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Quick Tips on Writing Better Characters

Here are a handful of quick tips to writing stronger characters and understanding them better as a writer.

Give your characters a title. This can help with worldbuilding and placing your protagonist into the environment. What do others call your characters? The emperor, the bastard son, the Grinch, the chosen one, the class clown, the evil witch, the popular girl, etc.

Use your settings to enhance your character. You can use the locations of your novel to mirror or contrast your character. Do they blend in or stand out? What they focus on can say a lot about them (ex. a fearsome character mishearing things on a dark street, a princess in a ballroom only focused on the exit.)

Know your protagonist's motives and goals before you start writing. What is something they need that fuels their actions throughout the novel? Money, freedom, an artifact, food? To protect their sister at all costs and survive the Hunger Games? 

Now that you know their motive, make it more complex. A character's motive can be made more complex by putting them in high-stake situations that force them to make decisions. For example, Katniss wants to protect her sister, a very common motivation. However, present-day conflict makes her to do it in the most extreme way by volunteering in the Hunger Games. The plot forces her to make an extreme choice fueled by her motivation.

Your protagonist should be active. It's okay to have your story's events sometimes happen to your character (this is referred to as the character being passive, ex. a tornado sweeping them away) but your protagonist should be active a majority of the time. This means they should always be making decisions, thinking, reflecting and progressing through obstacles.

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Crafting a Villain - Some Quick Tips

1) Give them a relationship or connection to your protagonist. Voldemort is quite literally connected to Harry magically. Katniss becomes a symbol of hope, threatening the control Snow has over the Districts.

2) Let them evoke emotion in your reader. Whether it’s anger, laughter, or sadness… a villain's actions and how they affect your protagonist can warrant an emotional response from the reader. Think about all the times you may have felt anger because the villain gains the upper hand against the protagonist.

3) Make them relatable… or completely unhinged. The goal of your villain can make them relatable to your readers: are they acting out of revenge, self-hatred, sorrow, revenge, or fear? Humans can relate to all of those feelings. Or... are they just downright evil and otherworldly?

4) Their goal. What does your villain seek to obtain? Just like your protagonist, your villain should want or need something. This is why they exist in the story: to antagonize your protagonist and achieve their diabolical goal. Food for thought: Why do they have to be a 'villain' or 'evil' to obtain it? What made them that way?

4) Make them iconic. Most Disney villains are easily recognizable… whether it’s their outfit, voice, or personality. Consider giving your villain something that makes them notably unforgettable. A wardrobe, way of speaking, a quirk?

5) Think about the traits of your villain. What labels them as the villain? Selfishness, violence, insecurity, obsession, fear, ego, ignorance, entitlement? Or maybe they're just misunderstood.

6) Their backstory can make them believable. As the author, the more you understand and know about your villain's upbringing, the more convincingly evil or tactical you can write them.

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How to Start a Story Idea

Tackling a whole 50,000+ word novel can be a lot. Here are some ways to break down the process to make it a little more digestible.

Choose, research, and enjoy your story's setting. Whether this is a fantasy realm, a lost planet, or a small suburban town, know and research where your story takes place. Think about the time period, cultural details, geography, the laws/rules, etc. This is a world where the reader will be spending hours, so make sure it's immersive.

Place your protagonist in the world and give them a story. You could have the most detailed fantasy world, but that means nothing without a story or character to explore it. Create a compelling main character and give them a story that progresses them throughout the world you created. 

Find your story's theme. A well-rounded story will revolve around a theme or central idea. Some themes include survival, love, good vs. evil, death, war, forgiveness, etc. What do you want to teach your readers or leave them with once the novel is finished? Do you want them to know that forgiveness is important? That war creates wounds only love can heal? That beauty is in the eye of the beholder? Weave these themes and lessons into your plot and story.

Create a cast. Build your protagonist friends and foes that support or challenge them on their journey. Give some of these characters their own arcs/side plots to thicken your story. There are a bunch of character types that you could add to your story such as the love interest, a mentor, an antagonist, minor characters, etc.

Divide your novel into acts. Once you know the big picture of the story you want to tell, break it up into acts. There are three main acts of a traditional story: Acts I, II, and III. Look up and consider following the Three-Act Structure to give your story a fluid motion of beginning, middle, and end.

Know your ending. The ending is the final part that your readers digest, meaning that it will likely stick with them. You don't have to fully understand how your novel will end, but having somewhat of a plan is important. This way... when you write, you're writing towards something.

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Writing Fight Scenes

Here are a handful of tips on how to write intriguing and strong *no pun intended* fight scenes! 1. Give your character a meaning behind their actions. Are they fighting to survive? Are they the aggressor or the victim? Are they defending someone they love or hunting down someone who hurt them? Makes sure the audience knows why this action scene is important to your character. Unimportant and nonmeaningful actions can be boring!

2. Short sentences. Generally speaking, longer more detailed scenes slow the pace of your novel down. This is because the reader has to take more time to read and absorb all the details. Quicker, brief sentences make the pace move faster because there is less for the audience to read. Most fighting happens quickly and instinctively— without too much thought or anticipation. When things are happening fast, we have less time to take in details.

🏃‍♀️ Fast-paced with minimal details: "He punched me in the cheek, my back molars ripping open my fleshy skin. By the time the next punch came, I was already choking on a mouthful of blood."

🐌 Too many details/thoughts that slow down the action: "His large fist hurled towards me with insane speed. I could hardly believe it. He punched my cheek so hard that my sharp, back molars ripped open my fleshy skin. It hurt so bad, but I couldn't stop the next punch from coming. Blood filled my mouth, the irony taste causing me to choke and for my face to wilt."

