Angela Ackerman's Blog: Writers Helping Writers, page 14

Character Secret Thesaurus: Choosing Cowardice Over Bravery

What secret is your character keeping? Why are they safeguarding it? What’s at stake if it’s discovered? Does it need to come out at some point, or should it remain hidden?

This is some of the important information you need to know about your character’s secrets���and they will have secrets, because everyone does. They’re thorny little time bombs composed of fear, deceit, stress, and conflict that, when detonated, threaten to destroy everything the character holds dear.

So, of course, you should assemble them. And we can’t wait to help.

This thesaurus provides brainstorming fodder for a host of secrets that could plague your character. Use it to explore possible secrets, their underlying causes, how they might play into the overall story, and how to realistically write a character who is hiding them���all while establishing reader empathy and interest.

Maybe your character is…

Choosing Cowardice Over Bravery

ABOUT THIS SECRET
In difficult moments, it���s easy for a character to allow fear or uncertainty to keep them from the harder work of doing what���s right. Some situations that fall into this category are when a character doesn���t stand up for someone being bullied, pretends to agree with others to conceal their true beliefs, or knows someone is in danger but doesn���t help them.

Whether it was an active choice or because they were paralyzed in the moment, regret and shame can set in afterwards, feeding their insecurity. Everyone wants to be seen as brave and capable, so it���s natural for a character in this situation to hide what they���ve done (or didn���t do) so they won���t be perceived as cowardly.

SPECIFIC FEARS THAT MAY DRIVE THE NEED FOR SECRECY: Being Judged, Being Unable to Achieve a Dream, Failure, Humiliation, Letting Others Down, Losing the Respect of Others, Persecution, Rejection

HOW THIS SECRET COULD HOLD THE CHARACTER BACK
No longer trusting their instincts
Feeling incapable and untrustworthy
Avoiding leadership roles

BEHAVIORS OR HABITS THAT HELP HIDE THIS SECRET
Distancing themselves from anyone who may have witnessed their cowardice
Changing the narrative around the event to cast themselves in a better light
Seeking to discredit or silence witnesses
Shifting blame by shaming the person they failed; trying to make it their fault
Becoming a zealous supporter of the ideal or person they let down (compensating for their failure)
Jumping too quickly into action (to avoid becoming paralyzed by indecision again)
Calling out cowardice in others

ACTIVITIES OR TENDENCIES THAT MAY RAISE SUSPICIONS
Getting defensive when the event is brought up
The facts about the event changing with each retelling
Obviously avoiding the event���the place where it happened, the people who were there, talking about it, etc.

SITUATIONS THAT MAKE KEEPING THIS SECRET A CHALLENGE 

Other Secret Thesaurus entries can be found here.

Need More Descriptive Help?

While this thesaurus is still being developed, the rest of our descriptive collection (18 unique thesauri and growing) is accessible through the One Stop for Writers THESAURUS database.

If you like, swing by and check out the video walkthrough for this site, then give our Free Trial a spin.

The post Character Secret Thesaurus: Choosing Cowardice Over Bravery appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Writing a Novel, Scene by Scene

Writers come in a variety pack of processes. The most common types ��� regardless of genre ��� are pantsers, plotters, and plantsers. We know these terms well, right?

Pantsers sit down at the keyboard and see what falls out of their fingertips for a while to figure out how the story will take shape.Plotters lay everything out in advance, so they have a guide for their story.Those rebel Plantsters do a little bit of planning ��� maybe the inciting incident and the turning points, possibly the All Is Lost moment ��� but not too much before they write away.And Then There Are Story Quilters Like Me

These storytellers might do one or all of the three methods above, but probably not in the same way. Story Quilters are writers who divide books into individual scenes that they stitch together later into a cohesive story.

If I want this brain of mine to make continual progress, I must take a story down to a bite-sized chunk of writing. I am not alone in this.

Some writers like Diana Gabaldon, Lorna Landvik, and Janet Fitch (and little old me!) don���t see their stories from beginning to end. Instead, we see glimpses and glimmers that we write down until the whole fabric of the story becomes clear. Janet Fitch originally wrote White Oleander as a series of short stories. Lorna Landvik (Angry Housewives Eating BonBons) has been known to string a clothesline down her hallway during the editing phase, with every scene on an index card. She walks the hall, shuffling the cards around, until the story feels right to her.

The idea of doing it this way gives most of my fellow scriveners hives but hear me out. I have good reasons for this.

Sometimes a Book Just Feels Way Too Big

For some writers, the idea of an entire novel can paralyze you and send your muse back under the covers for the day.

Maybe it���s an ADD thing, or our executive function is too unreliable for a project as big as a book. Maybe focus is a monumental achievement some days. Maybe you are sandwiching writing in between all the other things you must do and you only have a tiny slice of time.

All I know is that I tried a gajillion ���linear��� beginning-to-end ways in my quest to get a book off the ground and finished and none of them worked. I could start a story, but I couldn���t seem to keep my focus and finish the darn thing. I tried many many fancy things: Fast Draft, the W-Plot, the Snowflake Method. They all helped me be a better writer, but none of them got me to “The End.”  

The only thing I’ve found that can get this brain to the end of a story is to embrace my inner scene writer and let her lead the way.

Let���s get this scene-writing ball rolling with some definitions.

What Is a Scene?

I love how Margaret Dilloway describes it in this post:

Each scene is an event that changes the character���s situation in a meaningful way.

Every scene needs something to happen.Each scene produces a change achieved through conflict.Each scene shows how the character responds under pressure.

