Angela Ackerman's Blog: Writers Helping Writers, page 34

Five Reasons to Identify Your Character���s Wounding Event

As human beings, we���re all products of our past; good and bad, our experiences have formed us into who we are. The same should be true of our characters. One way to make them really believable and memorable is to dig into their backgrounds and unearth those defining moments so we���ll better understand how they became the people they will be in our stories. Positive experiences have impact, but today I want to talk about the importance of identifying your character���s primary negative experience���also known as the emotional wound.

A wounding experience is an event or series of events from the past that was so negative it caused the character deep psychological pain. Being neglected as a child, living with chronic pain, being falsely accused of a crime, experiencing the death of a son or daughter���these can be deeply hurtful and formative events that will have lasting impact on a character. To this end, let���s explore why you need to know your character���s wound.

1) It Will Spawn Her Greatest Fear

When a wounding experience happens, the memories and negative emotions associated with it are long lasting. The event is so awful that the character becomes afraid that it or something like it will happen again. This fear can take many different forms associated with the wounding event. A girl (we���ll call her Natalie) whose brother committed suicide might become terrified that someone else in her close circle might do the same thing. If she blames herself for not noticing the warning signs, her biggest fear might be that she will miss important clues in other peoples��� lives that could lead to devastating consequences. Or the sense of abandonment could be the part that hurts most, making her fear being deserted by others in the future. Wounding events always give birth to debilitating fears that cripple our characters and keep them from thriving. To know the fear and its effects, we must first identify the wounding event that generated it.

2) It Will Alter Her Personality

Fear is a huge motivator; we���ll do just about anything to avoid the things that scare us. As such, your character���s greatest fear will cause the formation of new positive and negative traits that are meant to protect him or her from repeating that painful experience. Let���s say Natalie���s fear is being abandoned again. She may become needy, clinging to those she loves out of a fear of losing them. On the flip side, she might become abrasive so she can drive people away before they get too close. Of course, positive changes can come out of a fear too. Natalie might become a very observant person because she doesn���t want to miss those clues again. She could become empathetic, nurturing, passionate, or independent. Many of a character���s dominant traits will stem directly from that negative past experience, so it���s important to figure out what that is.

3) It Will Change Her Behavior

Personality traits obviously determine the way we act. A grown-up, needy Natalie might develop new habits such as requiring constant reassurances of love from her spouse, prying into her friends��� private lives in order to stay connected, or using guilt to manipulate her children into spending time with her. Identifying the main wounding event from a character���s past will also show you her main personality traits, which will tell you how she���ll act and respond to various stimuli and circumstances, enabling you to write her consistently.

4) It Will Taint Her Beliefs About Herself and/or the World

When something awful happens, it���s human nature to examine it to try and make sense of it, to figure out why it happened and who is to blame. This often results in a skewed view of the world or ourselves. If Natalie blames herself for missing her brother���s cries for help, she may come to believe that she is someone who can���t be counted on. On the other hand, if she blames someone or something external, she can easily become jaded toward that thing; for instance, if her brother was seeing a therapist about his depression, she may decide that therapy is a sham that doesn���t do anyone any good. None of these ideas are true, but once Natalie begins to believe them, her behavior, her choices, even her morals will align with those beliefs. They���re all connected, and they all result from that formative experience in the character���s past.

5) It Will Impact Her Life on Every Level

Needy Natalie���s biggest fear is losing another loved one, but, ironically, she���s driving them away with her suffocating behavior. She often calls in sick at work so she can stay home in case her family needs her, and she���s close to losing her job. Her quality of life is stunted due to her constant anxiety and worrying. Every area of her life is being impacted by the aftershocks of the wounding experience.

This is how readers find Natalie at the beginning of the story. They know virtually none of the details that have brought her to this point; it���s too early for that yet. But as each page is turned, the details will become clear, and as they���re revealed, it all clicks into place. That���s why she���s so clingy! No wonder she���s such a worrywart!  Everything will make sense for the reader because the foundation has been laid.

This is why it���s so important for every author to know their character���s wounding event. While it���s more work on the front end, it pays off in the form of higher reader satisfaction and a stronger empathy bond that can help build interest to carry them through to the very last page.

One Stop for Writers
can help!

Dive deep into The Emotional Wound Thesaurus: A Writer���s Guide to Psychological Trauma, The Fear Thesaurus, and many other powerful resources to help you create authentic, dynamic characters.

The post Five Reasons to Identify Your Character���s Wounding Event appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Positive Traits Can Have Drawbacks, and Flaws Aren���t All Bad

I was watching Gone with the Wind the other night���because, you know, it was on TV and I had four hours to kill. As a teen, this was the first ���grown-up��� book I read, and ever since, I���ve had a serious girl-crush on Scarlett O���Hara. Which makes no sense, considering what a horrible person she is. I mean, she spends most of the story scheming to steal her only friend���s husband. When that doesn���t pan out, she marries her sister���s fianc�� to get his money.

