Posts Tagged ‘Characters’
How to Use Framing Techniques in Your Fictional Novel
The term ‘Framing’ or using ‘Bookends’ refers to a technique in novel writing where the author creates similar passages at the start and finish of a story, or individual chapter or scene. Similar, but different. It is the tiny changes that give your story that exciting twist, satisfying closure, or added meaning.
In How to Use Framing Technique in Your Fictional Novel, we show you how to use framing on three levels to improve your writing skills, enhance your story, and thrill readers.
Read MoreFiction Writing: Create Character Profiles (with Free Questionnaire)
If you are planning to write a new story or need to add a character to your fiction novel, a handy fill-in-the-blank questionnaire can help define your character’s personality in a flash.
Beyond name, age, and hair color, our post, Fiction Writing: Create Character Profiles (with Free Questionnaire) helps you identify personality traits for your cast of characters that strengthen the story, intensify conflict, and enhance the plot.
Read MoreHow to Create a Fictional Character in 5 Steps
If you are just starting to write a novel, you may have come across character questionnaires to help you brainstorm basic information for your story cast, but how do you truly flesh out your characters on a deeper level? How do you make your characters jump off the page and feel “real?”
In How to Create a Fictional Character in 5 Steps, we give you more than just the average list of questions to think about so that you can create characters your readers will love.
Read MoreFiction Writing: What is the ‘Man in the Mirror Moment?’
Do you have a ‘man in the mirror moment’ in your fictional novel? Can you readily identify this pivotal moment in movies or other author’s fiction? Not only is it a turning point in the protagonist’s character arc, but it drives the external storyline forward during the second half of Act II.
In our post, Fiction Writing: What is the ‘Man in the Mirror Moment?’ we explain what this term means and how you can strategically use it to strengthen your entire novel.
Read MoreHow to Create a Diverse Cast of Characters for Your Fictional Novel
Have you read a book where all the characters sound the same and you have trouble remembering who is who? Without dialogue tags, would you know which fictional character is speaking? How can an author create characters that are unique?
In our post, How to Create a Diverse Cast of Characters for Your Fictional Novel, we show you how to intentionally design characters who contrast with one another in various ways to create additional conflict and raise the tension in the plot.
Read MoreHow to Create Antagonists Who Are Not Villains
A good fictional story will follow the journey of a main character (protagonist) who is trying to achieve a specific goal. The opposition, (or antagonist), will try their best to stop the main character from achieving that goal. The question is why?
What if each point of view is equally valid? What if the antagonist is not a villain?
In our post, How to Create Antagonists Who Are Not Villains, we show you how to write realistic conflict that will intensify your fictional novel.
Read MoreHow to Create the Protagonist for Your Fictional Story
Are you interested in writing a novel but struggle with a story idea or how to develop your main character? What should your character look like? What factors should you consider when creating their personality? How does the story influence character and character influence story?
In our post, How to Create the Protagonist for Your Fictional Story, we lead you step-by-step in the development of a main character your readers will relate to, root for, and enjoy.
Read MoreHow to Choose Characters to Populate Your Fictional Story
When starting to write a novel, what do you do first? Create characters or a story idea? It’s kind of like the infamous chicken and the egg question. Starting either way can be fine. But at some point, you need to figure out—who are going to be the characters in this story?
In How to Choose Characters to Populate Your Fictional Story, we discuss the different roles characters can play to create a story readers will love. Free Story-Casting Questionnaire included.
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