3. Use all five senses. When adrenaline is pumping, the body can become hyperaware! Touch and sight are the senses that most people focus on... but don't forget about smell, hearing and, taste. Does your protagonist hear dogs approaching? Do they taste the blood from their busted lip?

4. Don't' slow down the pace by adding too much detail. Try to keep an ebb and flow in your action scene. When the action is happening, keep the details quick and short— no one has time to think about their next move when in the heat of danger. However, you can balance the scene out by giving your character a chance to breathe and think and observe

5. Research/study. Watch famous fight scenes in movies or anime to see what is realistic and what is exaggerated. Pay attention to the pacing or what keeps you on edge. When does the character get a chance to think or come up with a plan? What makes this action scene so enthralling?

6. Consider what is at stake. Stakes always make a scene more tense. What does your character have to lose and how does this affect their mental state? Does it aid in their energy, or does it distract them from the fight?

7. Develop characters/the plot. Consider how this action scene will either further your character in the plot or set them back. Does this scene give them a lasting injury that follows them throughout the story, or do they lose an ally that they desperately loved? How does this affect them moving forward?

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How To Hook Readers (Pt. 1)

What exactly is a hook? A hook is a sentence or scene at the start of your story that grabs your reader's attention. Most authors believe that your first sentence should be a hook. Here are some techniques you can use when writing the start of your story.

1) Raise questions that your readers NEED to figure out. In my opinion, this is the strongest way to hook readers. The Hunger Games has one of my favorite examples of this. In the very first paragraph, Katniss thinks about how “this is the day of the reaping.” 

This mysterious event is unknown to the audience and intrigues them to read on. In short, you want your readers constantly wondering what will happen next. If you keep up this pattern of questions (and eventual answers), you’ll always be feeding your readers a steady flow of curiosity and then satisfaction once you answer the questions. 

2) Create mystery surrounding your characters. Don’t reveal everything about them right away. Instead, reveal their secrets, fears, lies, faults, and insecurities slowly. If a character walks with a limp, don’t give away the reason behind it right away. If a king is known to be the most feared in all the realm, drop hints and tease the reason— but reveal the full reason why later on.

3) Have the inciting incident occur as soon as possible. The inciting incident is the event that launches your character into the story— something that changes their lives forever. Katniss volunteers as tribute at the beginning of chapter two, and we feel compelled to read further because her whole life has been uprooted, and we want to know how she will deal with her situation.

4) Create a first line that either confuses, startles, or amazes your reader. 

5) Don’t over describe— know what to leave out. While your hook can be unfolding action or a surprise, your hook can also be a mystery. Don’t info-dump or over-explain at the start of your novel. Deliberately leave pieces of information hidden so that your reader’s are hungry to find out the answers.

6) Treat your title as a hook. Some authors will say you need to hook your reader in the first sentence, but really you can start as early as your title. What about your title (or book cover) will cause a passerby to pick it up? Use an intriguing combination of words, or leave them questioning what kind of world is inside the cover.

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15 Writing Tips from Authors

1) “You take people, you put them on a journey, you give them peril, you find out who they really are.” - Joss Whedon

2) “First, find out what your hero wants, then just follow them.” - Ray Bradbury 

Coffee bean’s analysis: Letting your characters lead the story can result in an authentic, character-driven story, full of real conflicts and natural emotion.

3) “Turn up for work. Discipline allows creative freedom. No discipline equals no freedom.” - Jeanette Winterson

4) “Show up, show up, show up, and after a while the muse shows up, too.” - Isabel Allende 

Coffee bean’s analysis: In order to write or eventually share your story with the world, you have to sit down and do the work, even if your brain is empty. Once you show up, the creativity has a chance to spark.

5) “All bad writers are in love with the epic.” - Ernest Hemingway

6) "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." - Leonardo Da Vinci

Coffee bean’s analysis: Being able to turn a complex idea into simple words is harder than one might think— but can elevate your writing. Not everything needs to be epic or overly flowery.

7) “Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life.” - Anne Lamott

8) “I went for years not finishing anything. Because, of course, when you finish something you can be judged.” - Erica Jong

9) “Don’t write at first for anyone but yourself.” - T.S Eliot

Coffee bean’s analysis: Perfectionism will kill any chance you have at having fun and finishing your novel. Let go of that pressure of being perfect and do not worry about being judged. Write for you.

10) “Forget the books you want to write. Think only of the book you are writing.” -Henry Miller

Coffee bean’s analysis: Don’t overwhelm your schedule with trying to write a ton of projects at once. Focus your energy into one (or two) at a time.

11) "A short story must have a single mood and every sentence must build towards it." - Edgar Allen Poe

12) “Every sentence must do one of two things— reveal character or advance the action." - Kurt Vonnegut

Coffee bean’s analysis: Even if you’re writing a novel, this advice is brilliant. Whether it’s a sentence, paragraph or whole chapter... make sure they are meant to be in your story. Keep your scenes tidy and thematic, building towards something.

13) “Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.” - Anton Chekhov

Coffee bean’s analysis: When writing a novel, give your reader details so that they can picture the scene in their head. Don’t do too much telling (though it has it’s places).

14) “It is perfectly okay to write garbage— as long as you edit brilliantly.” - C.J Cherry

15) “If it sounds like writing … rewrite it.” - Elmore Leonard

Coffee bean’s analysis: Allow yourself to write messily and worry about editing later. Once in the editing phase, if your writing sounds stiff, rewrite it so that it sounds natural.

