Tag Archives: characters

A Character by Any Other Name

Posted on April 3, 2012 by

Along with their physical descriptions, speech patterns, and those quirky gestures however irritating or endearing, your characters’ names can speak volumes about their personalities. Consider Cruella de Vil from A Hundred And One Dalmatians. Would she inspire the same fear … Continue reading →

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How to Heighten the Tension In Your Novel

Posted on June 3, 2011 by

Your novel’s protagonist has a goal. It could be as simple as bouncing back from heartache or as complex as saving the world from an evil genius and his army of giant, irradiated Madagascar hissing cockroaches. But if your character … Continue reading →

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Get Your Hands on This Book

Posted on May 12, 2011 by

Apologies that I’m late with this one (with a book coming out, I’ve been a little distracted), but I just finished reading Jennifer Egan’s A Visit from the Goon Squad. It’s fabulous. It’s one of the best books I’ve read … Continue reading →

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What Is Your Character’s Deepest Desire?

Posted on February 8, 2011 by

Maybe you’ve heard this canard tossed about in writing conferences or on writing blogs: your protagonist has to want something. So, what the heck does that mean? Isn’t it enough, you might think, to just tell the story? Well, technically. … Continue reading →

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What’s In A Name?

Posted on October 25, 2010 by

I’m pretty sure that everyone writing fiction has at some time been stumped for a name for a character. It has to feel right for the character, match his or her personality, age, socioeconomic status, historical era. Sometimes I’ve been … Continue reading →

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