The hard part: If the scene doesn���t meet these criteria, take it out.

Further reading: C.S. Lakin did a post here at WHW with 10+ questions to consider when crafting a scene. Awesome stuff.

How Long Is a Scene?

Scene length varies depending on a lot of factors, including the genre, pacing preferences for the scene, and the author���s personal style. While thrillers and action-adventure stories often have shorter, snappier scenes���say, in the 1,000-word range���the word count typically goes up in literary fiction, historical fiction, and fantasy stories. So let���s take an average and say our scenes will run around 2,000 words long.

Here���s some math on this (knowing the numbers will change for longer scenes):

If each page is 250 words, that maps out to roughly 4-20 pages per scene.

Doing the math for novel-length fiction, you will end up with 50-60 scenes per novel if you keep your scenes at about 2,000 words.

Keep in mind that just as white space draws the eye down the page, shorter scenes tend to keep your readers turning pages. ���Only four or five more pages? I can keep reading������

We���ve all done that. So if shorter scenes work for your story, they can also have the added benefit of encouraging that page-turning effect for readers.  

What Does It Mean to Be a “Scene Writer?” (Aka Story Quilter)

As I mentioned above, all those cool linear “big picture” methods I mentioned above aren’t small enough for me to stay focused. My busy brain says, “Ooooh…GLITTER!” And I’m off doing something else, instead of writing those 50-ish scenes that make up a novel-length story.

It was Diana Gabaldon who shined light on scene-writing as a possible writing process. I read some articles about Gabaldon and how she wrote the Outlander series.

In her own words:

Anyway, yes; I write just about everything piecemeal, including nonfiction articles, book reviews and essays. It���s effective because it works; I���m never held up stewing about What Comes Next��� I don���t care what comes next, I just care about something I can see happening. The order of the happening has a logic to it (often, more than one), and that will become clear to me as I work.

When I read about Gabaldon, a light went on in my head. I finally accepted the truth: I���m a scene writer.

The scenes don’t even have to be in order, they just have to be finite. I need to be able to open a writing program, create a document, and save it in the correct folder. I don���t have to see anything except that scene during the writing session.

How Can YOU Use Scene Writing to Your Advantage?

Scene writing isn���t just a way of life for Story Quilters, it���s a powerful weapon in any writer���s creative arsenal.

One of my writing friends, Laura Drake, is a linear writer who gets stuck in the middle of every book. As a pantser, she comes to that terrible predictable place, that muggy limbo land, where her story is going nowhere and she doesn���t know what to do. She wonders if she should quit writing the story altogether. Every. Single. Book.

When she calls me from Limbo Land, you already know what I tell her to do: write a throwaway scene.

Examples of out-of-order scenes:An interview with your main character.A character engaging in a hobby you make up on the spot.A quick trip through their closet, car trunk, or underwear drawer.Figure out their favorite song, and why it���s their favorite.Head over to One Stop for Writers and use some of those cool tools. (Character Builder fun, anyone?)

The point of this exercise is to invite your muse to take you to the next place in your story. And even if you don���t use the scene in your book, you can use it as a marketing tool. Readers adore Bonus Scenes.

Final Thought

Everyone must learn their own process and lean into it to bring their stories into being. For some, that learning journey is the hardest part of being a writer.

You might be part of the triple threat writing process variety pack I mentioned at the top of this post, or a quirky Quilter like me, but I hope you experiment until you discover what gets you to ���The End.��� Your process doesn���t have to look like anyone else���s.

Whether you���re a Pantser, Plotter, Plantser, or Story Quilter, every single one of us has to embrace our stories one scene at a time.

The post Writing a Novel, Scene by Scene appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

How to Avoid Author Intrusion in First Person

Author Intrusion happens when the author butts into the story to address the audience directly, interrupting the character who’s supposed to be narrating. Sometimes this can be used deliberately to create a certain effect. CS Lewis, Jane Austen, Lemony Snicket���it works for them because it���s purposeful. Deliberate.

As with so many writing problems, intrusion becomes an issue when it���s accidental���when we, the author, meander outside of our character���s viewpoint and start sharing things the character wouldn���t share. For instance���

I tucked my curly black hair into its cap.

This description won���t quite ring true because every narrator is intimately acquainted with the color and texture of their own hair. When they���re talking or thinking, they���re not going to reference the particulars. If I inject those details into the story in this way, the character is no longer narrating. It���s me, the author, interrupting the true storyteller to get information across to readers.

Here���s another example:

And that���s when my neighbor, Rob, burst into the room.

Here, the narrator wouldn���t think of Rob as ���my neighbor��� because they already know this about him. It���s obvious this information has been included by me, the author, as I try to introduce a new cast member.

So What���s the Big Deal with Intrusion?

In every story, one of your main jobs is to help readers develop a relationship with the viewpoint character. This happens when readers see things from the character���s perspective��� sharing in their struggles, identifying with their motivations, wanting them to evolve and be well. All this draws the two close together, and an empathy bond is formed that puts the reader firmly in the character���s corner.

Author intrusion has the opposite effect. Instead of encouraging that close connection, it creates distance between the reader and character. It pulls readers out of the narrative because they realize, even on a subconscious level, that someone else has hijacked the story.

This creates a problem in first-person because there are times when the author needs to pass along information the character wouldn���t typically share. How do we do that from the shadows, in a way that doesn���t pull the reader���s attention?