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A Quick Tip: Themes and Morals

The Theme and Moral of your story go hand in hand and are often confused as the same thing. They are very similar and work together to create a compelling, cohesive story.

The theme of your novel is the central idea of your story. It’s woven throughout your entire novel, revealing itself in conflicts and your character’s actions. 

Some major themes: love, redemption, survival, coming of age, good vs. evil, revenge, war, etc.

The moral of your story is the deeper meaning of your book, often a lesson or belief that the author wants to leave the reader with. 

A story with the theme of love might have a moral (or lesson) such as beauty is in the eye of the beholder or love has no limits.

To further understand your theme/moral, ask yourself:

“What lesson do I want to leave my readers with when they finish my book?”

Then answer it in one sentence:

Theme: Love Lesson/Moral: I want to show my readers that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Theme: War Lesson/Moral: I want my readers to understand that good can’t exist without evil.

Theme: Coming of Age Lesson/Moral: Don’t judge a book by its cover.

Supporting Themes

To really sell your theme and make it the strongest that it can be, adding in supporting themes can elevate your story.

Supporting themes are smaller ideas that branch off of and are related to the main theme. Weaving these smaller themes into your side characters can help create a very well-rounded story.

Main theme: Love Some supporting themes: Trust, comfort, obsession, self-love, envy, jealousy, friendship. Example: A protagonist is forced to marry an evil king. His concubine becomes jealous of your protagonist who is just trying to find self-love amidst this huge change. The king becomes envious when a knight is overly friendly to the protagonist, who feels as if she can trust this knight as a friend. A group of villagers are obsessed with the king and bully the protagonist. An elderly servant brings comfort to the protagonist by acting as a mother figure.

All of these side characters and subplots support the main theme of love! Everything ties in together.

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Ending your Novel

When ending your novel, there are a few things to consider.

You’ll want to build up tension during the climax, and wrap things up during the resolution. Don’t forget to conclude your main storyline and finish up your subplots as well.

There should be some room left for readers to interrupt things on their own, such as the fate of certain characters.

Not only is it important that your ending makes sense, but it should also evoke emotion.

Knowing how your novel will end sooner than later will help guide you to its finish without wandering too much on pointless scenes.

📚 Here are some endings you can consider:

1) The Classic Cliff Hanger

Done wrong, this can leave readers unsatisfied. But if it’s done carefully, it can leave your audience yearning for more. Your protagonist’s main quest/goal should be concluded by the end of your novel, but leaving questions unanswered or a problem unresolved can be an intriguing cliffhanger. Cliff hangers don’t have to be groundbreaking, they can be small.

For example, Katniss survives The Hunger Games (concluding her main goal) but by tricking the Gamemakers into allowing two victors, we are left wondering what the consequences will be. Not only that, but we question what will come of her relationship with Peeta as he painfully realizes all of Katniss’s affection towards him was simply for the cameras.

2) End where you started

In a symbolic circle of events, you could potentially end your story in the location where it began. However, now the protagonist has newfound strengths or knowledge and can reflect on how they started. This cyclical ending can also work with a mirrored scene (ex. starting and ending with a sword fight). 

3) The What-If Ending

Instead of a direct cliffhanger, this conclusion focuses on leaving the ending up to the reader’s imagination. In The Giver, Jonas successfully leaves behind his town and approaches Elsewhere on a speeding sled. He is barely holding onto consciousness and we are left wondering if he will make it there alive—and if it’s even a real place to begin with.

4) The Twist

An unexpected (but planned) ending that can excite and surprise your reader. While a twist should be unexpected, when a reader goes back, there should be breadcrumbs and hints that make it intentional.

5) Simply... Resolved.

There are no open-ended questions or cliffhangers. Everything is wrapped up neatly in a satisfying way for your readers.

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Types of Opening Scenes for Your Novel

Here are a handful of ways to open the very first scene in your book! There are plenty more to explore, but these are a set of very tried and true methods.

Autobiographic - your protagonist starts the book reflecting or talking about a past event. They’re looking back in time and sharing an important piece of information with the reader.

In trouble/conflict - a problem has arisen for the protagonist and a sense of urgency is established. This can be an intense conflict like a chase scene or a puzzling problem.

Mysterious opening - the reader is introduced to something peculiar (a fantasy location, unique magic, a cloaked figure, etc.) that raises questions in their mind. Their curiosity will keep them reading.

Scene-setting - the most common opening where you focus on introducing the setting and the characters in it before anything else.

The questioner - the protagonist is questioning something: “Who invited the guy in the trench coat covered in red?”

Beginning with a thought - the novel is started with a philosophical quote or meaningful thought from the protagonist. “What is living worth if she’s not doing it with me?”

Intriguing dialogue - the book starts with interesting dialogue that captures the attention of the reader.

Mood establisher - the novel opens with a deliberate mood that signifies to the reader what they should expect from the story. Ex. a spooky story may open with eerie words and a dark atmosphere.

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How to Write & Create Creatures

Here’s a list of quick tips when it comes to creating your fantasy (or horror) creatures!

1) Warp and combine already existing creatures. Be inspired by real life and mythologies— put a magical twist on an already existing animal. The “Nemean Lion” is a lion in Greek mythology whose fur is impenetrable. Medusa is a woman with hair of snakes. 

