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Achievable Believable Character Transformation
Posted on September 12, 2018 Leave a Comment
Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” This verse says a lot about our character as people. Character transformation should also be the basis for […]
Dazzling Dialogue—Part V
Posted on January 31, 2018 Leave a Comment
The character’s vocabulary should be unique to each one. What kind of expressions do they use? Do they have an accent? Are there “favorite” words they like to use? Their syntax. All these things come together to create dazzling and sparkling dialogue. Click to Tweet #dazzlingdialogue #amwriting
Dazzling Dialogue—Part III
Posted on January 17, 2018 Leave a Comment
One thing that readers can’t abide is slow-moving, wordy, dull dialogue that doesn’t seem to go anywhere or do anything. We’re looking at creating sparkling, dazzling dialogue that keeps readers interested. When writing dialogue, don’t use the character’s name in every line. Don’t overuse. We’re tempted to do that to keep straight who is speaking. […]
Writing Romance 101––Part IV
Posted on October 4, 2017 1 Comment
We’re discussing crafting the Heroine––the key to any romance. To get your reader involved in the novel, convince her that your heroine is not only someone she would like to know, but someone she would like to be. Click to Tweet #amwriting #writingromance101 #craftingtheheroine
Story-fixing Your Novel––Part VII
Posted on February 22, 2017 Leave a Comment
Let’s take a look at the main character. What applies to him/her will apply to all the characters that need to be “fleshed out.” We’re talking about “Dimensionality” –– or adding proportions and scope to your main character. Readers want to read about conflicted characters doing difficult or extraordinary things. Click to Tweet #amwriting #storyfixing
Creating Extraordinary Characters –– Part VIII
Posted on July 20, 2016 Leave a Comment
We’ve been looking at different tools to help build character natures, dispositions, and temperament. Another is Conflict. Using conflict within your characters will create extraordinary situations, responses, and ultimately, characters. Click to Tweet #amwriting #characters In his book, Fiction Writing Demystified, Tom Sawyer (yes, that’s his real name), says that using and focusing on conflict […]
Creating Extraordinary Characters –– Part VI
Posted on July 6, 2016 Leave a Comment
What’s your main character’s personality type and how did you develop it? That’s what we’re looking at in this series. There are many different personality tools to evaluate both our own and our characters’ distinct personalities. DISC is a personality tool to help in corporate cultures, whether they be families, companies, or non-profit organizations. Click […]
Creating Extraordinary Characters –– Part IV
Posted on June 22, 2016 Leave a Comment
If you’re writing about corporate culture or your main characters are partners or close colleagues in their jobs, the DISC personality profiles might help you define your characters. Because characters with conflicting personalities make the best story. Click to Tweet #amwriting #characters
Creating Extraordinary Characters –– Part II
Posted on June 8, 2016 2 Comments
In the beginning…in creating characters, we must begin at the beginning. We’ve talked about a three-word description, and basic information. How do we determine what the basic information will be? Who do you want it to be? Determining the basic information about the character is paramount to creating one amazing character. Click to Tweet #amwriting […]
Writing–The Mystery of Characters Part I
Posted on April 15, 2015 Leave a Comment
What is a character? An imaginary person we writers think up. How did I create Meghan Gallagher? She started out as a nineteen-year-old very unlikeable spoiled brat, which is what I wanted her to be, but soon learned no one wants to read about a spoiled brat, even though she was going to change drastically. […]
Donna L.H. Smith 