Slip the Details into What���s Already Happening

Anytime we stop the character���s story to share stuff, we create drag, and the pace suffers. Instead of interrupting story events to relay information, share those details through what���s already happening. Look for a scene where it would be natural for the character to reference those particulars while events are unfolding. In the case of our curly-headed character, maybe as she���s headed outside on a blustery day:

The wind snatched at my hair and whipped it into a tangled mess. I could only imagine what it looked like���a curly black storm cloud scaring away potential suitors, children, and pretty much anyone with eyes.

This rendering mentions the same details (curly black hair), but because they���re shared as part of the story���via the setting (weather), in fact���they���re not intrusive. The reader���s experience isn���t interrupted.

Use Viewpoint Filtering

Another reason this example works is because we���ve stayed true to the character���s viewpoint. Everything is being filtered through her unique perspective. The details she focuses on, her thoughts, the words she uses���her voice is consistent because the author is getting out of the way and letting the character tell the story.

Use Other Characters

Personal appearance details are notoriously tricky to write in first person because they���re not usually things the character would think about. So no matter how you write the passage, it may not sound natural if the character mentions them. An easy workaround is to get someone else to notice those things.

The wind whipped my hair into a frenzy, and Ma groaned. ���Gracious, Jess, do something with this curly mop.��� She slapped a cap on my head and started shoving my hair into it. ���Bad enough it���s black as a dung beetle. Why won���t it lay flat?���

BONUS TIP: Find Each Character���s Voice

One reason intrusion doesn���t work is because the facts are so baldly stated. Every character���s unique personality bleeds into their voice, and when you include observations that lack personality (or sound too much like you), it���s obvious those observations aren���t coming from the character.

If you���ve taken the time to get to know your cast, you���ll know how each person talks, what turns of phrase they would use, and what comparisons they might make���such as comparing someone���s hair to a dung beetle. That will allow you to write in that character���s voice (not your own) while revealing much more than just a few physical details.

That last example, with one short paragraph and a carefully chosen simile, tells us a lot about the speaker; we can infer that Jess���s mom is pushy, outspoken, seems hard to please, and doesn���t much like her daughter���s hair. We get a glimpse into what their relationship is like, and we can imagine a certain twang to her voice that hints at a rural address or upbringing.

We���re able to draw these inferences because the author kept her nose out of the story and just let the characters speak.

What we���re basically talking about here is show-don���t-tell. As authors, we shouldn���t be telling the audience what they need to know. We should be showing it through the characters and what���s already happening in their story. Writers Helping Writers has a ton of resources on how to show effectively, so check those out for more practical tips.

This post is a response to a question from one of our readers, which I originally replied to via a quick video in one of our newsletters. If you have writing- or industry-related questions you���d like us to answer, we���d love to address them. And to receive our occasional newsletter that contains answers to these questions along with other helpful writing advice, sign up here.

The post How to Avoid Author Intrusion in First Person appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Character Secret Thesaurus Entry: Coveting Someone Else’s Life

What secret is your character keeping? Why are they safeguarding it? What’s at stake if it’s discovered? Does it need to come out at some point, or should it remain hidden?

This is some of the important information you need to know about your character’s secrets���and they will have secrets, because everyone does. They’re thorny little time bombs composed of fear, deceit, stress, and conflict that, when detonated, threaten to destroy everything the character holds dear.

So, of course, you should assemble them. And we can’t wait to help.

This thesaurus provides brainstorming fodder for a host of secrets that could plague your character. Use it to explore possible secrets, their underlying causes, how they might play into the overall story, and how to realistically write a character who is hiding them���all while establishing reader empathy and interest.

Maybe your character…

Coveting Someone Else’s Life

ABOUT THIS SECRET: Few things are equal, including advantages, opportunities, burdens or struggles. So, when others have more luck, support, or success, it���s easy to envy them and what they have, even to the point of bitterness. If anyone finds out though, pity follows, so your character will try to keep what they covet a secret.

SPECIFIC FEARS THAT MAY DRIVE THE NEED FOR SECRECY: Becoming What One Hates, Being Judged, Being Pitied, Being Unable to Achieve a Dream, Failure, Having No Purpose, Humiliation, Losing the Respect of Others, Mediocrity, Never Finding Happiness

HOW THIS SECRET COULD HOLD THE CHARACTER BACK
Being unable to appreciate the good in life because they can only see what is lacking
Causing loved ones to feel ���not good enough��� because the character is never happy
Creating a self-fulfilling prophecy from the belief that their life can never be as good as another���s
Becoming increasingly pessimistic
Not living their own life because they���re obsessed with someone else���s

BEHAVIORS OR HABITS THAT HELP HIDE THIS SECRET
Avoiding the person who has what the character wants
Changing the topic if the conversation begins to highlight the great life someone else has
The character deflecting questions that could reveal insecurities
Working hard to control their emotions when the other person is around

ACTIVITIES OR TENDENCIES THAT MAY RAISE SUSPICIONS
Moodiness (especially when the other person is around or mentioned)
A habit of minimizing the other���s accomplishments by attributing them to luck
Overcompensating; being overly warm or complimentary to hide envy
Trying to force opportunities in hopes of changing their life to be like another’s
Passive-aggressiveness (talking behind the person���s back, sarcasm, back-handed compliments)

SITUATIONS THAT MAKE KEEPING THIS SECRET A CHALLENGE��
Falling in love with that other person’s partner or spouse
Seeing luck favor the other person and the perceived unfairness of it carrying the character to a breaking point
Discovering the person they envy is a fraud or unworthy in some way (disillusionment)
Suffering yet another disappointment that seems unfair or unjust

Other Secret Thesaurus entries can be found here.