2) Think outside the box. A creature doesn’t have to be inspired by only living things. Beauty and The Beast has talking tea cups and clocks. If your creature is organic, think beyond your typical animals: plants, insects, bacteria, diseases, amphibians, etc.

3) Use all five senses. You don’t have to use them all at once in a description, but as the author, you should be aware of these details!

Sight: What do they look like? What are their unique features? How big are they compared to a human?

Touch: Is their skin rough like leather or soft like silk? Do they bare hair, and is it matted or greasy?

Smell: what scents come with the creature? Does the fairy smell like freshly baked muffins? Does the zombie smell like rotten eggs?

Hearing: What sounds do they make? Not just verbally but as a whole (loud footsteps, crackling bones, labored breathing, twinkling of a wand, etc.)

Taste: If they’re a rotting creature, would the salty taste of decomposition fill the air? Or does the pretty little fairy bring back memories of childhood sweets to your protagonist.

“The creature let out a low snarl, the smell of rotten flesh hitting me long before it ever came into view. Its leather-like skin was matte compared its the thin strands of greasy hair that danced in the moonlight.”

4) What sustains the creature? Does it feed off of blood, flesh, or human emotions? Is there a type of meal it would prefer or does it eat anything?

5) What is your creature’s motivation? What necessities does it need to survive? Does it need shelter, food, and water? Vampires require blood. Outside of basic survival needs... is it in search of something more material? An item or a specific person?

6) What summons your creature? Does it appear when someone rubs a magical lamp? Does it wander aimlessly until a sound catches its attention? Does the smell of blood make the monster from within come out?

7) Leave room for your reader’s imagination. While you want to thoroughly paint the picture of your creature, don’t over-explain. Instead, leave some room for your audience to fill in the gaps with their imagination. This will truly make the reading experience more unique to the reader.

8) Give it weaknesses. A creature that has limitations and rules is a realistic one. Werewolves only turn on a full moon and are weak to silver. Holy water burns a demon’s skin, and vampires can’t go out in the daylight. Is there a string of words that could paralyze it? If it can’t be killed, what can hurt it? Can it be captured or trapped?

9) Make it hard to kill. If the creatures in your story are easily defeated, that means there is less tension and conflict. Does it have immense strength or skin that is impenetrable? Make your characters think and be clever in the face of an impossible situation.

10) Does it have a home? Where does it rest? Does it live in caves with its herd or does it sleep under the beds of children? Is it a wandering monster or one that lives in the trees of a magical forest? 

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How to Write Strong Character Goals 📑⭐

Here are some tips on how to write a strong motivation or goal for your protagonist. Typically, characters have multiple wants and needs throughout a story. However, every protagonist should have one, main goal that follows them throughout their journey that concludes at the end of the book.

Example: Frodo is tasked with destroying the ring at Mount Doom. This goal is established at the beginning of the story and concludes at the end.

⭐ Your character’s goal doesn’t have to be complicated. A simple goal is sometimes more powerful and relatable than an overly complex one. 

In Star Wars, Luke Skywalker’s primary goal isn’t to defeat the evil Empire or even to save Princess Leia. While these gradually become things that he wants/needs to do... his initial goal, what he really wants deep down at the beginning, is to simply escape his lackluster life of being a farmer on a remote sand planet. 

⭐ Your character needs to have both external goals and internal goals.  These two types of goals add complexity and realism to your protagonist.

A character’s external goal is displayed for everyone to see and typically deals with the plot: a new witch wants to master her magic and obtain a powerful amulet.

An internal goal is your protagonist's hidden motive that other characters are unaware of (and sometimes even the reader): the witch wants to become the most powerful magic-wielder so that no one can hurt her ever again.

⭐ Show your readers as soon as possible what your protagonist's goal is.  While a character’s goal doesn’t have to be super defined at the beginning of a story, it’s important that they have a reason behind their actions and a motivation that propels them forward in the story.

It’s clear from page one of The Hunger Games that Katniss strives to protect and provide for her sister Prim, which is then shown directly at the beginning of chapter two when she volunteers as Tribute for her. We understand Katniss’s goal from the very start and it makes us feel for her.

⭐ Your character’s goal can evolve and change. It does not have to remain the same. Katniss’s goal is always to protect Prim, but once she’s in the Hunger Games, her primary goals evolve into surviving against the other Tributes and the elements.

⭐ Make it hard for them to obtain their goal. Conflict is the heart of every story and if it was easy for your character to get what they want... there would be no story. Place obstacles in front of them, set them back, and watch them grow in the process.

⭐ Create mini-goals in each scene. Your characters and story should never feel stagnant or stuck in one place, and a great way to keep the story progressing is by giving your character smaller objectives that eventually get them to their main goal. 

Katniss has a ton of mini-goals she must complete that eventually gets her to her end goal of winning The Games. She must be likable to the Sponsors and in her interview, impress the judges with her bow skills, and try to make alliances. Once in the arena, she must find water, warmth, a safe place to sleep, escape danger, help Peeta and Rue, etc.

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Writing Purposeful Scenes

You’ll hear it said again and again: every scene of your book should have a purpose. However, some people mistake this to mean that every scene needs something big and important to happen. This isn’t true. A well-crafted and purposefully paced novel will have a balance of conflicts and resolutions.

If you’re following the Three-Act Structure (which most stories will touch on at least a little bit) your story will consist of:

set-ups

conflicts

resolutions

The Hunger Games does this amazingly. Let’s take a look:

Chapter 1 (SET-UP): Introduces us to the dystopian setting that is District 12 and shows us Katniss in her daily life. 