She���s spoiled, materialistic, manipulative, and utterly self-involved. And yet, I love her as a character. If she wasn���t widely admired, I���d think there was something seriously wrong with me. But even after all these years, she continues to connect with people. Why is this?

For me, part of the reason lies in the duality of her flaws. As a spoiled brat, she embraces boldness to get what she wants. To pursue materialism, she needs to be resourceful. Cleverness goes hand-in-hand with her manipulative nature, and to obtain her selfish goals, she must be persistent.

Scarlett���s flaws aren���t one-dimensional. They have many facets���both positive and negative. This is how real people are. Our flaws, while limiting us and hurting our relationships, have beneficial features, too. Likewise, our positive attributes have associated negative elements.

I���ve come to understand that while most traits fit neatly into either the flaw or positive attribute category, many of them contain both good and bad sides. I recognize this in the traits that define me and the qualities I see in others.

The same should be true of our characters.

Utilizing both sides of a given trait will add realism to a character���s personality and increase your chances of him connecting with readers. Here are a few tips on how to tap into both sides of your character���s traits in the writing process:

Identify Your Character���s DEFINING Traits

This should go without saying, but it���s vital to understand your character���s biggest flaws and attributes. Make a list of which traits they embody. Then, narrow it down to one primary flaw and one primary attribute. This will keep things clear for you, which will then ensure clarity for the reader.

For help figuring out which traits make sense for your character based on their history, you might find this Reverse Backstory Tool useful.

Explore Defining Traits from EVERY Angle

Once you���ve identified a primary flaw and attribute, brainstorm the behaviors and attitudes���positive and negative���that might manifest in a person who exhibits those traits. For example, if your character is controlling, his list might look something like this:

��� micromanages others
��� exhibits a lack of trust
��� pulls people away from loved ones to increase his control
��� manipulates others
��� is good at reading people
��� is passionate
��� shows incredible persistence

Show BOTH Sides

Your list should contain some positive and negative elements for each trait. Utilize the good and the bad to give your character depth. Perhaps his knack for reading people can benefit him in other ways, such as making him a successful cop or judge.

Maybe his passionate nature drives him to give of his time or money to a neighborhood charity. Show both sides of your character���s nature, and you���ll create a hero or villain that smacks of authenticity.

Building realistic characters is a crucial part of writing a successful story. Know your character���s defining traits and tap into the good and the bad that comes with them, and you���ll be on your way to creating multi-dimensional characters that will resonate with readers.

For more resources on this topic, please see our Character Resource Page.

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Character Type & Trope Thesaurus: Lover

In 1959, Carl Jung first popularized the idea of archetypes���”universal images that have existed since the remotest times.” He posited that every person is a blend of these 12 basic personalities. Ever since then, authors have been applying this idea to fictional characters, combining the different archetypes to come up with interesting new versions. The result is a sizable pool of character tropes that we see from one story to another.

Archetypes and tropes are popular storytelling elements because of their familiarity. Upon seeing them, readers know immediately who they’re dealing with and what role the nerd, dark lord, femme fatale, or monster hunter will play. As authors, we need to recognize the commonalities for each trope so we can write them in a recognizable way and create a rudimentary sketch for any character we want to create.

But when it comes to characters, no one wants just a sketch; we want a vibrant and striking cast full of color, depth, and contrast. Diving deeper into character creation is especially important when starting with tropes because the blessing of their familiarity is also a curse; without differentiation, the characters begin to look the same from story to story.

But no more. The Character Type and Trope Thesaurus allows you to outline the foundational elements of each trope while also exploring how to individualize them. In this way, you’ll be able to use historically tried-and-true character types to create a cast for your story that is anything but traditional.

Lover Archetype

DESCRIPTION: Lovers are passionate, sensual, and devoted, seeking the bliss of togetherness and love. They live life in full, show their heart in relationships, and focus on building closeness and intimacy with those they care about. Often this involves a romantic partner, but it can also manifest as strengthening core bonds with friends or family, making them feel loved and valued. Gone too far, emotions can become volatile, leading to obsession. 