Need More Descriptive Help?

While this thesaurus is still being developed, the rest of our descriptive collection (18 unique thesauri and growing) is accessible through the One Stop for Writers THESAURUS database.

If you like, swing by and check out the video walkthrough for this site, then give our Free Trial a spin.

The post Character Secret Thesaurus Entry: Coveting Someone Else’s Life appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Character Secret Thesaurus Entry: Covets Someone Else’s Life

What secret is your character keeping? Why are they safeguarding it? What’s at stake if it’s discovered? Does it need to come out at some point, or should it remain hidden?

This is some of the important information you need to know about your character’s secrets���and they will have secrets, because everyone does. They’re thorny little time bombs composed of fear, deceit, stress, and conflict that, when detonated, threaten to destroy everything the character holds dear.

So, of course, you should assemble them. And we can’t wait to help.

This thesaurus provides brainstorming fodder for a host of secrets that could plague your character. Use it to explore possible secrets, their underlying causes, how they might play into the overall story, and how to realistically write a character who is hiding them���all while establishing reader empathy and interest.

Maybe your character…

Covets Someone Else’s Life

ABOUT THIS SECRET: Few things are equal, including advantages, opportunities, burdens or struggles. So, when others have more luck, support, or success, it���s easy to envy them and what they have, even to the point of bitterness. If anyone finds out though, pity follows, so your character will try to keep what they covet a secret.

SPECIFIC FEARS THAT MAY DRIVE THE NEED FOR SECRECY: Becoming What One Hates, Being Judged, Being Pitied, Being Unable to Achieve a Dream, Failure, Having No Purpose, Humiliation, Losing the Respect of Others, Mediocrity, Never Finding Happiness

HOW THIS SECRET COULD HOLD THE CHARACTER BACK
Being unable to appreciate the good in life because they can only see what is lacking
Causing loved ones to feel ���not good enough��� because the character is never happy
Creating a self-fulfilling prophesy from the belief that their life can never be as good as another���s
Becoming increasingly negative and pessimistic
Not living their own life because they���re obsessed with someone else���s

BEHAVIORS OR HABITS THAT HELP HIDE THIS SECRET
Avoiding the person who has what the character wants
Changing the topic if the conversation begins to highlight the great life someone has
Masking negative feeling by being complimentary
Avoiding talking about themselves; deflecting questions that could reveal insecurities
Working hard to control their emotions when the other person is around

ACTIVITIES OR TENDENCIES THAT MAY RAISE SUSPICIONS
Moodiness (especially when the other person is around or mentioned)
A habit of minimizing the other���s accomplishments or advantages by attributing them to luck
Overcompensating; being overly warm or complimentary to hide envy
Trying to force opportunities in hopes of changing their life to be like someone else���s
Passive-aggressiveness (talking behind the person���s back, sarcasm, back-handed compliments)

SITUATIONS THAT MAKE KEEPING THIS SECRET A CHALLENGE��
Falling in love with that other person’s partner or spouse
Seeing luck favors the person even more, carrying the character to a breaking point
Discovering the person they envy is a fraud or unworthy in some way (disillusionment)
Suffering yet another disappointment that seems unfair or unjust

Other Secret Thesaurus entries can be found��here.

Need More Descriptive Help?

While this thesaurus is still being developed, the rest of our descriptive collection (18 unique thesauri and growing) is accessible through the One Stop for Writers THESAURUS database.

If you like, swing by and check out the video walkthrough for this site, then give our Free Trial a spin.

The post Character Secret Thesaurus Entry: Covets Someone Else’s Life appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Why Every Writer Should Try Their Hand at a Horror Story

By Savannah Cordova

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It���s that time of year again: the leaves are changing color, the wind is getting chillier, and pumpkins are decorating doorsteps. And given that today is Halloween, there���s no better time to pen a spooky story of your own ��� even (perhaps especially!) if you���ve never done it before.

True, horror stories might not be everyone���s cup of tea��� but as they say, variety is the spice of life, and attempting to write horror can be incredibly valuable for writers looking to refine their abilities. So light a candle and sharpen your quill ��� here are three essential reasons why every writer should try their hand at writing a horror story.

Horror Teaches You to Build Great Tension

Knowing how to properly build tension is a must for any writer, no matter your genre of choice. At its core, creating narrative tension requires you to understand your reader���s expectations; they may know that something bad is coming, but it���s your job to make them wonder when, where, and how. This is no easy feat ��� in order to properly scare your readers, you���ll need a strong understanding of how to methodically build anticipation, gradually raising your story���s stakes until its dramatic crescendo.

If you���re searching for inspiration, look no further than Edgar Allan Poe���s classic The Tell-Tale Heart. In this tension-building masterclass, Poe immediately puts the reader on edge by having the narrator insist on his sanity, despite clear evidence to the contrary. The anticipation builds as the narrator patiently (and then not-so-patiently) watches the old man ��� the sound of the man���s heartbeat acting as an auditory indicator of the ballooning tension ��� and the erratic commentary creates a pervasive sense of unease throughout the story.

Your tale may not be as twisted as The Tell-Tale Heart, but there���s still plenty to be learned from Poe���s sinister style. Tension comes in many forms, depending on the kind of climax you���re leading up to. For example, when writing romance, you might draw out the ���will-they-won���t-they��� moments between your characters to hook your readers. Much like how a horror writer will add a creak in the floorboards or a bump in the night to put readers on edge, romance authors can sprinkle in small conflicts or misunderstandings to create emotional investment and keep readers guessing.

