Beth Greenslade's Blog, page 33

How To Know Your Readers Better

Know your readers better and you'll be able to write a book they'll want to read. But how do you get to know this audience? Where do you start? Read on to find out!

Every writer knows that the better you understand your audience, the easier it will be to connect with them. So how can you work towards understanding your audience better? Here are some helpful tips:

Get to know your readers - our top tips!Do lots of research before you start

Research is key to discovering who your target demographic is, and the more study you do, the more precise an idea you will have. There are lots of tools you can use to conduct audience research such as American FactFinder, which uses census information to aid your research, unveiling important details on specific demographics.

Remember not to assume you know your target audience before you start researching; you may find that what you thought was the ideal demographic for your piece is actually quite different, so keep an open mind.

Look to your competitors

Your competition is there for a reason, and instead of letting them get in your way, use them to your advantage. Look at the kinds of content they are putting out and whose interest they are trying to capture. Observe the frequency, the tone of voice, and the feedback they are getting and use all of this to inform you own piece.

Create a target customer persona

Customer personas can be very helpful as they will give you focus and clarity when it comes to writing your piece. If you can conceptualize your target reader in this way, you’ll find it much easier to speak to them directly and will have a higher chance of writing something that interests them and resonates with them too.

Ask your current customers

Your loyal and even not so loyal customers are also a great source of information, so use them. Send out surveys or questionnaires, set up market research panels, or just ask them in person. If you can understand what they like and dislike about your service, products, and brand, you can share your future communications to appeal to them better.

Use social listening

Social listening is another powerful tool at our disposal, which can greatly assist content creation. Find out what customers are saying about you and your competitors. Find out what matters to them and what kinds of questions they are asking. Use this to write pieces that will answer those questions, reassure their doubts, and speak to them directly about things they hold dear.

By following the above, you can get to know your audience better and therefore create content that is far more likely to resonate with them and inspire them to act. So the next time you are writing a piece of content to be that a landing page, blog post, social media post or anything else, use the above to help you understand who you are writing for, and see what a difference it makes.

So now you know your reader, why not learn more about what readers want?

Get A Free Writer's Toolkit By Visiting http://www.writerslife.org/gid

Bethany Cadman - bethanycadman.co.uk

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Self-Publishing Shame -Why Do We Feel Embarrassed ?

Self-Publishing shame is real. Yet it shouldn't be. Self-publishing has been an option for authors for decades now. Yet, for some reason, there is still a stigma that surrounds it. 

There still seems to be a lingering attitude that if you self-publish your book, you are not a ‘real’ writer. Or that you have failed in some way. People tut and mutter and say unhelpful things like ‘well, anyone can self-publish these days.’

While this is technically true - it massively undermines and undervalues the mammoth effort it takes to write and publish a book. It also dismisses the significant fact that many, many authors, including those who have enjoyed previous success via a more traditional publishing model, have actually chosen to self-publish. It is not something we are forced into as a last resort. Rather, in many cases, a smart and purposeful business decision. 

Self-publishing shame - what exactly is it?

The stigma is based around the fact that the quality of self-published books has become lower, the more accessible it has become to do so. There is a huge divide between publishing houses who have to invest lots of time and money into printing and publishing their books (and therefore must be quite sure they are profitable) and vanity publishers who can get their books out and available to the public for next to nothing. Arguably the latter therefore don’t have a vested interest in the quality or saleability of the book. 

What does it mean to produce a quality book?

There are many elements of a book that might make it good quality. The content, the editing, the layout and design, and many more factors all come into play. But another, and arguably, more important factor, is personal opinion. 

Bestsellers are bestsellers for a myriad of reasons. If you are an avid reader, you’ll undoubtedly have struggled through some well-known and celebrated books thinking, ‘what is this drivel?’ You might have found yourself in heated (but highly enjoyable) debates about the merits or pitfalls of some of the books you’ve read with others who feel the exact opposite. 

Essentially, quality is relative. We cannot deny that if an individual writer takes it upon themselves to write and edit and format their work, it has less chance of being entirely professional and error free. However, this shouldn’t mean that people view the entire self-publishing industry in this way. Many writers take the time to have their books professionally edited and cover professionally designed. 