FICTIONAL EXAMPLES: Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare���s Romeo and Juliet); Lady and the Tramp (Lady and the Tramp); Ross Geller (Friends); Alex Forrest (Fatal Attraction)

COMMON STRENGTHS
Affectionate, Charming, Empathetic, Flirtatious, Focused, Friendly, Generous, Gentle, Kind, Loyal, Nurturing, Passionate, Patient, Persistent, Persuasive, Playful, Protective, Sensual, Uninhibited

COMMON WEAKNESSES
Addictive, Controlling, Extravagant, Foolish, Frivolous, Gullible, Impulsive, Irrational, Jealous, Melodramatic, Needy, Obsessive, Oversensitive, Perfectionist, Possessive, Subservient, Worrywart

ASSOCIATED ACTIONS, BEHAVIORS, AND TENDENCIES
Being tuned into the emotions of others
Showing attentiveness and thoughtfulness
Accommodating loved ones and their needs
Seeing the best in someone
Seeking closeness and intimacy
Showing closeness through honesty and trust
Showing love through gifts, words of affection, acts of service, touching, and quality time
Encouraging others to open up and share their feelings
Displaying jealousy of rivals
Being envious of another���s close bonds or loving relationships
Yearning for (and seeking out) the perfect loving relationship
Close contact with others, frequent touching
Being sexually adventurous
Striving to make a good impression with others
Thinking carefully to say the right thing
Daydreaming and fantasizing about someone they are involved with
Paying compliments
Being an admirer of beauty
Caring about what others think about them
Being a people pleaser
Becoming obsessed with fixing relationship issues and erasing distance
Working to lift the spirits of loved ones
Going out of their way to be kind and helpful with loved ones
Experiencing life to the fullest
A willingness to try new things
Protectiveness of loved ones
Putting others first (sometimes to a fault)
Being an optimist and being energized by others who are like-minded
Being hit hard by betrayals and broken trust
Love-bombing (being too affectionate or attentive)
Being comfortable with emotional sharing
Encouraging others to share their feelings

SITUATIONS THAT WILL CHALLENGE THEM
A loved one setting boundaries or asking for space
Discovering a loved one has lied or kept something from them
Knowing another has a closer relationship than they do with someone they care about
Being asked to keep a relationship secret and private
Trying to build closeness with someone who has a lot of barriers and emotional shielding
Relationship break-ups
In laws with biases or prejudices against the character that prevent closeness
Loving someone with differing preferences (level of affection, comfort zones, sexual needs, communication styles, etc.)

INNER STRUGGLES TO GIVE THEM DEPTH
Wanting to express feelings but knowing it���s too soon and doing so could ruin everything
Feeling inadequate when rejected, no matter how kindly it���s been done
Wanting to be the person someone else wants, but also needing to stay true to themselves
Struggling to move on after a relationship ends
Having feelings for more than one person and not knowing how to choose
Wanting a closer relationship with a parent but struggling to move past something they did
Loving someone who only wants to be friends
Carrying the burden of unrequited love, knowing a future with them is impossible
Caring about someone who can���t see they are in a toxic relationship
Knowing their own feelings are bordering on obsession but being unable to step back

TWIST THIS TROPE WITH A CHARACTER WHO���
Falls for someone but doesn���t lose their sense of self (and so doesn���t try to be someone else or change to win love in return)
Is loving and seeks love, but has boundaries and respects the boundaries of others

CLICH��S TO BE AWARE OF
Loving someone and it being forbidden (the family is against it, the character lives in a caste system, religious intolerance is at play, etc.)
The character falling for someone when there’s no common ground, yet it ���just works���
One character trying to change the other to make a compatible match

Other Type and Trope Thesaurus entries can be found here.

Need More Descriptive Help?

While this thesaurus is still being developed, the rest of our descriptive collection (16 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, and then give our Free Trial a spin.

The post Character Type & Trope Thesaurus: Lover appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Phenomenal First Pages Contest

Hey, wonderful writerly people! It���s time for our monthly first-page critique contest How to enter:

Leave a comment if you���re working on a first page (in any genre except erotica) and would like some objective feedback. As long as the email address associated with your WordPress account/comment profile is up-to-date, I���ll be able to contact you if your first page is chosen. Just please know that if I���m unable to get in touch with you through that address, you���ll have to forfeit your win.

Two caveats:

      Please be sure your first page (double-spaced in 12-point font) is ready to go so I can critique it before next month���s contest rolls around. If it needs some work and you won���t be able to get it to me right away, let me ask that you plan on entering the next contest, once any necessary tweaking has been taken care of.

      This contest only runs for 24 hours, start to finish, so get your comment in there!

Three commenters��� names will be randomly drawn and posted tomorrow morning. If you win, you can email me your first page and I���ll offer my feedback. 

We run this contest on a monthly basis, so if you���d like to be notified when the next opportunity comes around, consider subscribing to our blog (see the right-hand sidebar). 

Best of luck!

PS: If you want to amp up your first page, grab our helpful First Pages checklist from One Stop for Writers. And for more instruction on these important opening elements, see this Mother Lode of First Page Resources.