Similarly, if you���re writing sci-fi or speculative fiction, you might not fully explain certain parts of your worldbuilding in order to increase the tension ��� i.e., readers might know that a certain element exists in your world, but they don���t know why until the critical moment. These kinds of unanswered questions are great for engaging readers in all genres, but it may be particularly useful to practice posing them in horror, wherein the stakes are often high.

You Can Practice Weaving Internal and External Conflicts

Horror also offers a whole host of classically creepy phenomena you can draw on to spook your readers ��� silence, darkness, isolation, etc. These elements are all effective on their own, but you can elevate the fear factor and introduce some characterization by linking your character���s internal conflicts and vulnerabilities with the external horrors they���re exposed to. This will make things all the more terrifying for the character, and far more gripping for the reader.

The characterization of Rosemary Woodhouse, from Ira Levin���s Rosemary���s Baby, is an excellent example of this tactic in action. In the novel, Rosemary becomes pregnant shortly after moving into a new apartment with her husband. Rosemary���s internal struggles ��� her longing for motherhood, human connection, and social acceptance ��� become a source of vulnerability that the novel���s antagonists are able to take advantage of, as her greatest fears slowly become her nightmarish reality.

On paper, Rosemary���s story would still work even with less insight into her character; the horrors she faces are unnerving enough to disturb your average reader. However, it’s the intersection of those external terrors and her deepest internal fears that makes her experience so profoundly terrifying ��� and makes Levin���s novel such a paragon of the horror genre.

Mastering this technique will add another notch to your own writing toolbelt. Every story has some kind of conflict, and understanding how to intertwine that conflict with something personal for your protagonist is sure to level up your characterizations (again, in horror and beyond).

It Tests Your Ability to Write Believable Dialogue

Writing dialogue is one of the trickiest things for any author to master. Readers will be able to recognize when dialogue sounds fake or unrealistic, so understanding how to make your characters sound authentic is essential for immersion.

And writing a horror story puts this skill to the ultimate test ��� when you���re trying to construct a life-or-death scenario, the dialogue needs to feel authentic in order to keep readers engaged. After all, nothing makes a terrifying scene fall flat more than forced or unnatural dialogue!

In order to sell your readers on the stakes of the scenario at hand, you need to understand how people really communicate when they���re under a lot of stress. When characters are in danger, they aren���t going to wax poetic or remain highly logical. Instead, their dialogue needs to be raw, emotional, even incoherent at times. Still, you need to be careful not to go too far in the other direction, as overly-dramatic dialogue can also break immersion. Writing horror forces you to walk that tightrope between authentic panic and forced dramatics.

The ability to write realistic dialogue in high-stress, emotionally-charged situations will help build your characters��� authenticity ��� regardless of genre. For instance, if you���re a mystery writer, you can use your experience in horror to craft a gripping interrogation scene between detective and suspect. The key principles remain the same: understanding how people actually speak when emotions are running high, rather than how we imagine they might speak.

As you can see, horror isn’t all about crafting scares ��� it’s an excellent way to brush up on some fundamental writing skills that you can use across all genres. So, embrace the darkness and face your writing fears! You might just find that your writing becomes a little more thrilling along the way.

Looking for the perfect setting for your dark fiction scene?
Along with hundreds of other locations, you can find lists of sensory description for a Haunted House, Graveyard, Ghost Town, Mausoleum, Medieval Castle, Abandoned Mine + more inside our Setting Description Database at One Stop for Writers.

Savannah Cordova is a writer with Reedsy, a marketplace that connects authors and publishers with the world���s best editors, designers, and marketers. In her spare time, Savannah enjoys reading contemporary fiction and writing short stories. You can read more of her professional work on Litreactor and the Reedsy blog.

The post Why Every Writer Should Try Their Hand at a Horror Story appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Best Communities for Marketing Your Writing

By Eleanor Hecks

Whether you publish traditionally or independently, getting the word out about your books requires a lot of work and monetary investment. Social media is an obvious choice for promoting your writing because you can zone in and target your reader base.

You also don���t have to spend a fortune for a chance to succeed. However, knowing which social media platforms work best for your particular genre can be a bit trickier.

Making the situation even more complex is the fact that many authors cross genres with their work. For example, a writer might create a science fiction novel with some elements of romance. Effectively branching out into other genres’ communication channels can expand your reader base and bring you more sales, catapulting you onto bestseller lists.

Fantasy/Paranormal/Science Fiction

Out of the thousands of writers in America, fantasy and paranormal writers have a very narrow niche in which to attract readers. Promoting your books where your target audience spends the most time is crucial to success in a saturated marketplace. For this genre, the best places to promote include:

Reddit: The amount of fantasy and sci-fi conventions available for readers of these genres proves that people who love fantasy often enjoy engaging with other fans. These readers want to discuss the complex worlds authors have built in-depth. Finding a communicative audience is easy if you join the right subreddit ��� for example, r/Fantasy, r/horrorlit and r/scifiwriting all boast large communities on the platform. Be careful about how and where you post as some subreddits frown on any type of self-promotion.Discord: Discord is a platform with a chatroom format that makes it perfect for encouraging readers to chat about your fantasy worlds or roleplay as your characters. You can even create your own section to directly interact with your readers.Mystery/Suspense

Mystery has several subcategories, such as cozy, suspense, true crime and hard-boiled. Figuring out where you fit can help you narrow down the best places to market your writing.

