Why Stories Need the Everyman
One of the key ingredients of successful novels is the relatability of the characters; it’s why stories need the Everyman, […]
Character
Posts on writing characters
Troubles, Decisions and Consequences
Worry not, no personal woes here; we’re plotting troubles, decisions and consequences in fiction. Another guest lecturer on Sanderson’s BYU
Applying Character Arcs in Fiction
In a previous post I looked at how character arcs rise and fall and promised to look at applying character
Character Arcs Rise and Fall
Part of the editing process is considering how character arcs rise and fall in the course of the novel. Movement,
Three Scales of Character
Some of the takeaways from Brandon Sanderson’s 2020 lectures include his three scales of character. Sanderson’s three scales of character
Sanderson on Character
Another gem from the BYU online writers’ course features author and lecturer Brandon Sanderson on character. In this lecture, Sanderson
The Legacy of the Rings
What I call Tolkein’s Legacy of the Rings doesn’t kick-start the fantasy genre. It originates in the roots of story
How Many Characters in Chapter One?
Here’s a question: how many characters in chapter one? How many does a novel need to get the story going?
Archetypes in Fantasy
Like few other genres, archetypes in fantasy make or break a story. An archetype is a character that fulfils a