Chapter 2 (CONFLICT): Prim’s name is drawn at the Reaping and Katniss must volunteer. This is the inciting incident of the story.

Chapter 3 (RESOLUTION): Katniss's family and friends come to say goodbye and Katniss has time to reflect.

Of course, story structures do not have to be followed strictly. You can reorder these plot points or even skip some to further fit the story you’re trying to tell.

This post is simply to remind you that while every scene should serve some kind of purpose, that purpose does not have to always be big conflicts or huge plot movements.

Here is a list of just some purposes your scene could include:

Character Development: Does your character change in this scene? Have they realized something or learned a new piece of information? Do their emotions toward a person deepen?

Information Revealed: Does your cast find out something that progresses them forward in the plot? This can be done through dialogue, action or narrative. Do they find the missing map piece? Or does a wise wizard tell them where the magical key is hidden? Does your protagonist find out that they’re adopted?

Further your World-Building: Does this scene deepen the richness of your world? Does the cast find out more about the culture or geography? Do they run into a mysterious creature or come across a magical plant?

Conflict: Is there a physical or mental obstacle in your protagonist’s way? Does an argument break out between two characters? Does an injury occur? Conflicts could be large, or minor... like a character forgetting something at home.

Build Tension: Does this scene further the suspense of your reader? Is your cast nearing the dark castle? Is a character on the brink of death? Is a steamy scene unfolding slowly? Does your protagonist feel like they’re being followed?

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What makes an interesting and well-written protagonist?

These are opinions and preferences from readers themselves across all different types of genres. You’ll find yourself agreeing and disagreeing with them— but that’s the beauty of art. The thoughts of readers can help to see what different people like and dislike. Here are the answers to this question: 

“Someone who is smart but evil and a little bit humane.”

“When they used to be best friends with the protagonist.”

“They have the morally right end goals but the way they achieve those goals are morally wrong.”

“If they directly impact the life of the protagonist. ‘King Bad’ making life tough doesn't count.”

“Absolutely cruel but honest with what they do.”

“When you can actually understand why the antagonist is acting this way.”

“An antagonist that can properly bring out the weakness of the protagonist.”

“If the antagonist’s goals have a good point.”

“Relatable motivation e.g. loss of a loved one.”

“Known as messy and clumsy to the world, but master strategist in evil.”

“An antagonist should have a close or familiar relationship with the main character.”

“They are right. Even if their methods look wrong in the end, their goals and methods are correct.”

“Empathy and when it’s the main character's fault that they turned for the worse (when done correctly).”

“Their weakness and intelligence.”

“Someone relatable, but not always a ‘tragic backstory’ type thing.”

“When they have a good and complex backstory and that is the reason for their actions.”

“A contrast to the protagonist. If the protagonist punches problems, the antagonist should be a thinker.”

“Not being pure evil, like they have some things even they won’t do.”

“In my opinion: goofy antagonists. I love antagonists who aren’t super serious all the time but are still evil.”

“Backstory, connection to the reader.”

“Madness, but the controlled and calculating type.”

“An antagonist that hangs out with the protagonist and reveals themselves later is really cool.”

“Personal things that keep them going, like giving them traits that readers could relate too.”

“CHARACTER ARCS!!! I also love when they have a really unexpected personality.”

“They have to be hot 🧍🏿‍♀️”

“They have a valid reason to do what they do, like a life lost or revenge.” 

“Antagonists that are given good or funny reasons to be the way they are.”

“A non cliché backstory.”

“Goals that make you reconsider supporting the protagonist.”

“Having a motive.”

“I personally LOVE when the antagonist is sympathetic and does wrong for the right reasons. And also, relatable antagonists are a really good addition to any story!”

“I find it really interesting when antagonists are just evil just because they feel like it.”

“They feel they are doing the right thing even though they’re misguided.”

“Ones you’re attracted to.”

“They need to succeed where the protagonist fails, or best them in their greatest strength.”

“Strong motivations and not just the desire to rule the world. And also their background.”

“Still has a heart.”

“A very good backstory on why the person has become an antagonist.”

“A connection to the protagonist. Ex. childhood friend, cousin, sibling.”

“Flaws people can relate to.”

“A well written motivation.”

“Him/Her having flaws as all humans, also learning from mistakes”

“Motive and intelligence; I also want the protagonist to be challenged and have to struggle to defeat them.”

“His actions are for his goal and not to train the hero.”

“They need to have a good reason to be the villain.”

“Reliability.” 

“They have a reason that’s more righteous than the protagonists.”

“When they feel real. Like not all bad, with sensibilities.”

“Deep backstory.”

“A solid motive.”

“A storyline describing what they went through to have become what they are.”

“Motives people can relate to or sympathize with.”

“They’re still human and have emotions.”

“A thread binding the protagonists together. A twisted reflection of something the heroes wished.”

“One with a unique and interesting motive!”

“Someone who is doing it for their own justice, just on a different stand to the protagonists.”

“Actual motivation! An antagonist with weak reasoning or no reasoning for their actions is :/ “

“His evil laugh.”

“His behavior can be justified when his past is well written.”

“When you can understand their reasoning but not their choices.”

“The more “evil” they are, the more ambiguous their backstory.” 

“Humor.”

“Comedic evil personality, traumatic backstory that makes the readers want the hero to save the villain.”

“Positive traits.”

“An antagonist with motivation that makes sense, not one about how tragic their life was.”

“Too much action in everything! Be evil without physically fighting.”