Facebook: The largest demographic of mystery readers are those over the age of 65, so it���s important to build your community around platforms that older readers navigate towards. Since Facebook is the most popular social platform among this age group, it���s beneficial to join Facebook groups aimed at mystery readers. Be sure to read the group rules to make sure you are allowed to self-promote. Once you get a feel for the group and participate in some other posts, it���s okay to share your own special offers and new releases.YouTube: YouTube is the second most popular social media platform frequented by older adults, so you might consider marketing your writing towards YouTube���s vast reader community. As of 2024, YouTube attracts around 2.49 billion active users each month. Consider creating a thrilling video trailer for your book or film a series of live or uploaded book readings for your audience.Romance

Romance is one of the most varied genres with subgenres such as historical romance, sweet, steamy, suspenseful and inspirational. Finding the right place to promote your books may boil down to tapping into reader emotions.

Romance is a genre marked by emotion, so your social media efforts should likewise pull at readers��� heartstrings and create emotional bonds with your audience. Since emotion often has the most significant impact on customer loyalty, doing so could help you develop lifelong readers who anticipate every future romance novel you release.

Instagram: The age range of romance readers is especially broad ��� while the average age range is between 35 and 39 years old, half of frequent romance readers are ages 34 and below. Thus, it���s important to find a social platform that appeals to a wide audience. Instagram is one such app in the top social platforms among both millennials and Gen Z readers. Posts could be aesthetic images that encapsulate the vibe of your novel or a video sharing your book���s synopsis.TikTok: In recent years, many romance authors have turned to TikTok���s #BookTok community to spread the word about their books. A short video clip that plays like a movie trailer can attract readers. Look at the types of posts going viral, which hashtags the users included and try different tactics to attract new readers.Horror

If you think of Stephen King when you hear the horror genre mentioned, you aren���t alone. However, there is a huge range of possibilities you might have as a horror writer. Some books focus on realistic crimes while others add paranormal or supernatural elements.

X (formerly known as Twitter): The Horror Writers Association has a strong presence on X, so it makes sense you’ll find a lot of posts and engagement from horror writers. Keep posts short and to the point. Also, because of horror���s particularly political nature, X is a great place to keep up with current events and trends related to your work.Goodreads: Goodreads is an Amazon-owned platform that allows readers to review books and interact with authors in the form of polls and discussion threads. You���ll find numerous groups dedicated to the horror genre in particular, such as Horror Aficionados and Paranormal and Horror Lovers, which makes the platform a particularly good place to market your writing and communicate with fans.Children���s/Young Adult

Knowing where to reach younger audiences for your books can be a bit tricky. If you write picture books, you���re promoting more to the parents than the kids. However, young adult novels can be taken directly to Gen Z.

TikTok: A vast audience of millennial parents and young adult Zoomers frequent the video-based app. This audience is also the most likely to buy a product directly from a social media app, so a sponsored post or TikTok Shop ad could go a long way with this target market.Snapchat: Millennials, in particular, seem to enjoy Snapchat���s immediacy. While you will have to promote a bit differently on Snapchat���s platform than on others, if you can gain a following with engaging content, you���ll make regular sales by adding details on there.

Pssst…Mindy popping in to say that there’s an amazing, rapidly growing kidlit community on BlueSky–plus gatekeepers such as teachers and media specialists! If you’re new to BlueSky, check out these helpful tips.

Finding Your Niche

Creating a personal brand as an author takes time and trial and error. Try different platforms and ideas until you hit the ways that drive the most traffic to your books. Over time, you���ll grow your reader base and wind up selling more books each time you release something new.

Eleanor Hecks is Editor in Chief at Designerly Magazine, as well as a freelance writer who’s passionate about helping other writers of all genres grow their following and community. You can find her work featured on publications such as IndependentPublishing.com and Self-Publishing Review, or connect with her on LinkedIn to keep up with her latest work.

The post Best Communities for Marketing Your Writing appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Character Secret Thesaurus Entry: Being a Serial Killer

What secret is your character keeping? Why are they safeguarding it? What’s at stake if it’s discovered? Does it need to come out at some point, or should it remain hidden?

This is some of the important information you need to know about your character’s secrets���and they will have secrets, because everyone does. They’re thorny little time bombs composed of fear, deceit, stress, and conflict that, when detonated, threaten to destroy everything the character holds dear.

So, of course, you should assemble them. And we can’t wait to help.

This thesaurus provides brainstorming fodder for a host of secrets that could plague your character. Use it to explore possible secrets, their underlying causes, how they might play into the overall story, and how to realistically write a character who is hiding them���all while establishing reader empathy and interest.

For instance, let’s see what it might look like if your character…

Being a Serial Killer

ABOUT THIS SECRET
By necessity, a serial killer would need to hide their activities to keep from being caught, jailed, and possibly put to death. But a character may also harbor this secret to protect the important relationships in their life and maintain a facade of normalcy. While there are some commonalities between serial killers, they’re also driven by different motivations, fears, personality factors, and mental health considerations. So if this secret pertains to your protagonist, build that character carefully to make sure all the pieces align.