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How to Build Sizzling Sexual Tension in Your Novel

Writing Sexual Tension

Are you tired of writing boring and uneventful romance scenes? Do your readers seem disinterested or even put off by the lack of chemistry between your characters? Fear not!

In this post, I am going to explore how to build sizzling sexual tension in your novel that will leave your readers begging for more. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting out, these tips and tricks will help bring heat to your pages and keep readers flipping until the very end. So, buckle up, it’s about to get steamy in here!

What is Sexual Tension?

Sexual tension is a key ingredient in many successful novels. Whilst sexual tension turns up most in romance novels, it can be part of ANY story. For example, I wrote sexual tension in my crime novel, The Other Twin.

Sexual tension is that feeling of excitement and anticipation you get when something hot and heavy is happening between the characters, but they haven’t yet acted on their desires.

Done well, sexual tension can be incredibly addictive for readers. It keeps them turning pages late into the night, eager to see what will happen next.

If you’re hoping to create some sexual tension in your own novel, there are a few key things to keep in mind. Ready? Let’s go!

i) First, don’t rush it

Take your time building up the attraction between your characters. Let them flirt with each other, or exchange longing looks. Maybe they even engage in some light physical contact before they finally give in to their desires.

ii) Make sure the stakes are high

If there’s no risk involved, then there’s no real tension. Will giving in to their feelings ruin their friendship? Threaten their careers? Put them in danger? The more at stake, the higher the tension can be.

iii) Establish what each character wants

What are their goals? What do they want? Why do they want it? This will help create conflict and tension between your characters as they try to achieve their goals while also dealing with their attraction to one another.

iv) Build up the sexual chemistry between your characters gradually

Don’t let them fall into bed together too quickly. Let the reader see the simmering desire between them, the little looks and touches that build up the anticipation.

v) Use body language

A lot of communication is non-verbal. Use this to your advantage by having your characters give each other smouldering looks, brush up against each other accidentally, or engage in subtle flirtation.

When writing sexual tension between your characters, it is important to consider the body language you use. The way your characters stand, sit, or move can amplify the attraction and tension between them.

For example, if two characters are standing close together, their bodies may be angled toward each other in a way that suggests they are eager to be close. Or, if they are sitting next to each other on a couch, their legs may be intertwined in a way that suggests they cannot keep their hands off each other.

vi) Build up the anticipation

Don’t let your characters act on their desires too soon. Make them yearn for each other, wonder what it would be like to touch or be touched by the other person. The longer you can drag this out, the greater the pay-off will be when they finally give in to temptation.

By building up that sense of anticipation, you build up the sexual tension between characters. This means you can create a scene that is truly sizzling with sexual tension.

vii) Establish boundaries early on

Make it clear from the outset that there are certain things your characters will not do. This will heighten the sexual tension as they work around these boundaries.

For example, in the TV series The Rookie, there was sexual tension between Officer Bradford and his rookie Chen from the offset. However, he is her superior and a stand-up guy, so he would never act on this. Similarly, when Chen graduates and becomes an officer herself, she will not act on her feelings and cheat on her boyfriend with Bradford.

When the officers DO finally get together, Bradford has been promoted to sergeant. This prompts him to take a demotion so he can drop out of Chen’s line of command.

vii) Make sure your characters have flaws

No one is perfect, so by giving your characters believable flaws and vulnerabilities, you’ll make them more relatable���and increase the sexual tension as they try to hide those imperfections from each other.

viii) Write sexually charged dialogue

Sexually charged dialogue can be a great way to build sexual tension between characters in a novel. By writing dialogue that is flirty, suggestive, or even graphic, you can create a scene that is full of sexual tension. Erotica novels often do this, but you can utilise this technique in any story you choose.

ix) Don’t forget about the little things

Sexual tension is often created as much by what is NOT said or done. A charged silence, a stolen glance, an accidental touch … These are all things that can ratchet up the tension and leave readers desperate for more.

Concluding …

Sexual tension can be a key ingredient in making your novel sizzle. When it comes to writing romance into ANY story, one of the most important elements is sexual tension. This is what will keep your readers turning the pages, desperate to find out what happens next.

Remember to pay attention to the characters��� emotional states and body language. This will make all the difference between writing a mundane scene or a passionate encounter. If used correctly, creating this type of atmosphere can help readers get deeply invested in your book and its characters. MORE: Top 5 Mistakes Writers Make With Sex Scenes 

Good Luck!

