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Writing Tips

5 Things You can do to Build A Believable Character

April 29, 2020 by Dawn Hurley 1 Comment

The main goal of a fiction writer is to create a character that the reader will become invested in, care about, and remember long after the story is finished. Charles Dickens’ Ebenezer Scrooge, Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, Margaret Mitchell’s Scarlett O’Hara are just a few immortal characters who live on after their last page. Your character is the life of your story. No matter how suspenseful the plot might be, without a compelling character, the story will fall flat.

Developing such a character can be a daunting task. Not every writer shares the same style or technique in their creation of a character. Some have a fully fleshed-out character before beginning their story, while others let the character evolve as the story progresses. There is no cut-and-dried method for character creation. Do what works best for you, for your own writing style. These are tips and suggestions, not a definitive guideline. There are many different types of characters; protagonist, antagonist, supporting figures and side characters. This article focuses primarily on your main character.

1. Study People

Fiction writers can profit from being people-watchers. Observe others while taking note of their characteristics, traits, habits, hand gestures, phrases, etc. The delivery guy or the yoga class instructor can be a model for your own unique character.
Strangers aren’t the only fodder for your character’s creation. Base your character on someone you know. We can’t know everything about a person, but as fiction writers not biographers, we can “fill in the blanks” for everything we don’t know about them. What we end up with is a sketch of the real person, a kind of template for our own character. Characters built around real people are often the most compelling.

2. Physical Descriptions

We want our readers to be able to visualize our character without bogging them down with too many adjectives or listing boring details. Whenever possible, combine physical description with a form of action. For instance, saying “He had blue eyes and rotten teeth” is not as captivating as “He glared at her with cold blue eyes. His snarl showing a mouthful of broken teeth.” The language we use in describing our character’s appearance can be useful in illustrating their characteristics, as well. “She was a fat, lazy-looking blonde” doesn’t reveal as much as “She was an ample, languorous blonde”. The second description shows more of a sumptuous woman than the first (which sounds more like a stereotypical Walmart shopper.)

3. Revealing Your Character’s Character

Informing your reader about your character’s habits, motivations, quirks and eccentricities, like describing their physical
traits, also needs to be done with the right language. Let’s use “Jane” as an example of your main character. Describing how Jane dresses, what she surrounds herself with, enjoys eating or listening to can form a picture in your readers’ minds of the type of person she is. “Jane nervously plucked at a loose thread from her old sweater as she waited for the cashier to ring up her purchase. Grabbing the bag from the counter, she hurriedly left the gas station where she’d bought the over-cooked hotdog that would be her dinner that night. She remembered the hot meals her mother served back home on the farm. The walk to her small apartment felt like it took longer than usual on this cold night. She slammed the door shut against the world and sank down gratefully on her second-hand couch that rocked on its uneven legs.” The reader quickly gathers that Jane is financially struggling while dealing with some form of social anxiety and is new to the city. Quick shots of action with the right descriptive language can tell a reader more about the character and in a more engaging manner than long paragraphs of adjectives. The main goal of writing applies to describing your characters as well – Don’t just tell your readers who, what or how they are, show them. What your character does, or doesn’t do, can be the ultimate means by which your readers determine who they are.

4. Dialogue

The first words your characters say can, as in real life, be the basis for your readers’ assumptions of the type of person they are. The words your character uses can reveal a great deal about them, describing them and bringing them to life in a personal way. The voice you want to be heard most in your story is not yours as the writer but those of your characters. Do they use a lot of slang or speak with eloquence? Do they speak shyly or with confidence?

5. Body Language

Some psychiatrists say that when a person looks to the left while they’re speaking it’s an indication that they are lying. We can tell a great deal about a person by their gestures, the way they walk, their nervous tics (chewing their nails, twirling their hair between their fingers, avoiding eye contact). “Marsha strode up the sidewalk” paints quite a different picture than “Marsha shuffled up the walk”.

In the creation of your character, there should come a point where you feel them move. As you delve into your character’s emotions, describe them, dress them, and comprehend their histories, they will begin to assume a reality separate from the mere sketch you began with. They will come to life in your mind and, ultimately, in the imagination of your readers.

Filed Under: Writing Tips

Top 5 Simple Daily Habits To Improve Your Writing Skills

March 15, 2020 by admin 4 Comments

Writing books, blog posts, articles, or even good captions for your photos on social media can be a difficult task. You need to get some inspiration, understand exactly what you’re going to write, and be able to wrap your ideas into a proper style. Some people think that writing is all about talent, but the truth is that writing is a skill. Of course, some people were born brilliant writers, but anyone can train this skill if they have enough practice.