SPECIFIC FEARS THAT MAY DRIVE THE NEED FOR SECRECY: Being Separated from Loved Ones, Failure, Losing Autonomy, Losing the Respect of Others, Not Being in Control

HOW THIS SECRET COULD HOLD THE CHARACTER BACK
Not receiving help that could improve their mental health
Desiring relationships with others but being unable to relate to them emotionally
Always feeling isolated because no one truly knows them
Prioritizing flying under the radar, which could keep them from pursuing certain professional or personal goals
Being paranoid about getting caught, always looking over their shoulder

BEHAVIORS OR HABITS THAT HELP HIDE THIS SECRET
Adopting normalizing habits so they’ll fit in with others and won���t stand out
Feigning empathy and other emotions that aren���t natural for them
Creating a fake identity (a new name, false paperwork, etc.)
Compartmentalizing: keeping their desires and criminal activities distinctly separate from their day-to-day life
Creating cover stories to hide where they���ve been and what they���ve been doing
Using charm to disarm people

ACTIVITIES OR TENDENCIES THAT MAY RAISE SUSPICIONS
A loved one catching them in a lie
The character always being “out of town” when killings happen
A stash of trophies being discovered
The killer having knowledge of the crimes that they shouldn’t have

SITUATIONS THAT MAKE KEEPING THIS SECRET A CHALLENGE��
Increased scrutiny (being a witness in a legal case, achieving success that garners media interest, a suspicious spouse hiring a private investigator, etc.)
An injury or illness that makes it harder for them to successfully subdue a victim
Being questioned by police
A growing subconscious desire to get caught

Other Secret Thesaurus entries can be found here.

Need More Descriptive Help?

While this thesaurus is still being developed, the rest of our descriptive collection (18 unique thesauri and growing) is accessible through the One Stop for Writers THESAURUS database.

If you like, swing by and check out the video walkthrough for this site, then give our Free Trial a spin.

The post Character Secret Thesaurus Entry: Being a Serial Killer appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Character Secret Thesaurus Entry: Is a Serial Killer

What secret is your character keeping? Why are they safeguarding it? What’s at stake if it’s discovered? Does it need to come out at some point, or should it remain hidden?

This is some of the important information you need to know about your character’s secrets���and they will have secrets, because everyone does. They’re thorny little time bombs composed of fear, deceit, stress, and conflict that, when detonated, threaten to destroy everything the character holds dear.

So, of course, you should assemble them. And we can’t wait to help.

This thesaurus provides brainstorming fodder for a host of secrets that could plague your character. Use it to explore possible secrets, their underlying causes, how they might play into the overall story, and how to realistically write a character who is hiding them���all while establishing reader empathy and interest.

For instance, let’s see what it might look like if your character…

Is a Serial Killer

ABOUT THIS SECRET
By necessity, a serial killer would need to hide their activities to keep from being caught, jailed, and possibly put to death. But a character may also harbor this secret to protect the important relationships in their life and maintain a facade of normalcy. While there are some commonalities between serial killers, they’re also driven by different motivations, fears, personality factors, and mental health considerations. So if this secret pertains to your protagonist, build that character carefully to make sure all the pieces align.

SPECIFIC FEARS THAT MAY DRIVE THE NEED FOR SECRECY: Being Separated from Loved Ones, Failure, Losing Autonomy, Losing the Respect of Others, Not Being in Control

HOW THIS SECRET COULD HOLD THE CHARACTER BACK
Not receiving help that could improve their mental health
Desiring relationships with others but being unable to relate to them emotionally
Always feeling isolated because no one truly knows them
Prioritizing flying under the radar, which could keep them from pursuing certain professional or personal goals
Being paranoid about getting caught, always looking over their shoulder

BEHAVIORS OR HABITS THAT HELP HIDE THIS SECRET
Adopting normalizing habits so they’ll fit in with others and won���t stand out
Feigning empathy and other emotions that aren���t natural for them
Creating a fake identity (a new name, false paperwork, etc.)
Compartmentalizing: keeping their desires and criminal activities distinctly separate from their day-to-day life
Creating cover stories to hide where they���ve been and what they���ve been doing
Using charm to disarm people

ACTIVITIES OR TENDENCIES THAT MAY RAISE SUSPICIONS
A loved one catching them in a lie
The character always being “out of town” when killings happen
A stash of trophies being discovered
The killer having knowledge of the crimes that they shouldn’t have

SITUATIONS THAT MAKE KEEPING THIS SECRET A CHALLENGE��
Increased scrutiny (being a witness in legal case, achieving success that garners media interest, a suspicious spouse hiring a private investigator, etc.)
An injury or illness that makes it harder for them to successfully subdue a victim
Being questioned by police
A growing subconscious desire to get caught

Other Secret Thesaurus entries can be found here.

Need More Descriptive Help?

While this thesaurus is still being developed, the rest of our descriptive collection (18 unique thesauri and growing) is accessible through the One Stop for Writers THESAURUS database.

If you like, swing by and check out the video walkthrough for this site, then give our Free Trial a spin.

The post Character Secret Thesaurus Entry: Is a Serial Killer appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

How to Hook Readers with Character Descriptions

I think we can all agree that characters are the heart of a novel. We build worlds around our story���s cast, spend dozens of hours plundering their psyche to understand needs, motivations, and beliefs, and even envision complete backstories. Then, of course, we go on to produce tens of thousands of words about their vulnerabilities and strengths as they rise, fall, and rise again on the path to their goal. We also revise, dedicating yet more hours to ensure readers understand and care about our characters as much as do.

Yes, it���s fair to say we work hard to make sure our characters live and breathe on the page. But here���s the irony���in all that effort, many of us overlook or underutilize another important area of character description: their physical appearance.

It���s true, a character���s features and physicality can be hard to convey. We may not have a strong mental picture of them ourselves, or if we do, how to sum it all up economically. After all, at the start of the story when we need to provide details on a character���s appearance, we���re also juggling everything else we must show like the action, setting, circumstances, plus the character���s motivation, underlying problem, emotion, and so on.

So we find ourselves asking, does the character���s looks really matter? Isn���t it what���s inside that counts?