The truth about traditional contracts

Those who can land a traditional publishing contract have an army of people behind them taking care of perfecting and polishing the work. However, this doesn’t necessarily make all published authors great storytellers. 

The inherent bias remains that lower quality work emerges from the self-published market. Readers are more likely to trust the vetting process that occurs when a publishing house takes on new work and are threfore more likely to buy it. For self-published authors, it is up to their connections, their marketing plans, and their sheer determination to try to secure a decent number of book sales. 

With publishing houses generally publishing fewer than ten new titles a year, it is no wonder that authors have turned to self-publishing as a more viable option to see their work in print. With far lower commission rates, the ability to control the final product, and being able to take one's own destiny into one's own hands make the self-publishing route genuinely appealing for many. 

Self-publishing - it's a choice (and a good one at that)

Plenty of authors produce exceptional quality work and select to self-publish. These independent authors need to be free of the stigma, the embarrassment that seems to surround self-publishing. Luckily, this does appear to be changing. With the emergence of successful self-published authors such as E.L. James, Amanda Hocking, and Andy Weir, both authors and readers can trust that good work can come from this market. This is a great thing - because there is no reason why writers who self-publish their works shouldn't feel the same sense of excitement and pride to see their books in print as those who are traditionally published are so encouraged to do.

Do you suffer from self-publishing shame? Share your comments with us today!

Why not read more about successful self-published authors next?

Get A Free Writer's Toolkit By Visiting http://www.writerslife.org/gid

Bethany Cadman - bethanycadmancreates.com

The post Self-Publishing Shame -Why Do We Feel Embarrassed ? appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

Writing A Blog For Your Business

Writing a blog for your business is a useful way to connect with customers and boost your brand. Every business who wants to explore all their marketing options (and who doesn’t?) needs great content, plain and simple.

Content marketing is one of the most powerful vehicles with which to advertise your business, products and attract new customers.

By sharing valuable content for free with the people who want it you will be noticed by prospects, and these prospects will  convert into buyers, and potentially even loyal customers who return to your business time and time again.

So why is writing a blog for your business so important?

For a start, it covers a whole spectrum of different mediums so you have the potential to advertise your business in loads of different ways. It's not just articles but creating podcasts, video, and social media posts are all places where you can boost content and potentially raise awareness about your business.

Great content writing requires catchy headlines, unusual and exciting articles, and is thought-provoking, useful and/ or interesting. Remember, your audience wants content that is valuable, and information that they can understand, so if you write content that is clearly just a wordy sales pitch, they will immediately be turned off.

Start with simple blogging

Blogging in its purest form is a great place to start. It can help your customers really engage with your brand and give it a ‘friendly face.’

Make sure your blogs are relevant for your customers. Blogs can help improve your SEO which means better search engine rankings, and more visibility for your business website.

Setting up a blog is simple, cheap, and you don’t have to have advanced graphics skills, so every business really should have one! Keeping a regular blog is basically the central hub where all your content should be contained. You can then feed it into all your other communication platforms i.e. Facebook and Twitter, even email marketing campaigns and newsletters.

Show off your expertise

Writing a blog for your business demonstrates your expertise. It makes you an authority, and, therefore trustworthy. You are also giving people valuable information for free, and there is nothing people love more than free stuff! As your blog grows so will your customer relationships strengthen, your customer base widen, and your sales increase.

Create a strategy

It is important to have a strategy when blogging for your business, don’t just write random posts here and there and expect them to get much attention. In order to come up with a successful strategy you first need to understand who your potential audience is, what they need, or what problems do they have? How can you give them what they need, or solve their problems?

Create a schedule (you should post at least once a week) and stick to it religiously. This means when you build up a fan base your readers will come to eagerly await your next post.

Make sure you stay ahead of the competition by keeping your posts fresh and modern. Stay abreast of the latest news and trends and start blogging about them as soon as you do. This will give you an edge over your competition and keep you ahead of the game.