“Reasonable motivations, when you can understand why they do even irredeemable actions.”

“Understanding that villains are human.”

“A strong, non-cliché theme/ideology to their villainy. Evil is much scarier as a force.”

“A sympathetic motivation.”

“An unwillingness to do bad but is forced to anyway.”

“Goals and development / character arc.”

“Flaws and reasoning behind their ‘evil’ plans.”

“When you understand why they behave that way.” 

“I think that (depending on the genre) a bad guy that actually holds its own. Meaning that they could be a character without the hero.”

“An antagonist that knows what they want.”

“A well written and valid reason that made them an antagonist, no one is a villain by nature.”

“I’m not one for there being an overall “main antagonist” but I like viciousness.”

“Someone who has an upsetting backstory (not traumatic) but makes you understand them.”

“A good reason/motivation, not just I WANT TO DESTROY THE WORLD!”

“One with problems that even the readers can relate to.”

“Mysterious and not entirely evil, the question of what made him evil. His intentions about a good/bad cause but in a bad way are not revealed until the end.”

“Have some morals, contrary to the usual ruthless types.”

“Chemistry with the protagonist; their banter/quips + how well they play off each other!”

“They have their own traits that are simply human/unrelated to their motives or traumas.” 

“This is my opinion, but have the protagonist slowly becoming the antagonist.”

“Mysterious and powerful inner strength.”

“The unpredictability of their next moves!”

“Someone who you can sympathize with, who has a motive to their madness.”

“Character foil with the protagonist! As well as a solid motive.”

“Reflecting/mirroring the protagonist, showing them the road they’re on.”

“Purpose and motive.”

“The villain’s motivation and action makes sense in the story.”

“Mixed feelings about what they are doing.”

“Has a good reason for being bad, back story is explained with no plot holes.”

“Development of the character.”

“Somewhat relatable.”

“Someone you can relate to in some way and someone who has good qualities as well.” 

“Traumas he faced and the evil personality he came out to be because of them!”

“A good motive but a bad way of carrying out their goal.”

“A solid backstory/motivation.”

“They have a strong motivation that goes against the protagonist’s interests.”

“Relatability.”

“Clearly telling his point of view and his justification of what he did.”

“The reason behind why they’re the antagonist.”

“This isn’t a must, but something both the antagonist and protagonist want makes a story interesting.”

“That he is likable, because he goes through the same struggles as everyone.”

“A good character that you loved originally slowly goes evil overtime, so you don’t want to hate them.”

“Good natured. Rounded. Readers think the antagonists' errands are forgivable. They like them more than the protagonist. 

“They feel justified in their actions/movies.”

“That he has the same complexity as the protagonist, without being pure evil.”

“Competent villains are the best and most frightening. Intelligence plus a nice sense of humor is even better.”

“An antagonist with a backstory, not the weepy cliché kind but an interesting one. A goal they’re for. Maybe someone they care for in a twisted way. Essentially, a three dimensional villain.”

“Personal connection to the hero. I’ll always love the goal of a petty prevent more than world domination.”

“A well-explained backstory.”

“That they always keep you guessing, I’ve found that really intrigues readers.”

“That he has the same complexity as the protagonist, without being pure evil.”

“If it’s a girl, she still gets her period, cramps, has to go to the toilet, etc.”

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Some Quick Dialogue Tips

1) Reveal character through dialogue. When a character is speaking, it can reveal a lot about them as a person. Is their word choice careful and kind, or do they speak unfiltered and sarcastically? Are they withholding information willingly? Do they have mannerisms when speaking? The way a character talks and how they say the words can reveal how they’re feeling.

2) Balance dialogue with action and narration. Your scenes should contain a mixture of dialogue, action, narration, etc. If you have long conversations of dialogue, make sure to add in some actions, descriptions, and inner thoughts... too much constant dialogue with nothing else in between can mess with the pacing of your story.

3) Assign a voice to each character. Everyone in your daily life has a different way of speaking. The timid people, the bubbly people, the confident people, the deceptive people. Don’t go overboard with it, but giving your characters a distinctive way of talking will make the conversation feel more real.

4) Keep it natural. When conversing, people don’t typically use intricate vocabulary (unless that’s part of your character’s personality) nor do they speak non-stop for five minutes. When people are mad, they can be very short with one another-- or rant and rave beyond control. Humans pause when thinking, can forget their line of thought, and even stagger over their words. When in doubt, just think about how you and your friends/family talk to one another. 

5) Read it out loud. If you have a hard time speaking a line of dialogue, chances are it might be too wordy or complicated. If it doesn’t sound organic when you speak it, it won’t sound natural on the page.

6) Use dialogue to push the plot forward. You’ll hear it time and time again-- everything in your story should progress the plot. Dialogue is a wonderful place to do that. Your characters can find out information/secrets that are vital to the plot through conversation. Character development can also happen when your protagonist opens up or vents. 

7) Your characters don’t always have to tell the truth. In real life, we don’t mean everything we say (whether this is deliberate or not). When a coworker asks you how you are, you probably default to “I’m fine” even if you’re not. Through action tags and narrative, you can create an organic conversation by having your character not always say the exact truth (but their actions say otherwise).

Ben and Cassie ducked their heads as bullets ripped through the air around them. A huge blast knocked them to the ground. “Shit! There’s is gunfire everywhere, you good Cassie?” “I’m good! The blast missed me.” Cassie held her side tightly and grimaced at her fellow medic. When he turned away, she tripped her way towards the wounded children who needed her help, each step causing blood to soak her hand.