Yes���and no.

Obviously, we want to start a story with action, pulling readers in by showing what a character is doing and why. But including some physical description is also necessary, too. Without it, readers may fail to create a mental image and struggle to connect with the character.

Avoiding physical description and leaving it up to the reader will also create a minefield for the writer because if they mention a physical detail (like a character���s pink hair) later on in the story and it clashes with the image the reader has created on their own, well, it breaks the storytelling spell. Worse, the reader loses confidence in the author���s skills and may be unable to fully suspend disbelief from that point on.

The Goldilocks Approach

We all remember that break-and-enter deviant, Goldilocks, right? Well, to take a page from her book, just like avoiding porridge too hot or too cold, we want to avoid both descriptive sparseness and information overload. Dumps of description of any kind hurt the pace and cause readers to skim, so we should make it our goal to offer enough to point readers in the right direction and then drip in more as needed. The rest they can fill in themselves.

Even more important than quantity is the quality, however. If we choose the right details, we open a gateway to great characterization and hook readers at the same time.

Choose Details that Do More

To avoid disrupting the pace it can be tempting to just give a quick overview of a character���s general features and move on, but unless the character is unimportant to the story, this wastes a valuable opportunity to show-not-tell. Whenever description is needed, we want to think about how to ���spend��� our word currency in the best way possible. Even with physical description, we want to choose details that will push the story forward, reveal characterization, and show readers what���s hidden.

Try using your character���s appearance to allude to… Personality

Is your heroine the type to wear bright yellow to a funeral? Does your groom show up to his wedding in a tux t-shirt and flip-flops? Is it a toss-up between which is tighter ��� the pearls strangling Aunt Edna���s wattle or her disapproving glare as a neighbor���s children run amok? Written with purpose, details about your character���s clothes can say much about their personality and attitude, priming readers to see them in the exact light you want them to.

Occupations and Interests

Does your protagonist have the perma-stained grease hands of a mechanic or the meticulously clean ones of a model or physician? Is there a smudge of paint above one eyebrow or a clod of potter���s clay in his hair? Small details can hint at what a character does for a living and the passions they may have.

Perceptions and Self-perceptions

Does the hero fixate on his beard so much he carries a comb and smoothing gel with him everywhere he goes? Does his socially oblivious sidekick have a habit of scratching his leg with too-long toenails at the beach, grossing everyone out? Does your heroine ask friends what they plan to wear before choosing herself or does she throw on whatever is clean? The time and attention a character gives to their appearance can show how comfortable they are in their own skin and whether they care about the opinions of others.

Health

Is your character disconcertingly underweight, does she have a bluish tinge to her lips, or is she always hiding her hands so others don���t see the tremors? Does she carry an inhaler or epi pen? A well-placed detail about her appearance can hint at an underlying condition, hereditary health issue, or lay the ground for an unfortunate diagnosis that will upend the character���s life.

Hidden Lineage

Does your character have a unique eye color, rare skin condition, or sun sensitivity? A physical peculiarity can help you set the stage to reveal your character is the long-lost descendant of a royal family, lead them to finding their birth parent, or shock them with the discovery that they belong to a race of magic users believed to have died out long ago.

Pedigree, Station, Education, and Wealth

Rather than a hidden lineage, your character���s appearance can show-not-tell their importance within society. Wearing colors only a sect of assassins is sanctioned to use, the quality of their garments or adornments, observing the latest fashion, or showing a character���s bearing, posture, and manners can allude to their upbringing, economic status, or caste.

Secrets

Whether it���s a dried blood drop on the face of their watch, a strange tattoo behind their ear, or the fact they are carrying a concealed weapon at a bridal shower, details that are mysterious or out of place show readers there���s more to a character than meets the eye.

Backstory Wounds

Does your character have an odd bite mark on one shoulder, a chemical burn scar, a missing finger, or they walk with a limp? You can be sure that if it���s important enough to describe, readers will be intrigued about what happened that led to that peculiarity and want to read on to find out.��

Talents and Skills

Does your villainess have throwing knives strapped to her sleeves, chest, and back? Or does your hacker protagonist always carry a backpack full of electronic gadgets and a laptop? If a character���s skills require certain supplies, tech, weapons, or tools, it���s likely they will keep them on hand, a neon sign to readers that they have a special talent.

Emotional Mindset and Comfort Zone

Body language, mannerisms, posture, and the buffer of space the character keeps around them (or not) will all help readers understand what a character may be feeling and how comfortable they are in a location. A character who feels utterly uncomfortable may be pulling at their clothes, sweating, and choosing dark corners over conversation. A character standing tense and watchful, ready to grab the knife at his hip is clearly expecting danger. Someone who loves to be the center of attention will be doing exactly that, confidently working the crowd, smiling and telling jokes, making people feel welcome and basking in the attention.

Motivation

A character who tests the release button on his poison ring before heading out to shake hands with his enemy makes it clear what his goal is, just as a grieving widow will by practicing tearing up in the mirror so she���s ready for her police interview to go over where she was when her husband was mugged and killed. Mission-oriented people dress, behave, and act in alignment with their goal, so describing them in the moment will focus the reader���s attention right where you want it to go.

This is by no means a complete list, but it hopefully gets the idea ball rolling. So, the next time you need to describe a character���s physical features, use it to reveal something extra that activates a reader���s need-to-know mindset, hooking them to read on.

Do you find it easy to write physical description, or is it a bit of a struggle? Let me know in the comments!

The post How to Hook Readers with Character Descriptions appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.