The post How to Build Sizzling Sexual Tension in Your Novel appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Character Type & Trope Thesaurus: Rebel Archetype

In 1959, Carl Jung first popularized the idea of archetypes���”universal images that have existed since the remotest times.” He posited that every person is a blend of these 12 basic personalities. Ever since then, authors have been applying this idea to fictional characters, combining the different archetypes to come up with interesting new versions. The result is a sizable pool of character tropes that we see from one story to another.

Archetypes and tropes are popular storytelling elements because of their familiarity. Upon seeing them, readers know immediately who they’re dealing with and what role the nerd, dark lord, femme fatale, or monster hunter will play. As authors, we need to recognize the commonalities for each trope so we can write them in a recognizable way and create a rudimentary sketch for any character we want to create.

But when it comes to characters, no one wants just a sketch; we want a vibrant and striking cast full of color, depth, and contrast. Diving deeper into character creation is especially important when starting with tropes because the blessing of their familiarity is also a curse; without differentiation, the characters begin to look the same from story to story.

But no more. The Character Type and Trope Thesaurus allows you to outline the foundational elements of each trope while also exploring how to individualize them. In this way, you’ll be able to use historically tried-and-true character types to create a cast for your story that is anything but traditional.

Rebel Archetype

DESCRIPTION: Rebels are out-of-the-box thinkers who like to push boundaries and are undaunted by chaos. Whether they’re organizing a revolution, seeking revenge, or are making personal choices that challenge the status quo, these characters are often the catalyst for change.

FICTIONAL EXAMPLES: Robin Hood (the Robin Hood legend), Lisbeth Salander (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), William Wallace (Braveheart), Ferris Bueller (Ferris Bueller���s Day Off), Estella/Cruella (Cruella)

COMMON STRENGTHS: Adventurous, Bold, Creative, Decisive, Focused, Independent, Intelligent, Passionate, Persistent, Persuasive, Private, Quirky, Resourceful, Socially Aware, Spunky

COMMON WEAKNESSES: Antisocial, Confrontational, Cynical, Disrespectful, Evasive, Impatient, Impulsive, Judgmental, Manipulative, Pushy, Rebellious, Reckless, Stubborn, Uncooperative, Vindictive, Volatile

ASSOCIATED ACTIONS, BEHAVIORS, AND TENDENCIES
Deviating from societal norms���has their own style, refuses to conform to expectations or roles, etc.
Easily breaking laws and rules they disagree with
Being oppositional; is comfortable being at odds with others
Calling out injustice when they see it
Exhibiting loner behaviors (prefers solitude, keeps their own council, values privacy, etc.)
Respecting those who think for themselves
Engaging willingly in acts of subversion
Taking risks
Not always thinking things true (impulsivity)
Emotional volatility
Being blunt rather than sparing people’s feelings or beating around the bush
Distrusting authority figures, assuming they’re inept or corrupt
Difficulty following other people’s processes or instructions
Looking for ways to poke holes in the system or undermine the people in power
Discernment; being able to read people and see their true motives
Struggling in controlled environments, such as classrooms and 9-to-5 jobs
Making choices based on personal beliefs and values
Needing freedom to flourish (of thought, movement, opportunity, etc.)
Having less attachments than most people (to others, places, possessions, etc.)
Being highly loyal to the few people the character trusts
Scorning people who follow the rules or do what society dictates
Viewing themselves as being alone against the world
Engaging in delinquent or criminal behavior

SITUATIONS THAT WILL CHALLENGE THEM
Being asked by a trusted loved one to conform in some way
Having to enforce rules or norms (with a younger sibling, at work, etc.)
Being forced into a situation where the character must follow rules and take orders (being sent to military school, needing to stay in a job with an overbearing boss, etc.)
Becoming aware of an injustice that will require the character to work with people they despise
Being watched and monitored
Being betrayed by a trusted ally, friend, or family member
Seeing a path to change but being blocked from it

INNER STRUGGLES TO GIVE THEM DEPTH
Seeing admirable characteristics in someone with opposing views or beliefs
Wanting to remain self-reliant but growing tired of the isolation
Discovering the cause they are fighting for is not what it purports to be
Having a loved one join the cause who is unsuited to navigate the dangers ahead
Being confronted with a truth that threatens everything the character believes in
Experiencing a failure that threatens the character’s self-esteem and confidence

TWIST THIS TROPE WITH A CHARACTER WHO���
Is secretly attracted to someone with opposing beliefs or who is in a position of authority
Is an extrovert and is always part of a group despite despising what the group stands for
Has other interests and goals, rather than a single focus on bringing the system down
Is ironically living a lie, rebelling when what they really want is a normal, uneventful life
Has a secret that, if discovered, reveals they are a hypocrite
Has surprising common ground with those they are seeking to undermine
Has a physical or cognitive challenge that they won’t allow to limit them
Is also a mother, grandfather, or other type of nurturing caretaker
Has an a-typical trait: diplomatic, tactful, hypocritical, vain, nurturing, materialistic, etc.