Writing great content for your businesses is fun and inspiring. Once you get into the swing of it, you’ll soon start to see ideas everywhere. If you don’t have a blog then why not start today? You’ll soon see all the benefits that having fantastic, valuable and usable content on your site can have for your business.

Get A Free Writer's Toolkit By Visiting http://www.writerslife.org/gid

So now you understand why writing a blog for your business is imperative, why not look at what you need to do to start a content writing business!

*This post has been updated from a 2016 post.

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Simple Rules To Help You Write Your Novel Quickly

Write your novel faster with these useful tips!

Writing a novel can’t always be a super speedy process. Taking your time is the best thing to do in certain circumstances. However, there is a difference between being thorough and meticulous, and procrastinating. If you start finding the whole novel-writing process is becoming painfully slow, it might be helpful to read these tips! Below we outline how to ensure you get the first draft of your novel down – and fast. Because if you take too long, you might lose motivation altogether. 

So what can you do to write your novel quickly? Get your structure sorted before you start

The more planning you can do, the more straightforward the writing process will be. There is nothing wrong with writing when the mood strikes us. But, for most of us, if we don’t have a writing timetable in place we won’t get much done. Create a complex and detailed outline that covers all your plot points, create chapter outlines, character arcs, and details of the main dramatic conflicts as well as your setting so that you have all the details clear in your mind before you begin. It’s also good to consider at this stage what you know about yourself as a writer already. Which bits do you struggle with the most? Paying particular attention to these early on will ensure you don’t hit a roadblock later, or if you do, you’ll feel fully equipped to deal with it and move on. 

Get super organized

If you want to keep your momentum and motivation high, you need to start being strict with yourself. Not only do you need a water-tight writing regime that you prioritize above all else, but also systems in place to track and organize your ideas. Nothing will slow you down more than having a brain wave and then searching back through scribbled notes and disorganized pieces of writing to attempt to find what you are looking for. If you want to ensure your book doesn’t have any inconsistencies and plot holes, idea tracking will also ensure you don’t have to keep going back over your manuscript to avoid contradicting something you wrote earlier. By staying organized you can keep your timeframe and the details of your world accessible and to hand whenever needed. 

Now is not the time for tinkering

Speedy novel writing means putting your nose to the grindstone and getting those words onto the page. If you while away the hours tinkering and editing and trying to perfect each sentence, you won’t get anywhere fast. Instead, let the first draft be rough and sort the finer details later on. Just keep moving forward even if you find yourself cringing at the last thing you wrote. 

Write in shorthand and leave bits you are stuck on

Writing in shorthand can be an excellent way to get the story out while saving you time. If you haven’t quite figured out how each scene will link together or how everything plays out, it’s also OK to skip over or just jot down a few ideas and sentences and come back to them later rather than getting stuck on something and feeling like your getting nowhere with it. 

Keep tasks small and manageable

If you want to write your novel quickly, you’ll no doubt understand what a mammoth task it is. However, if you divide the things you have to do into bite-sized chunks, you will feel less overwhelmed and can tackle one thing at a time, moving ever closer to your goal of completing that first draft as you do!

So now you know how to write your novel quickly, why not read some more tips about how to write faster (and better too?)

Bethany Cadman – bethanycadmancreates.com

Book Publishers To Submit To Without An Agent

Looking for book publishers to submit to? Try these 10 below!

Looking for book publishers to submit to these days can be a little challenging. Not having an agent can make getting your book in front of book publishers even more tricky. Because publishers these days are often inundated with submissions, all too often you find that they have ‘no unsolicited manuscripts on their site which essentially means, if your work doesn’t come via an agent, don’t bother.

It makes sense for publishers to use agents to act as a kind of screening station. Agents know the business and can sift through all the work to present a selection of the best manuscripts to the publishing houses. However, what this does mean is that getting an agent is almost as hard as getting a publishing deal, and it’s kind of a catch 22 for authors who just want to get their work in front of someone who might give it a chance.

Luckily, there are still some publishing houses out there that you can submit to directly. Below are 10 book publishers to submit to and might be a great fit for your book. Let’s take a look at them:

Book publishers to submit to now!1. Sterling Publishing

Sterling Publishing is a well-established publisher that takes on both fiction and non-fiction work. They cover many genres and could be a great fit for authors looking for a good all-round publisher with lots of experience. 

