different tips that will help you create characters.My Book: https://amzn.to/31UcCPgMy Newsletter:https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/a1r2k2 My other episodes on character:https://www.spreaker.com/episode/32309239https://www.spreaker.com/episode/32313979https://www.spreaker.com/episode/32320666https://www.spreaker.com/episode/32324564https://www.spreaker.com/episode/32433487My Worldbuilding technique episode:https://www.spreaker.com/episode/31871877My Website:www.danielpoppie.com HTWG Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/howtowritegoodHTWG Twitter: https://twitter.com/danielpoppieHTWG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danielpoppieOne Last Toast for Ebenezer Fleet:https://www.spreaker.com/show/one-last-toast-for-ebenezer-fleet
I cannot say this enough: your main character is at the core of your story. The main character is what the reader experiences your story through. With few exceptions, your story is going to be understood through your main characters. Whoever you make that character is going to color every aspect of your story. If this is the case, we should probably take some time to develop our main characters, should be not? In this episode, I go through five different tips that will help you create characters.My Book: https://amzn.to/31UcCPgMy Newsletter:https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/a1r2k2 My other episodes on character:https://www.spreaker.com/episode/32309239https://www.spreaker.com/episode/32313979https://www.spreaker.com/episode/32320666https://www.spreaker.com/episode/32324564https://www.spreaker.com/episode/32433487My Worldbuilding technique episode:https://www.spreaker.com/episode/31871877My Website:www.danielpoppie.com HTWG Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/howtowritegoodHTWG Twitter: https://twitter.com/danielpoppieHTWG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danielpoppieOne Last Toast for Ebenezer Fleet:https://www.spreaker.com/show/one-last-toast-for-ebenezer-fleet
This week's interview is with fantasy author Laitie Montai! Thanks for listening to this week’s episode of the Spoonie Authors Podcast! The Spoonie Authors Podcast is part of the Spoonie Authors Network, a community initiative devoted to sharing the stories of disabled authors and educating abled people about what life is like for disabled creatives. Transcripts of this podcast are also available on the Spoonie Authors Network. To learn more or become a contributor, visit spoonieauthorsnetwork.blog. And of course, if you enjoyed this podcast, make sure to leave us a 5 star review on your favourite podcast streaming platform.
This week's interview is with multi-genre author Amara J Lynn! Thanks for listening to this week’s episode of the Spoonie Authors Podcast! The Spoonie Authors Podcast is part of the Spoonie Authors Network, a community initiative devoted to sharing the stories of disabled authors and educating abled people about what life is like for disabled creatives. Transcripts of this podcast are also available on the Spoonie Authors Network. To learn more or become a contributor, visit spoonieauthorsnetwork.blog. And of course, if you enjoyed this podcast, make sure to leave us a 5 star review on your favourite podcast streaming platform.
US-based author Lindsay Buroker explains how she started her self-publishing career way back in 2010, keeps her fans happy and manages to write ten books a year for them.
PART 2 of our in depth interview with DAVID STEWART discussing the problem with modern Star Wars as well as other characters in fiction like novels, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and a LOT more INCLUDING some anime talk! A blast of a time! | Check out David Stewart: https://dvspress.com/ | Try VRV: http://www.vrv.co/geekdom | Try http://www.awesomeCreatoracademy.com | MERCH: https://teespring.com/stores/geekdom101-official
Your Hosts: Piper, Dan, and Tempest, with special guest Nicola Griffith In this episode we discuss how to faithfully represent people with physical disabilities through the characters we create. Our guest, Nicola Griffith, walks us through the process of rigorously imagining how the world might look to someone with a particular disability. Credits: This episode … Continue reading 14.47: Writing Characters With Physical Disabilities →
Welcome to Part 1 of a SPECIAL TWO-Part episode with author, reviewer, and musician DAVID STEWART as we discuss MODERN STAR WARS and where it went wrong PLUS writing characters for other forms of fiction and what works and what doesn't. An AMAZING learning experience! I hope you like this show! | Check out David Stewart: https://dvspress.com/ | Try VRV: http://www.vrv.co/geekdom | Try AwesomeCreatoracademy.com | MERCH: https://teespring.com/stores/geekdom101-official
Learn why setting is so important for your book, and 4 important questions to ask yourself when you are making the decision around the setting and backdrop for your book, in this episode of Indie Author Weekly. Today’s episode topic is another listener-submitted question from Alana, who wants to know, “How do you do setting? Do you see setting as an additional character, or does it not matter? Is it important for you to represent certain places with your setting?” Before we can get into answering these questions about setting, we first need to look at what exactly setting is. Setting is about the time, place, and society in which a story is told. You want to make sure that the setting you’ve chosen is one which highlights the main themes of your story, and really showcases them. If you choose a setting that detracts from the themes of your story, then that can really take away from the emotional effect. A setting that bolsters your story’s themes will resonate more strongly with your readers, so that whatever messages