To become a better writer, you should practice as much as you can. You need to work on your writing skills every day, making it your daily habit. In fact, developing the right habits can help you accomplish virtually any goals, and if your goal is to become a good writer, you can achieve it with the right habits and mindset. Here are the five best writing habits that will make you a better writer in no time.

Habits That Will Improve Your Writing

1. Write and read as often as you can
Practice makes perfect. There is no magic trick that would turn you into a brilliant writer overnight. Even the best writers have been mastering their craft for many years, writing and ruthlessly editing tons of text. Not only do you need to learn to convey your ideas properly, but you should also know how to meet the requirements of your niche. For example, when writing web content, you need to SEO optimize it.

Writing on a regular basis will help you develop your own style, and it will also allow you to avoid the fear of the blank page. When you have enough writing experience, you don’t need to spend hours trying to figure out where to start. Write as often as you can, even if nobody will read it.

We also recommend that you read more. Reading not only allows you to learn something new but also improves your writing skills. Make sure to challenge yourself and explore things that you don’t typically read. For example, if you usually read blogs, spend some time reading novels or scientific articles. This way, you will learn new words and new types of sentence structure.

2. Analyze your favorite writers’ work
Everyone has their favorite book or blog. However, sometimes, we don’t understand why we like a certain piece of writing so much. We suggest that you analyze your favorite writing and learn from successful writers. When reading, highlight phrases and sentences that you like. Analyze these elements and look for common patterns in your favorite materials. Pay your attention to transitions between subjects and sentences.

You can not only analyze other writers’ texts but also imitate their techniques. Of course, your writing must be original. However, there’s nothing wrong with using methods that have proven to be effective. For example, if you like the way a certain author uses humor when writing about serious subjects, you may try it, as well.

If you want to be good at something, you should learn from professionals. For example, if you need to translate an article, you can do it in many different ways. In this case, the best solution is to check out professional translation services, like The Word Point, so that you can see how professional translators work. You can imitate other writers’ styles, combine different approaches, and eventually develop your own unique style.

3. Say what you think
The internet is full of boring content, and the main reason is that many writers try to be like everyone else. They are afraid to express their own opinions because they want to make sure that everyone will love their work. If you choose this approach, your writing will be unoriginal and boring. Don’t be afraid to write what you think, even if your opinion isn’t popular. Of course, you don’t need to intentionally come up with the most controversial opinions, but you should be authentic.

After all, there’s no point in writing something if you have nothing to say. The main thing is to make sure that your opinions are valid. Include facts that support your claims, and always do your research before you start writing. Besides, don’t forget about proper attribution because you don’t want to present someone else’s work as yours.

4. Edit and then edit again
Many beginners think that the writing process ends when they’re done with the first draft, which couldn’t be further from the truth. Even if you’re an incredibly talented writer, prepare for the fact that the first draft is just the beginning of a long process of editing.
Don’t try to create a perfect first draft because you won’t be able to focus on the content. Instead, forget about your draft for a while, take a break, and then edit it. Don’t hesitate to edit it several times. For example, you can edit the overall structure first and then work on particular paragraphs or sentences. After this, you may want to change certain words. Finally, you need to proofread your writing to make sure that there are no grammar, spelling, or punctuation mistakes.

We also recommend that you find a good editor who will work with you. Although it may be very difficult to let someone else edit your work, especially if you’re a beginner, you should understand that everyone needs constructive criticism. The main thing is to find an editor who will not only tell you what is wrong with your writing but also why you need to change it.

5. Finish what you’ve started
If you give up, you will lose motivation. Failures lead to new failures, while a sense of accomplishment will motivate you to accomplish more. Even if you realize that your work may take more time than you expected, finish it and edit it. However, don’t forget that your writing shouldn’t be perfect. Many writers who are searching for perfection just give up when they realize that their writing won’t be as good as they want.

Wrapping Up

No matter whether you need to write a novel, a blog post, or a high school essay, writing can be quite difficult. Improving your writing skills is hard work. However, you can become a better writer if you develop the right habits. Read more, write something every day, and learn from other writers. Always edit your writing, and you will watch your style improve day after day. Even if your writing skills are far from perfect now, don’t give up and practice as much as you can.