2. DAW

If you are a science fiction or fantasy writer DAW could be the publisher for you. However, you have to submit by post and want all submissions to be exclusive until they reach a decision (unless they take over three months to do so).

3. Alloy Entertainment

Women's fiction writers take note, Alloy Entertainment takes on about 12 new manuscripts each year and specializes in this genre - they will consider young adult, middle grade, and chapter books too.

4. Baen

Another great publisher for science fiction and fantasy writers. Submit your full-length manuscript to them, but be warned - you have to be patient as they say it can be up to a year before you’ll hear a reply. 

5. Flashlight Press

Flashlight Press specializes in stunningly illustrated children’s fiction. They only publish 4 books maximum each year and are looking for stories targeted at 4-8 years old. They are selective, but award-winning, so if you think you have the next big children’s book - they are definitely worth a shot. 

6. Free Spirit Publishing

If you are a nonfiction writer specializing in educational material, Free Spirit Publishing is a good one to submit too. They cover a huge range of topics targeted at different audiences including children, teens, parents, and educators.

7. Five Star

Have you written a great mystery or western? If so, Five Star might be your best bet! They ask for a query letter first and can take time to respond, but if they are interested they’ll invite you to send your manuscript in. 

8. Adams Media

Adams Media specializes in nonfiction titles covering a huge variety of topics including

self-help, parenting, business, cooking, business, finance, relationships, and pets. They also publish some crime fiction and memoirs. 

9. Black Inc.

Both fiction and nonfiction writers can submit their books to Black Inc. without an agent. They also have a good turnaround time and will get back to you with an answer within 8 weeks. 

10. Persea Books

This publishing company is looking for literary novels, creative nonfiction, memoirs, essays, biographies, books on contemporary issues, anthologies, as well as some poetry and young adult titles.

So if you have had no luck finding an agent, why not give the above a try. Remember to always check out and follow their unique submission guidelines and good luck!

Now you've discovered some great book publishers to submit to, why not read our publishing advice for 2021?

Get A Free Writer's Toolkit By Visiting http://www.writerslife.org/gid

Bethany Cadman - bethanycadmancreates.com

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Narrative Pacing – How To Ensure Your Plot Has Pace

Narrative pacing can be tricky to get right but is an essential part of writing a successful story. A well-paced plot will ensure that your story flows well. It will help readers keep momentum and ensure the action and drama are well placed to drive the story forwards.

Narrative pacing - why is it important?

Pacing is important in a novel. If you don’t pay attention to it, it can be all too easy to get it wrong. Too fast and your readers could be left feeling overwhelmed and confused. Too slow and they will be underwhelmed and bored. 

So how do you get narrative pacing right? Here are a few easy, quick tips to ensure that you pace your novel correctly and keep your reader hooked. 

Introduce your character right away.

Don’t leave readers hanging on and waiting to meet your main characters and don’t wait to 'start' your story. Your story needs to begin from the very first page. Scene setting and backstory shouldn’t be a priority right now. Don’t confuse this with having to open your story with something insanely dramatic, however, you do need to start with action and draw your reader in.

Propose your central question and state your theme.

You want your reader to be engaged right away and so make sure they want to read on and know more and find out the answer. 

Learn how to edit.

The editing stages can be what makes or breaks your book and you need to learn how to kill your darlings and be disciplined when it comes to cutting unnecessary scenes in your book. If anything doesn’t add to the plot or drive the story forwards then you need to get rid of it, it’s as simple as that. Trimming the fat is important. Get rid of the waffle, cut to the chase, and make every word count. The same goes for your characters. If they aren’t necessary if they don’t affect the plot, they need to go. 

Keep up the drama and action.

Your story doesn’t need to be all action, there can be some gentler, softer scenes - however, you need to ensure that drama and action are continuous throughout otherwise your reader will get bored. Long passages with no action, drama, or tension are like someone telling you a riveting story and then trailing off to tell you in painstaking detail what they are going to have for dinner.

