HOW TO MAKE BELIEVABLE CHARACTERS
Making a believable character whom we can all route for is tough. Yet, I was able to find a great example of how to draw the reader in with this video clip of Katy Perry’s “Roar”. Remember, you promised not to judge. Continue reading
HOW TO MAKE SURE YOUR CHARACTER IS PROACTIVE
Oftentimes new writers gather all the tools they need for their WIPs: pen, laptop, plot-writing books, character development blogs, villain sketches – you know how it goes. With all of these elements, there’s still one thing that’s missing, something that can hurt your novel and you won’t even know it until the reviews start pouring in. Continue reading
HOW TO CREATE A CIRCUMSTANTIALLY EVIL VILLAIN
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The circumstantial villain (the person who is against the main only because of the situation).
The evil villain (the 1-D evil incarnate).
These are the two types of villains that we are going to mix today.
Circumstantial + Evil = CircumEvil.
This is the type of villain who is best described as vicious and evil, vile even. The reader will despise this character, and the other characters will buckle under his power. He kills for a living, and he has no remorse for beheading innocent victims in his plight.
HOW TO CREATE AN EVIL VILLAIN
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The most well-known villain type is the “evil for evil’s sake” bad guy. This villain has no motives for his evil. He wants to rule the world, and he wants to enslave all its inhabitants.
This type of antag is comical if you take him to his logical end because the question always arises, “What are you going to do if you do enslave the world?” That said, it doesn’t matter what’s next. The important thing is what’s happening right now.
The evil villain is seen most in epic fantasies since everyone knows that evil is bad. Of course we know of the Sith Lord, Darth Sideous from Star Wars. There’s Darken Rahl from The Sword of Truth. The list goes on with these scumbags. Continue reading
HOW TO CREATE A SLIPPERY VILLAIN
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What type of villain are you creating? There are several types, and we are going to take a few days to explore these feats of villainy.
This post will be about the slippery villain. This villain is like a fish that you just can’t keep your hands on. He’s a villain by circumstance, and it only makes you hate him more. Continue reading
HOW TO INCLUDE WEATHER IN YOUR WRITING
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So this is my 100th blog post, and I’m pretty excited about it. There are not too many ways to celebrate through cyberspace, so I figured I’d just link back to my first blog: PLOT H LES.
That said, let’s get to it. One aspect of setting that’s often neglected is the weather. Though it is sufficient to write a one-word expression to describe the heat and then leave it alone, I prefer subtle reminders of how the weather is affecting the characters.
As writers, it’s important to remember that we are recreating or creating events. These events are impacted by the weather conditions that the character must endure or enjoy. Continue reading
HOW TO KEEP YOUR CHARACTERS BELIEVABLE
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Risk taking is what defines good writing. It’s the unexpected that makes the reader’s bottom lip tremble in anticipant trepidation, waiting for your story to unfold. These risks are tough, because we want to maintain a story that’s consistent, and taking those risks teeters on the edge of being unbelievable.
Continuing from yesterday, let’s define something a little more clearly. Even though we are jumping off a bridge, make sure that there is water underneath. We aren’t plummeting to our literary deaths; we simply want to make the thrill ride is exhilarating. Continue reading
HOW TO LEGITIMATELY TRICK YOUR READER
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Tricking the reader is a bad game to play. For instance, having a character pretend not to know that someone is the killer, only to find out that she knew who did it the entire time is wrong. That’s not the kind of trickery that I’m referring to.
What I’m describing is keeping something hidden from the reader, while maintaining your legitimate narrative perspective. Here’s an example. Continue reading
HOW TO ADD A FLASH OF LIGHTNING TO YOUR FANTASY
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With fantasy, one thing that readers expect is to have the world unfold as the character experiences it. Think of it like a Fruit-Rollup that you eat one piece at a time, peeling it away from the wax paper until it’s all gone. Can’t you just taste how delicious that is?
That’s one of fantasy’s strong points. Being able to reveal your world in a flavorful way keeps the reader as enchanted as the characters. But how can this be done? Continue reading
HOW TO WRITE BELIEVABLE FANTASY
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One of the dumbest ideas for a novel would have to come from The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. Think about it. Some kids go to a house where they’re not wanted and they find this wardrobe. After finding it, they realize that this glorious piece of bedroom furniture is enchanted. Not only that, but the wardrobe, if opened by the right people, has an entirely different world hidden within it called Narnia. That’s ridiculous!
But this is where it gets crazy. Continue reading
William Stadler 