Filed Under: Writing Tips

5 Tips For Choosing An Editor

December 7, 2019 by Ian M. Broderick Leave a Comment

You’ve committed two drafts to paper, followed every spellcheck suggestion, and triple-checked to make sure your main character’s (or MC’s) eyes don’t alternate color like a kaleidoscope between chapters. You’ve done all you can, and there’s only one more daunting step before sending it off to query or publishing: Editing. You can edit yourself, sure, but the old adage about a man who represents himself in court having a fool for a client can be applied. Seeing your own mistakes isn’t easy on the first go around, let alone the fifth, and you’re going to need fresh eyes. More importantly, you’re going to need fresh eyes with the knowledge necessary to make your work the best it can be. But how do you know if an editor is right for you? Conveniently, that question has hopefully been answered in the following list.

1. Good reviews

As with most services, the best way to ensure you get someone qualified and competent for a job is by confirming that their previous customers are satisfied. Check for reviews and testimonials on the editor’s site. Ask other writers about their experiences with particular editors as well. Word-of-mouth might seem antiquated, but it’s still an effective way to find someone that at least someone trusts.

2. Get a sample

Just about any editor will do a treatment of 750 words\3 pages free of charge. It’s not a tremendous amount of work, but it can give a general idea of what their abilities are, how they work (long gone are the days of uniform red marks on a copy), and how they will approach your work. It will also allow you a peek into how they’ll handle point number three…

3. Respecting your voice

Every writer has their own voice, style, pizzazz, whatever you want to call it. That intangible place where rhythm, prose, and word choice mingle into a unique voice. Hemingway’s straightforward curtness, Faulkner’s beautiful verbosity, Pahlaniuk’s visceral descriptions. A good editor will hone in on that voice and enhance it, not step on it or rewrite things as they would write them. If the give-and-take of the editing process isn’t respected, the editor will end up sending something that, while possibly improved, isn’t what the author wanted. That’s a surefire recipe for wasted money and resentment.

4. Clearly define the work needed

Are you getting a copy or a content? Proofread or line edit? If it’s still early in your process, is it a developmental? Both of you need to be incredibly precise about what it is exactly that you expect out of the process. Once you’re sure what it is you need, make sure that the editor you hire is familiar with that work. I started off proofreading and gradually evolved to copy and content after years of honing my craft. Not every editor will have the same skill set. The best proofreader in the world might know as much about what makes a story work or a character flop as you do about peach farming in Mongolia.

5. Clear pricing

After you know what you need, you need to know what it costs. Most editors charge by the word or by the page, so the final cost should be more or less settled on before red pen even touches paper or, more accurately, the little “record changes” box gets ticked. Discuss in depth what you want, roughly how long it will take, and what that will cost. Don’t forget to agree when the money changes hands, either. Most of my colleagues are honest, but, as with any specialty service, it doesn’t hurt to be wary of hidden costs or unnecessary work with its own extra pricing. On the flip side of that: Don’t spring additional work on your editor and expect not to pay for it. A contract is never a bad idea when money is involved, either.

Putting your baby into the hands of a stranger isn’t going to be easy. Even less so when that stranger has a pair of scissors and their own idea of how that baby should be shaped. Hopefully, these tips can at least make sure that whoever you find knows where to start snipping. If you follow the above, you should be one step closer to having your book in a reader’s hands.

WP Post Author

Ian M. Broderick

Ian was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, where he has worked as a freelance editor for nearly a decade. In his free time, you can find him writing science-fiction, working on leather, or juggling. He collects hobbies like stamps but would never collect stamps as a hobby.

See author's posts

Filed Under: Writing Lab 101, Writing Tips Tagged With: editing, editors, writing

Writing Horror

December 1, 2019 by AMANDA THOMPSON Leave a Comment

We all love to be afraid from time to time. That is why we listen to ghost stories with rapt attention from a very young age. It thrills us, makes us look over our shoulders, but we always come
back for more.

Hook your reader with conflict and tension right in your first sentence. Have a good setting for your story; an reader on edge. The more on edge your reader is, the quicker he will turn the pages to see what is coming next.Any good horror story is based on anticipation. You have to find the things that scare you, then surprise and scare your readers. Plot twists are good ways to do that. Never let your readers or characters see what is coming. As the king of horror writing says;

“I’ll try to terrify you first, and if that doesn’t work, I’ll horrify you, and if I can’t make it there, I’ll try to gross you out. I’m not proud.”- Stephen King

Know what your character fears,then put him into the worst possible situation. Any kind of fear can have a powerful reaction if you set the scenario well. Why does the character have that particular fear? How does he react to that situation? Up the stakes all the time. That will increase the tension.