The most important parts of keeping your plot pace up will be creating dynamic characters and paying attention to your word choices. You should also make sure your plot is airtight, compelling, and believable. Your readers need to understand why your characters make the choices they do, if your plot is too far-fetched or their actions are too ridiculous own it will be challenging for your readers to take them seriously and this will slow down your pacing. Your language should be lively, arresting, unique, and full of meaning. Don’t pack it full of flowery language, overwrite or use too many metaphors or similes - sometimes simplicity works well too!

Follow these tips to pace your story perfectly!

By following the above, you can hope to fine-tune your narrative pacing skills and create a well-paced plot that leaves your readers hooked and turning those pages well past bedtime! 

Do you have any tips for keeping your readers hooked? Share them with us here!

So now you know more about narrative pacing, why not learn how to give your story structure?

Get A Free Writer's Toolkit By Visiting http://www.writerslife.org/gid

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How To Tackle Jealousy In Creative Writing

There are many reasons why jealousy in creative writing rears its ugly head. Writing envy can be a real problem that stops you from getting on with the task in hand. When it's really bad, it can stop you from writing altogether.

There are many reasons writers don’t write. We procrastinate, worry, or seem to run out of things to say. However one reason that perhaps is less common than these is jealousy. Many writers suffer from writers envy, and when the green-eyed monster strikes we perhaps, at the time, don’t realise just how negative its effect can be. Envy is an unpleasant trait under any circumstances, but if we let writers envy consume us it can actually stop us writing altogether. So why will envy keep us from writing, and what can we do to change it?

Jealousy in creative writing -understanding why

The first step towards taking control of your jealous feelings and using them to your advantage is to understand why you feel that way in the first place. It is difficult to admit that you are feeling jealous - it is an ugly emotion. But if you can then you can start to understand what catalysed it in the first place. Jealousy usually springs from our own anxiety, and a sense of uncomfortableness in our own skin. We are jealous of others because we believe they have done better than us, so it is our own shortcomings that are the problem, rather than their success. Concentrating on our own goals, working on them and striving for our own success is far more productive then angrily moaning about someone who has already got there.

Accept it, and use it

If you catch yourself feeling jealous then explore it a little further. You are jealous of the success of one of your peers? OK that’s fine. Instead of beating yourself up about it and allowing it to slow you down, use it as motivation to do better, and learn from it. What did that person do to achieve their success, was it hard work or luck? If it was the latter you might just have to accept that some people do just get lucky. It is not ‘unfair’ it is just life - how about the hard work route? Believe it or not that works for people too! If you want it enough and have a positive attitude there is no reason why you shouldn't achieve all of your goals.

Be gracious

If you notice jealousy in creative writing and find yourself envious of someone else's achievements, congratulate them. You may secretly be thinking, ‘why them and not me?’ but going up and talking to that person might just answer that question. It is easy to create a false persona to fit around those we are jealous of, we tend not to like them for no other reason than they have achieved something that we also want to achieve. Making them into an actual human being by talking to them makes it harder to do this, and you may end up feeling genuinely happy for them after all. 

Have no fear

People can end up rather afraid of their jealousy, which can mean they avoid situations where chances of feeling that way are high. You might find yourself suddenly too busy to go to that writers group you used to enjoy so much. You might even get yourself so worked up because of jealous emotions that you feel you may as well give up writing forever. Whatever you do, don’t let jealousy win.

The thing to remember is that jealousy happens to us all. You are not a bad person if you feel envious of someone else’s achievements,  it means you have ambition. Just remember it is how you handle your jealousy that counts, so learn to live with it and use it, and if you can’t do that, then simply let it go.

So now you know about jealousy in creative writing and what to do about it, why not learn mroe about how to stop runing your writing by comparing it to others?

Get A Free Writer's Toolkit By Visiting http://www.writerslife.org/gid

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How To Start A Novel – What To Ask Yourself

If you are wondering how to start a novel, you might have a lot of questions buzzing around your head. Writing a book is no mean feat. If you have a book inside you that's dying to be written, it's a good idea to find answers to those questions. Doing so will help you gain insight into your own motivation and the (often grueling) writing process before you begin. Writer Joseph Epstein wrote that "81 % of Americans feel that they have a book in them." That's approximately 200 million people just in the USA who would like to be writers! Many people feel they have a book to write, yet the proportion of those who go on to start and finish their books is a small fraction of this. 