CLICH��S TO BE AWARE OF
The reluctant rebel who must lead the revolution but doesn’t want to
Inspirational rebels with no flaws to humanize them
The single-minded rebel who is devoted only to the cause and has no other passions or interests
The impulsive rebel who sacrifices everyone to the cause, then feels guilty about it later

Other Type and Trope Thesaurus entries can be found here.

Need More Descriptive Help?

While this thesaurus is still being developed, the rest of our descriptive collection (16 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, and then give our Free Trial a spin.

The post Character Type & Trope Thesaurus: Rebel Archetype appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Writing About Emotional Trauma Without Triggering Readers

Trigger warnings are often debated in the writing world. Some opine that readers should be warned if something potentially harmful is included in a book, and others feel the audience shouldn���t be bubble-wrapped and need to chin up if they want to read fiction. Like most things, the answer probably lies somewhere in the middle. 

It can be easy to scoff away the idea of ���being triggered��� if one has never experienced damaging trauma, or if they have, they were able to process it in a healthy way. The reality is that dealing with emotional trauma is 100% personal. Even people experiencing the exact same event will cope with it differently based on their personality, age, support system, past experiences, education, and a host of other factors. So, assuming everyone should react the same way is ill-informed. 

Where does this leave us, the authors? Ironically, in the same place had the trigger debate never occurred: we do our best to respect our readers, and use good judgment as we write. 

No matter how dark and gritty our fiction is, we should never be gratuitous, meaning we should only show what we need to, not more. Genres will vary, but even if you���re writing a torture scene, there���s no need to slap every scream, sensation, and sweat drop onto the page. Overdone description will kill the pace and the impact will be lost under a wall of sensory words. Just like any other scene, our description should be balanced, pulling readers in without overwhelming them. 

Here are a few ideas on how to handle potentially triggering content. 

Use Symbolism and Mood to Seed Hints

The back jacket copy should indicate some of what will unfold in the story and perhaps even allude to trauma your character experienced in the past. But you will still need to show a scene (or several) that portrays these wounding experiences. If you���re worried about triggering, then don���t have this event slam into the reader out of nowhere. Lay a few clues so readers can put emotional safeguards up if they need to. 

Mood, for example, is an excellent way to steer reader emotion. Weather, light and shadow, and universal symbolism can all help you nudge the reader toward the dark content about to be shown. Personal symbolism tied to the POV character can also lay the groundwork that something hurtful may be about to unfold: a sound, a smell, an object, a texture, a place that has specific meaning for the character. Including something that triggers their memory can help foreshadow something uncomfortable may be coming.

For example, if your character is about to be assaulted behind the restaurant where she works, take a moment to show her reluctance to take the garbage out. Maybe it���s because of the lack of alley lighting, or a memory surfaces of being surprised by a ranting homeless man who was digging in the trash another time she performed this chore. You could have her ease the door open and try and listen for hidden noises before venturing out to the bin. Or have an unpleasant odor hit her as she enters the dark. Symbolism and mood not only increase tension, they can give a subtle heads up that something significant is about to happen. 

Vary Your Narrative Distance

Deep POV is all the rage these days, but there are times when we shouldn���t use it. Don���t get me wrong, I���m not suggesting that emotionally difficult scenes should be reported rather than experienced from within the character���s shoes. I���m suggesting that you can pull readers in using deep POV to feel the intimate sensations and horror of the moment for a while and then zoom out to give them a break. A bit of filtering language (she thought, she smelled, he reached, he felt, it seemed, etc.) can achieve this as it adds distance. Or you could occasionally choose to name an emotion rather than show it in depth (NOTE: be careful with these techniques���always have a reason for using them or it will come across as lazy writing).

Weave In Facts (Telling) To Give a Break From Showing

Show, Don���t Tell implies ���all or nothing,��� but really this rule is meant to convey that writers should knowing WHAT to show (and when), and WHAT to tell. Deeply emotional scenes work best when there���s a good mix of show AND tell. Breaking up painful emotion and sensory detail with a few factual statements creates a balance, and if you need it to, will slide in a touch of distance so readers aren���t overwhelmed. 

A good example of this is the Hunger Games, when Peeta and Katniss are on the Cornucopia as a fellow tribute is being torn apart by genetically engineered dogs. Susanne Collins doesn���t describe every gore spray and tear although she could have (the book states this goes on for over an hour, because of course the game makers are all about putting on a show). Describing such a horrific scene in full would be gratuitous and most people would stop reading. As someone attacked by a dog as a child and dragged around in the snow, helpless, I know I would have. But Collins handled it well, using narrative distance, selective show and tell, and information to get the horror across without overdoing it. 