“Thinking will not overcome fear, but action will.” — W. Clement Stone

Ask yourself the following questions. What will happen if your character fails? What is the worst that can happen in a bad situation? How can I make the situation worse? Don’t help your character out of the situation, create it, sit back, and see what he does to survive it. The best way to scare others is to be intimate with that fear. Write about your dark place, your fear. Create odd, unknown and unreal situations. Take the readers out of their safe, comfortable lives. Ask “What if?” Revisit the dark places in your life. It can be uncomfortable, but it helps you to remember what the real feelings were at the time. Then reflect those feelings in your writing.

“I lost my mother when I was 14. My daughter died at the age of 6. I lost my faith as a Catholic. When I’m writing, the darkness is always there. I go where the
pain is.” -Anne Rice

Readers expect to be afraid. Make it impossible for them to put down your story, let it haunt them after it is done. Make them uncomfortable, create their nightmares. I love it when I have written a story and someone says; “I battled to sleep after reading it.” That is the kind of reaction you want to elicit from your reader.

“The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.” – H.P. Lovecraft

Show don’t tell. Make them feel the character’s fear. Make them experience the pounding heart, the perspiring hands. Show them the negative consequences of failure. Show them the worst case scenario if your character fails. Make them care whether your character will survive or not. Now go and scare your readers, and have fun doing
it.

WP Post Author

AMANDA THOMPSON

I am a South African writer with a passion for horror. I have written several short stories and novellas in different genres, and I am thrilled to be a part of this site!

See author's posts

Filed Under: Horror Articles, Writing Lab 101, Writing Tips

Writing Characters: Know Them Well

July 24, 2019 by AMANDA THOMPSON Leave a Comment

The characters of your story move your story forward. In order to create characters that are real, you must first get to know your own characters well. You need to know them so well that you get inside their heads.

What are their dreams? Their fears? Why do they react the way they do? What secrets are they hiding from the world? Like Thoreau said:

“Dreams are the touchstones of our characters.”
― Henry David Thoreau

The protagonist should have some flaws, some hang-ups that make him relatable to the reader. Life is not just black and white; we all have grey in-between areas. No person is just good all the time. If you can make the reader see that he is human, you make him someone they can be sympathetic to.

You want to create a bond between your reader and your characters. If your character moves you he will move the reader. Make them care what happens to him, that way they will keep on reading to see what happens next.

“No tears for the writer, no tears for the reader” – Robert Frost

In the same way, the antagonist is not just evil all the time either. Give him a weak spot, like a love of animals for instance. This will make him more relatable to the reader as well.

Create your characters first, decide on their personalities, their quirks, their weak and strong points. Are they shy, adventurous, underhand, proud? The possibilities are endless.

Live with your characters, become part of the story they want to tell. That way you will know exactly how your characters will act in any given situation. Now the fun part comes; place them in situations that are dangerous, stressful out of the ordinary. Then sit back and watch how they get themselves out of those situations. Like Hemingway said,

“When writing a novel a writer should create living people; people not characters. A character is a caricature.”
― Ernest Hemingway

When I wrote my first novel, I got involved with each of my characters. I understood what made them tick, why they reacted the way that they did. I knew each one intimately, yet even as a writer I was surprised by the way they seemed to take over the story and run with it. I was just along for the ride, recording everything they did, and enjoying every moment of it.

At times it would make me laugh, or cry, depending on the situation that enfolded while I was writing. After editing the manuscript about 10 times, they still moved me.

Each character has his/her own unique way of speaking. Through capturing that, you make them living entities to the readers. As your characters move through the stories, be sure to show how different situations change them in different ways. Like Faulkner,

“It begins with a character, usually, and once he stands up on his feet and begins to move, all I can do is trot along behind him with a paper and pencil trying to keep up long enough to put down what he says and does.”
― William Faulkner

For instance, my protagonist was a headstrong young man, not dependent on anyone for anything. He was actually quite cocky. As the story progressed, he matured into a man and his outlook on life changed.

The same goes for the antagonist. He was cold and aloof, but also lonely. When he found love his outlook changed. Then when circumstances intervened between him and his love, he became embittered and dangerous.

So figure out who your characters are; why they do the things they do, and what they want out of life. Figure out where they are heading and how they view the world, and let them live on paper. Most of all, have fun with your characters. After all, that is why we write in the first place; for the sheer enjoyment of telling their stories.

An author should know their character intimately, they should know their history, how they would react in a situation, they should know their look and mannerisms down to the smallest facial tick. Yet all of this need not be revealed to the reader.

— Aaron Miles

WP Post Author

AMANDA THOMPSON

I am a South African writer with a passion for horror. I have written several short stories and novellas in different genres, and I am thrilled to be a part of this site!

See author's posts


 

Filed Under: Writing Lab 101, Writing Tips

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