So if you want to be in the rather elite group of people who learn how to start a novel, it's worth asking yourself the following before you begin:

Why am I doing this?

Understanding your motivation for writing a book is very important. You need to be clear on your end goals and always have them in mind as you write. You might be doing this to be a world-famous writer, or because you will never feel satisfied unless you try. Perhaps you write because it seems like a fun hobby to explore. All reasons are valid, but being able to define them clearly can be helpful.

Is my idea good enough?

Be honest about your book idea, and don't start to write your book until you've unpacked it, probed it, and fleshed it out a little. If you've been struck by inspiration or have had the same idea for years, do some research. Make sure that you feel confident you can write an entire book with the material you have before you begin.

Who will want to read this?

Does your book have a ready-made audience? Who are your ideal readers? Where can you find them? Being clear on who will want to read your book and doing some audience research is imperative. It can help ensure you are writing a story that will have readers!

Do I have the time?

Writing a book takes time and commitment, and it's also essential to figure out how you'll find the time to write. Create your writing schedule before you begin will help. Set yourself small and more significant goals to keep you motivated along your writing journey. 

Can I handle rejection?

If you intend to publish your book, it's a good idea to consider whether you'll be able to handle rejection. Publishers, agents, reviewers, readers (or the lack of them) can all be harsh and demotivating, and pretty tough to handle. Writers need to be prepared and confident they'll be OK with the rejection that, in most cases, is pretty inevitable. 

Who is my support network?

Having a great support network can also help make the writing journey so much easier. Think about who you have to support you. Consider joining writing groups for that additional level of professional support and advice too.

Have I told my family and friends?

Your family and friends can be an invaluable source of support but can also be incredibly obstructive. If you want to give yourself the best chance of success, make sure they understand what you are trying to achieve. Tell them what you need and how important it is to you.

How will I motivate myself?

Writer motivation can be a big problem, so take the time to think about what motivates you. Have some tried and tested methods in place ready to put into action when your motivation wanes.

By asking yourself the above questions, you can help to prepare yourself for the journey ahead. Preparation is critical. By being realistic and honest with yourself from the outset, you will give yourself the best chance of making it through. 

Now you know how to start a novel, why not discover how to finish one!

Get A Free Writer's Toolkit By Visiting http://www.writerslife.org/gid

Updated from June post 2021

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Elements of Plot: How To Ensure Your Plot Is Intriguing

If you want to ensure that your book is a success, you need to understand what it is that keeps readers turning those pages. By taking into account all the different elements of the plot you will be able to construct a story that is gripping, intriguing, and keeps readers turning those pages until the very end. If you can get into the mindset of your reader and understand what will make your plot exciting to them, you could be on to a winner.

An exceptional plot has a number of different elements, and let's be clear, you should be aiming for your plot to be EXCEPTIONAL.

A good plot - what every story needs

At its core, what will grip your readers is your story unfolds, its twists and turns, its significant events and dramatic scenes, its hints at what's to come, its reflection on what has been. 

In short, compiling all these different elements of plot is essential. They should be dropped in one by one into the huge mixing pot of your story, as your eyes grow wide with delight and you stir and stir more vigorously, thrilled at the brilliance of what you are creating.

So what are the things you need to ensure your plot is truly captivating from start to finish? Read on to discover some useful tips.

Elaborate on your central ideas

Your central ideas are the core of your story, but they aren't enough. The core of the apple holds it together, but it's not the part we love to eat!

Understanding the difference between story and plot can be challenging. The story is like the bones of a person, and the plot is the flesh, blood, nerves, and veins. It what gives it life.

The story has lots of interconnecting parts that influence others; some play a more minor, and some a more major role. To help ensure your plot is intriguing, make sure that you make it as complicated and detailed and smart as the human body. Don't just write out the bare bones of your story, elaborate, make it come to life. 