you might be trying to convey are really driven home. Tune into this episode of Indie Author Weekly now to get the inside scoop and behind-the-scenes peek at how your host Sagan Morrow writes setting into her books, plus why setting matters so much and how you can apply these tips to your own writing… Resources & links mentioned in this episode: Learn more about Sagan’s books at SaganMorrow.com/books Winnipeg locations: Forth, Langside Grocery, Goodwill Social Club, Peasant Cookery Access sample chapters of Sagan's novels, transcripts of each episode, cheatsheets and spreadsheets relevant to the episode topics, and additional resources, at SaganMorrow.com/secretpodcast Submit your questions for future episode topics at SaganMorrow.com/question Connect with Sagan (@Saganlives) on Twitter and Instagram. Feel free to use the hashtag #IndieAuthorWeekly to chat about this episode. Support the show (https://saganmorrow.com/secretpodcast)
Dayton Ward and David R. George III: How to Write Star Trek Novels. For almost the entire history of Star Trek, novels have played a part in many people's experience of the fandom. They are a way to go beyond what we see on the screen, and Star Trek fiction novels now account for scores more adventures than the television shows and films. But how does a Star Trek novel come to be, and what goes into the writing of a Star Trek adventure in book form? In this episode of Literary Treks, hosts Dan Gunther and Bruce Gibson are joined by veteran Star Trek authors Dayton Ward and David R. George III to discuss how to write Star Trek novels. We talk about how they got their start in writing, the process of how a Trek novel is published, how writing tie-in fiction differs from writing original fiction, how they approach writing the established characters, working with CBS licensing, and what is required for someone to become a Star Trek author. We wrap up by talking about what projects they currently have on the go, and where they can be found online. In the news segment, we report on a new Discovery novel coming in December, a schedule change for The Autobiography of Mr. Spock, and a new Voyager Mirror Universe comic coming from IDW. We also review the sixth and final issue of The Q Conflict, as well as respond to listener feedback from The Babel Conference for Literary Treks 274: An Old Man in the Park Feeding Pigeons. News DSC: Dead Endless Announced (00:02:37) Autobiography of Mr. Spock in 2020 (00:05:57) Voyager Mirror Universe Comic Announced (00:08:29) The Q Conflict #6 Comic Review (00:11:30) Listener Feedback (00:26:17) Feature: Dayton Ward and David R. George III Getting Started (00:30:48) Star Trek Books Process (00:39:37) Keeping Up with Continuity (00:45:20) Painting a Star Trek Picture (00:54:32) Writing Characters (01:01:25) Pushing the Envelope (01:06:31) Working with CBS Licensing (01:12:09) How to Get Published (01:18:37) What's in the Works (01:38:14) Final Thoughts (01:43:47) Hosts Dan Gunther and Bruce Gibson Guests Dayton Ward David R. George III Production Bruce Gibson (Editor and Producer) Dan Gunther (Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Brandon-Shea Mutala (Patreon Manager) Ken Tripp (Associate Producer) Brandon-Shea Mutala (Associate Producer) Justin Oser (Associate Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer) Greg Rozier (Associate Producer) Jeffery Harlan (Associate Producer)
This is the 4th and final teaser episode. In this segment, the Voices of Color crew dropped a few gems on writing compelling characters of color. If you can write someone with goals and desires then you can write a successful PoC character. The podcast will launch Sunday, March 31st.
In this episode, we talk about a number of common questions people have about reading and writing in Chinese. We challenge the conventional wisdom that kids books in Chinese are good things to read when you are learning Chinese (spoiler; they're not). You'll also learn why so many books in Chinese have pinyin over the top of the characters and how this can negatively impact our learning. We also address the question students face in our modern age: should I learn to hand write Chinese characters? We'll talk about Stephen Colbert's Chinese pronunciation on The Late Show and John has an amazing tech tip on utilizing the text-to-speech feature native in practically all smart phones. Guest interview is with Vanessa Dewey who moved to China because she wanted to learn Chinese. Ten years and two kids later, she shares her amusing experience towards fluency. We would really really really like to hear what you have to say about our podcast. Please write us a review on iTunes! That helps us immensely! You can also find us on Facebook, please like us and drop us a note! Article referenced in this episode: Pinyin over Characters: The Crippling Crutch As always, sponsored by Mandarin Companion.
Emily Barr gives pupils in her workshop tips on writing three dimensional characters. Oct 5th 2017.
The Friends talk characters out of their element: an Amazon among men! a Pakistani comedian dating a white girl! a red-headed orphan in Canada! Also, Matt tries to keep the podcast pure and fails miserably.
On the 21st episode of The Writing Podcast, Adam and Lindsay discuss writing characters (both heroes and villains) that make readers buy more books. To view the entire show notes and join the discussion, visit the show page at http://thewritingpodcast.com/21 !
As writers, we must look at who the character could be, not necessarily who the character already is. That’s the key to writing characters with depth. For more info and show notes check out DIYMFA.com/005
The boys of the league talk about a chapter from Orson Scott Card's book, Writing Characters and Viewpoint.ALL THIS AND MORE ON EPISODE 10!!
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