From Bit-player to Leading Light
When one vignette comes to life, a hack actor goes from bit-player to leading light. And a short story spawns […]
Character
Posts on writing characters
The Fool Who Longs for Home
In a re-interpretation of the hero’s journey, the true hero is the fool who longs for home. It’s about the
Likable, sympathetic or just compelling?
What’s the priority for a protagonist in fiction: likable, sympathetic or just compelling? It seems counter-intuitive, but not every protagonist
Plot, Character and Second Sight
Why take the easy route when you can smash together plot, character and Second Sight? My fantasy series centers on
Readers want the Emotional Layer
At this year’s Worldshift writers’ event, author and coach Trisha Jen Loehr described how readers want the emotional layer in
When sidekicks and bit-players take over
What happens to a book plan when sidekicks and bit players take over from the main characters? My fantasy series
Worst Tropes of YA Heroines
The tricky part of writing a YA fantasy is dealing with the worst tropes of YA heroines. We’re talking all
Worst Protagonist for the Plot
In order to write a successful story, you need the worst protagonist for the plot. Hear me out: the main
Don’t mess up the ending
No matter how well you write your beginning and middle, don’t mess up the ending. The end of a story
Not the Chosen One?
What if the protagonist of your fantasy story is not the Chosen One? A well-worn trope of fantasy fiction is