Only you can decide how close and personal you want to get with emotionally traumatic situations. It���s your story, your art. If you can justify to yourself what you need to show and why, you are respecting readers. It will feel authentic, not gratuitous, and they should respect your storytelling style in turn. 

How to Show the Impact of a Wound

The Emotional Wound Database at One Stop for Writers contains over 120 types of trauma a character might have experienced, including abandonment, injustices, betrayals, hardships, failures & mistakes, childhood trauma and more.

If you need help, each entry guides you to better understand how a character’s behavior and personality may change in the aftermath of a specific trauma, the fears that can emerge, and how their view of themselves and the world shifts.

Examples from this database:
Being Stalked
Telling the Truth and Not Being Believed
Accidentally Killing Someone
More emotional wounds

The post Writing About Emotional Trauma Without Triggering Readers appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Story vs. Plot vs. Theme: Know Your 5Ws and H

Journalism writing often uses the 5W1H structure. The first few paragraphs of a news article should answer 6 basic questions (which start with 5 Ws and an H): Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How.

While fiction writing doesn���t try to cram the essentials into the beginning paragraphs, those same questions are important for our storytelling. In fact, we can use specific questions from that structure to understand the big picture���or essence���of our story, plot, and theme.

Story vs. Plot

First, though, we need to understand that our story and our plot are not the same. A story is about our characters��� struggle, while a plot is the events that reveal the characters and choices explored in the story.

Let���s illustrate the difference with an example plot idea: An asteroid is coming to smash the Earth to smithereens.

Yikes! Okay, but what about it? Who���s doing the struggling against those consequences?

Without characters, that asteroid���s just going to do its thing, same as it would on an uninhabited planet. Boom, crash, the end. There���s no story there because there���s no story problem there���no characters attempting to overcome the obstacles of the plot.

What���s a Story?

To have a story, we need characters who face a problem. And it���s only when we decide who our characters are or the choices they���ll face that we���ll know what our asteroid story is:

Plucky team of astronauts try to destroy the asteroid before it reaches Earth.Doomed world leaders debate how to help their citizens react in the last days.Estranged family members reach out to each other and heal wounds before the end.And so on���

Each of those character examples defines a story problem���they want to destroy, debate, or heal. In turn, the story problem defines the story, as the characters attempt to solve their problem.

What���s a Plot?

On the other hand, if the asteroid is only big enough to cause a few cloudy days, our characters would have no reason to make big changes or choices. That���s where plot comes in: Plot events are the triggers forcing choices and changes in our characters.

Story Questions vs. Plot Questions

Now back to that 5W1H structure���

Story Questions

As a story is about a struggle or an attempt to solve a story problem, we can begin to define the layers of our story with questions that focus on that struggle or problem:

Who? Who is doing the struggling or attempting to solve the problem? (team of astronauts)What? What is the struggle or problem? What do our characters want? (destroy the asteroid)

We can further define our story with other questions, especially in certain genres such as historical or science fiction (When? 1892 or the distant future, Where? England or outer space), but the two bullets above are generally the most important.

Plot Questions

As a plot is about the events that force choices and changes, we can begin to define the layers of our plot with questions that focus on those events:

How? How are the characters being pushed into action or choices? How are they trying to reach their goal? (an asteroid is coming to smash the Earth, so they���re trying to blow it up)

Note that it may seem like additional questions would help us further define the plot:

What? What plot events will best reveal our characters? (an accident takes out the mission leader and the protagonist needs to step up)When? or Where? to describe the circumstances causing the story to take place now (explaining the reasons those estranged family members finally reach out to each other, when they technically could have healed the wounded relationship at any time)

But those are all just other ways of getting at the How, defining the triggers that force the changes and choices in our story.

How Does Our Story���s Theme Fit In?

Theme is usually said to be a story���s ���message,��� but what does that mean in practice? How can we define what the theme of a particular story might be, especially when���

themes are less concrete or obvious (often found in the subtext or a single sentence)stories contain multiple themes (formed by story premise, worldview, character arc, plot events, etc.)stories often include unintended themes (which can undermine our intended themes)

In other words, we might not know what our story���s themes are���or should be. Even if we brainstorm from ���theme idea��� lists, those nouns or short phrases (war vs. peace, coming of age, love, survival, etc.) aren���t themes until we figure out what we���re trying to say about that topic.