By not saying the exact truth here, we learn through her actions that Cassie is caring and selfless.

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What Bores a Reader The Most?

I asked my followers to answer the question “what bores you the most when reading a book?” 

Please keep in mind that these are all opinions and you’ll find yourself agreeing and disagreeing with some. Personally, I think this is amazing insight into the minds of unique readers all around the globe! I decided to keep reoccurring answers instead of merging them, just so people could see the repeating themes.

“Predictable conflicts or character actions. I want to be surprised.”

“When there’s no clear plot. When it looks like the book is leading nowhere.”

“Endless description. Nothing makes me more prone to skipping ahead.”

“When it feels like what you’re reading lacks purpose and there is no meaningful contribution to the plot.”

“Characters with less personality than a wet paper towel. Main characters with zero personality.”

“When I can’t picture anything in my head or what I understood changes randomly.”

“When a conversation is happening and I can’t follow which character is saying what.”

“Daily routines in a story. Like, I do not care.”

“When the world doesn’t move if the main character doesn’t interact with it. This applies to t.v shows, too.”

“Something that does not have a build up like a sudden relationship out of the blue.”

“When I’m so confused it doesn’t make sense anymore.”

“When there’s a 3 page description of some random object.”

“Wayyyy too much detail.”

“When the big plot twist is revealed and I guessed it ages ago.”

“Too slow or too long.”

“When the author unnecessarily drags the story and takes ages to advance to the climax.”

“Fan service that doesn’t contribute to the plot.”

“Useless descriptions and/or actions.”

“Over description of a landscape (cough old literature cough).”

“No action, no violence. I don’t like when characters talk for too long.”

“Long descriptions.”

“Too much descriptions when you are in a exciting moment. It breaks immersion.”

“Lack of imagery.”

“Constant usage of archaic vocabulary.”

“When the main character is extremely passive and doesn’t act or react.”

“Excessive description that doesn’t further the plot or meaningfully add to characterization.”

“Overly predictable plot, overly crude language for the sake of it, cringe/pompous scenes.”

“Long and boring exposition dumps.”

“Characters that never loose 😴.”

“When the world building starts out great and is really immersive until later on when things don’t add up.”

“When a character has too much internal dialogue.”

“Explaining “the science” behind magic systems in unnecessary detail.”

“Over description. I will skim and skip a lot of it.”

“Too much background info at the beginning.”

“When there’s small talk about a topic I don’t understand. It get’s sooo boring.”

“Too much inner monologue.”

“Slow plot.”

“When it’s just dragging on and on with the backstory.”

“Having to reread a sentence/paragraph a billion times because my brain got distracted.”

“When there’s no action, suspense or something similar for the whole chapter.”

“Things that aren’t relevant to the story.”

“Too much dialogue.”

“A lil too much fantasies.”

“Over drawn setting descriptions.”

“Overly long chapters, repetitive scenes, lots of complicated worldbuilding.”

“When it’s too simple or too detailed.”

“Long, long expositions.”

“Repeating phrases, plots ,etc.”

“Infodumps, especially in the beginning.”

“Too much history.”

“Overly descriptive settings.”

“Slow plot. I need drama!”

“Long chapters.”

“Slow pacing.”

“No major plot twist.”

“Miscommunication trope.”

“Massively long descriptive paragraphs.”

“Too much exposition in the beginning.”

“Long and confusing story building.”

“Repeating plot points. For example: the hero learning to trust his friends a million times without any real progression.”

“Training scenes that show nothing special. Especially sword fighting or head to hand combat.”

“Generic plot developments unless it’s written well.”

“Overuse of complicated words and sentences.”

“Long paragraphs.”

“I’m so over the bubble sunshine and extra grumpy trope.”

“When a character is overthinking.”

“Romanic subplots bore me. Having too many love interests.”

“When it switches between characters/subplots and one of them is awfully boring.”

“When too much information on a character is given one at a time.”

“Clichés.”

“When it takes a long time before the story gets interesting.”

“Long, long, long descriptions particularly of places that aren’t all that important.”

“Descriptions of unnecessary things.”

“Too much side character’s story. They’re a side for a reason.”

“I love beautiful writing so there must be some lovely descriptions... but don’t drone on.”

“Flat characters.”

“Scenes in which my favorite characters do not appear.”

“When the characters have no clear goal or the goal is too weak.”

“If most or all of the characters are unlikable. Then I don’t care what happens to them in the story. Being an evil/mean character is different from being unlikable.”

“When the plot does not move forward.”

“Writing unnecessary, irrelevant things that don’t have an effect on the story.”

“No real plot. The protagonist has no fire to them.”

“When the protagonist needs to figure out a love triangle and which person they like the most.”

“When the interesting parts happen right at the end.”

“When there’s too much info dumping with no easy transitions.”

“No progression after chapters and chapters. Characters not having development.”

“Too much description and a slow start to the story.”

“When characters are too oblivious to something.”

“Oblivious main characters, lazy plots, stereotypical encounters, main character is a god trope.”

“Unnecessarily long amounts of monologue or dialogue.”

“The second chance trope bores me.”

“Slow beginnings... like, get to the action in 3 chapters of less please.”

“Chapters being too long with small writing.”

“If the characters go through the same conflict over and over again.”

“Classic books... I don’t understand a thing, haha.”

“Being bombarded with unnecessary detail.”

“Bad boy meets good girl trope bores me.”

“Too much landscape descriptions like Tolkien or Stephen King.”

