A Protagonist with no Backstory
Can you defy convention and write a protagonist with no backstory? I started a new project to explore just that. […]
Character
Posts on writing characters
Wants, Needs, Fears and Misbeliefs
Four essentials of character will inform the character’s arc or transformation: wants, needs, fears and misbeliefs. More than the simple
Pretty Woman Hates its Protagonist
Time and again this movie comes up as a ‘classic’ romance, but Pretty Woman hates its protagonist. Twice this week
Novels Obsess over the Past
According to our favourite writing coach, novels obsess over the past. At his most recent writers’ summit, Daniel David Wallace
Villainy without Melodrama and Tantrums
Every story needs an antagonist, but can you have villainy without melodrama and tantrums? Listen to the audio version on
The Choices Characters Make
Engaging stories come out of the choices characters make. Or as Sue Brown Moore advocates, never stop asking ‘why?’ Listen
The ScriptShark Critique Sheet
I rediscovered the ScriptShark Critique Sheet from 2009. It’s another useful tool by which to evaluate your manuscript. Listen to
Writing the Last Chapter
Writing the last chapter doesn’t mean getting to the end of the plot. Whatever is in the last chapter is
The Character Growth Worksheet
If you’re stuck developing a character for your story, look no further than Jeff Elkins‘ Character Growth Worksheet. A favourite
Abandonment Issues and the Feisty Heroine
I realise I have two common themes in my fiction: abandonment issues and the feisty heroine. This feeds directly into