Focus on suspense

A plot without any suspense or dramatic tension will be predictable and boring. Your readers need to feel suspenseful when reading your book; this will make them want to know what happens, enable them to react emotionally, and ensure that they aren't able to anticipate how the plot unfolds. If a reader second-guesses everything that happens, they won't enjoy your book as much as if you can surprise and delight them. Consider the different ways you can inject suspense into your novel - through secrets, unexpected arrivals, forbidden romances as so on. Your book doesn't have to be a suspense novel to use this device, and every good story will ensure that readers are full of anticipation and build up the suspense as they go. 

Double back to go forwards

While you don't want to drown your readers in backstory, if you want to engage your readers, they must be clear on what's happening. It is, therefore, a good idea to ensure that they understand the earlier events that have caused the protagonist and other characters to be where they are now. Backstory can help add depth to the story and characters. You can use backstory to reveal the origins of a character's earlier life or depict past events that invite the reader to suspect that things are not all that they seem.

Drop hints to build suspense

Readers love to try and second guess what's going to happen next, and while plot twists can be dramatic, don't make them too out of left field. To make your plot more intriguing, you need to include various hints that forecast what will happen later. These little teasers will build anticipation, which is so important. Implement this plot element by raising the stakes and hinting at what will happen if the protagonist fails, leaving a trail of clues that lead to a shock twist, or playing with the reader's emotions, by giving characters subtle traits that leave your readers feeling that they are not quite as they seem.

These are just some of the ways you can add interest to your story by including plot elements that will make it come alive. There are so many ways to connect your plot lines, to shake it up, and to add more energy and excitement to your story, and by following the above, you can ensure that your plot remains intriguing and carries the reader right to the very last page. 

Now you understand the different plot elements that will make your story shine, why not learn about how to create the perfect plot twist?

You can also Get A Free Writer's Toolkit By Visiting http://www.writerslife.org/gid

Bethany Cadman - bethanycadman.co.uk

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The Different Types of Characters You’ll Find In Fiction

Discover how different types of characters can make your book more appealing!

When writing a book, it’s important to have an engaging cast of characters. Ones that are unique, different from one another, and appealing to your target audience.

There are many types of characters that appear in fictional worlds and having a good idea of who they are and what they stand for can help you when it comes to determining the kinds of characters you might want to include in your book. 

Here is a list of the main character types:

Protagonist: The central character of your story. This character needs a lot of time and attention as they will be the one who you want your reader to connect with most. They need a detailed and believable backstory, they need an end goal, and they need a character arc that covers the entirety of the book. Your protagonist is who your audience will invest in the most, so it’s essential they are about them from the outset.

Antagonist:

The antagonist is your protagonist's enemy. This doesn’t have to be in the typical sense though it can be) but the antagonist needs to be the character that creates the most problems for your hero. 

Love interest:

Not all stories have a love interest element, but many do. The love interest is usually the character that the protagonist desires. Though they may not know they desire them at the start of your story. 

Confidant:

The confidant acts as a special sidekick to your central character. They are who your protagonist will confide in and who they trust the most - whether they keep or betraying that trust is up to you!

Deuteragonists:

These characters are no dissimilar to confidants as they are close to the protagonists and their storylines will intertwine with that of your central character but the main plot of your book will not correspond entirely with the deuteragonist’s own character arc.

Tertiary characters:

These characters are the ‘fillers’ in your story. They live in the world, they have active parts, and they may influence the plot. However, it is not necessary for these characters to link to the main storyline. Their primary purpose is to fill out the world and make it more believable. 

Foil:

A foil character acts as a highlighter for the protagonist's unique qualities. It is a character that’s so notably different from your central character that the stark contrast helps to make your protagonist's qualities really shine through.

These are the main kinds of characters you can expect to appear in a book. While you might not use all of them in any given story, having a thorough understanding of the purpose of each can help helpful. Which character types do you like to use in your stories? Can you think of any more? Leave your comments below!

Now you've learned about different types of characters, why not read about whether you need to like your characters.

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Originally posted 8.4.21

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