“Bad dialogue, too much excessive background details and too many character tags.”

“When the book moves too slowly.”

“Over described scenes or characters.”

“Descriptions without inputs of what a characters is thinking about. I need a lens of character POV to make descriptions interesting to read.”

“A badly written romance subplot where the characters involved don’t have any chemistry whatsoever.”

“I get a bit lost when there’s too much details about an environment.”

“When the story doesn’t go anywhere for a really long time.”

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How To Develop Your Characters

1) Reveal your character slowly. If you info-dump too much about your protagonist straight away, there is no more wonder surrounding them. By slowly unraveling details about a character, the reader can understand them more fully and see their growth happen in real-time. When your character begins to open up naturally as the story progresses, they’ll reveal things about themselves through their actions or dialogue.

2) All protagonists should have a goal. When a character sets out to complete their goal, that is when the story is born as well as their character arc. The obstacles they have to overcome and the setbacks they face develop them as the story progresses. When you give your character a goal and make it hard for them to reach it, they begin to figure things out and grow as a person.

3) Create obstacles. And then more obstacles. The more conflict that you shove in your protagonist’s face, the more active they have to be in the story. It’s by actively making choices that someone begins to transform. Give your protagonist physical obstacles to overcome but also internal ones like doubt, regret, anger, confusion, lust, etc. 

4) Let them Fail. Overwhelm your character, push them to their limits, kick them when they’re low, make them feel like their heart will never heal... and then help them overcome the hardship. (Or not, if your story consists of a negative character arc). Regardless, failure is an important part of any story because no one is perfect and readers love seeing a protagonist overcome the impossible. Have your protagonist fail continuously throughout the story... big failures, little failures, half-failures... it all builds character.

5) Enhance their growth by having static characters in the story. Protagonists are typically dynamic characters which means they change throughout the story. It can be smart to contrast a dynamic character with a minor static/flat character who remains the same throughout the story. If two characters come from the same starting point but only one changes, the audience can see the growth that has really happened to them.

6) Give your character a past that they can overcome. A backstory, an origin, a past. We all start somewhere. The way we grew up undoubtedly shaped us into who we are today and it’s no different for a character. Whether your character comes from a backstory of hardships or privilege, you must know the reasons behind who they are at the start of your story. Then, you can start developing them... making them into a better or worse person.

For example, maybe your protagonist has a deathly fear of cars because of being in an accident as a child. Put them and a love interest in a car together or have them take walks by a highway late at night. Perhaps he even shows her what a car looks like under the hood and helps her to understand the safety features. This all develops your character into growing past their fear, which we understand because of their past.

7) Give your character's flaws that are real. I don’t mean little flaws like being bad a math or extremely clumsy. While these are all aspects that are okay to give a character, your protagonist needs a more deep and intense obstacle to overcome. A werewolf who can’t control their anger and transforms sporadically. A cheerleader who shakes so badly from presentation anxiety that she risks dropping a teammate. These traits are realistic and relatable to the audience and can be overcome as the character develops, learns, and grows throughout the story.

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Reasons your Novel Might get Rejected

Thinking of publishing traditionally? Here are some reasons why a publishing agency might reject your book. Don’t let any of these reasons keep you from writing, but rather help you strengthen your craft!

1) Your target audience is unclear. Are you writing for middle-grade boys or adult females? Suburban single mothers or war-enthusiast who love everything weaponry and explosive? Of course, your story can end up appealing to multiple categories of people (take Harry Potter for example). But if you know who your prime reader is, you’ll be able to use the correct language, voice, and reading level for them.

2) Your query letter or synopsis is lacking and doesn’t hook the agency. A query letter and synopsis are two different things presented to an agent or publishing company. You must be able to properly sum up your  book in an interesting way for an agency to want to peruse your novel. You have to pique their interest.

A query letter is a brief summary used to capture the attention of an agent/publishing company. A sales pitch one might say. It typically contains your story's main hook, some details about the book (genre, similar books, etc.), and some facts about yourself. If the query letter is successful, the agency will go on to read your synopsis/pages.

A synopsis is a summary of your entire book from start to finish and what happens in it (including character arcs and plot). This is all done in less than two pages.

3) Predictability. It may be predictable characters, or the plot itself. Either way, predictability isn't good. What's the point of reading a book if you can already predict the events? Conflict is the heart of all stories and if your book lacks conflict/stakes, it can become predictable. Give your characters inner conflict just as much as you do physical. Make it difficult for readers to know what your character will do.

4) Your story starts way too early. From what I’ve researched, a huge reason why books get declined is that they start wayyy before anything happens. You’re revealing tons of background information or your character is doing pointless things when they should be approaching the inciting incident. The inciting incident is the scene that launches your character on their journey and should happen sooner than later! 

5) You aren’t balancing showing vs. telling. Contrary to popular belief, a novel should have a bit of both (but... probably more showing). If you spend every scene in extreme detail, you risk slowing your story down. If you tell everything, you aren’t immersing your reader.

6) You’re spending too much time in Act 1. A story consists of three Acts. The beginning, middle, and end. The rising action/set-up, the middle/climax, and the resolution. Don’t spend too much time in Act 1 setting things up. You’ll want to properly pace your story so that it doesn't drag on too long before hitting the heart of the story.

7) Simply... bad writing/grammar. Also, consistent POV is important. This one is self-explanatory, but if you care about what happens in your story, you should also care about the grammar and prose! Typically, hiring editors is a step you must do before taking your novel to a publishing agency.

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