Theme Questions

To figure out what we���re trying to say with our story, we can begin to define the layers of our themes with big-picture questions:

Why? Why does our character participate in the story (in the big picture)? Why are we writing this story? (such as: our protagonist believes the world is worth saving, or we want to inspire others to not give up)

Our Why answers help us narrow down what we���re trying to say with our story, which then helps us define our intended themes. Our protagonist could learn to not take life for granted. Our plot events could present reasons and opportunities for our protagonist to give up, but they believe in the importance of their actions and make choices revealing their persistence. And so on.

From Journalism to Storytelling

Taking a page from journalism writing to identify the most important aspects of our story can help us see the big picture as we plan, draft, or edit our story. Using the 5W1H questions forces us to focus on the essence of our story, especially:

Who are our characters?What do they want?How are they going to try to get it?Why is the story important (to our character(s) and to us)?

Those answers give us direction as we attempt to get our big-picture thoughts onto the page for our readers to enjoy. *smile*

Have you ever struggled to see your story���s big picture or to identify/develop your story���s themes? Does this framework of using specific questions to define our story���s essence make sense to you? Do you have any questions about story vs. plot vs. theme or how to apply these questions?

The post Story vs. Plot vs. Theme: Know Your 5Ws and H appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Character Type & Trope Thesaurus: Orphan Archetype

In 1959, Carl Jung first popularized the idea of archetypes���”universal images that have existed since the remotest times.” He posited that every person is a blend of these 12 basic personalities. Ever since then, authors have been applying this idea to fictional characters, combining the different archetypes to come up with interesting new versions. The result is a sizable pool of character tropes that we see from one story to another.

Archetypes and tropes are popular storytelling elements because of their familiarity. Upon seeing them, readers know immediately who they’re dealing with and what role the nerd, dark lord, femme fatale, or monster hunter will play. As authors, we need to recognize the commonalities for each trope so we can write them in a recognizable way and create a rudimentary sketch for any character we want to create.

But when it comes to characters, no one wants just a sketch; we want a vibrant and striking cast full of color, depth, and contrast. Diving deeper into character creation is especially important when starting with tropes because the blessing of their familiarity is also a curse; without differentiation, the characters begin to look the same from story to story.

But no more. The Character Type and Trope Thesaurus allows you to outline the foundational elements of each trope while also exploring how to individualize them. In this way, you’ll be able to use historically tried-and-true character types to create a cast for your story that is anything but traditional.

Orphan Archetype

DESCRIPTION: Orphans are characterized by trauma, neglect, and/or rejection. Having lost their own family (or never having had one to begin with), they’re driven by a need to belong and will go to great lengths to find acceptance. This makes orphans especially susceptible to manipulation and abuse which, over time, can result in them becoming withdrawn and further isolated.

FICTIONAL EXAMPLES: Harry Potter (the Harry Potter series), Oliver Twist (Oliver Twist), Kya Clark (Where the Crawdads Sing), Simba (The Lion King), Will Hunting (Good Will Hunting)

COMMON STRENGTHS: Alert, Cautious, Discreet, Empathetic, Humble, Independent, Intelligent, Loyal, Observant, Perceptive, Persistent, Private, Proactive, Resourceful, Spunky

COMMON WEAKNESSES: Abrasive, Apathetic, Childish, Cynical, Defensive, Dishonest, Evasive, Impulsive, Insecure, Irresponsible, Oversensitive, Paranoid, Rebellious, Reckless, Resentful, Rowdy, Self-Destructive, Stubborn, Uncooperative, Volatile, Withdrawn

ASSOCIATED ACTIONS, BEHAVIORS, AND TENDENCIES
Being highly observant
Sticking like glue to the trustworthy people in their life
Being highly attuned to injustice, manipulation, and other forms of abuse
Fighting for justice and equality
Resiliency
Having just a few close friends
Being unable to see the faults of the people they’re loyal to
Getting involved in toxic relationships (because it’s what the character is used to)
Sacrificing personal beliefs or standards if it means gaining affection from someone
Difficulty setting or maintaining personal boundaries
Being too eager when someone shows them attention
Difficulty trusting others
Becoming reconciled to isolation because it’s better than risking being hurt again
Being suspicious of people and their motives
Being jaded
Keeping people at arm’s length
Sabotaging relationships to avoid abandonment or rejection
Not rushing into new relationships or situations; taking time to evaluate them first
Being dishonest or evasive when it comes to personal information
Finding community on the fringes (through hobbies, interests, lifestyle, etc.)
Being insecure and unsure of their own worth
Struggling with depression
Abusing drugs or alcohol
Adopting a victim mentality
Being highly independent (because they’ve had to be)

SITUATIONS THAT WILL CHALLENGE THEM
Suspecting that a trusted friend is being dishonest
A friend questioning the motives of someone close to the character
Being forced to face their unresolved past trauma
Being specifically targeted by a con-artist or manipulator
Entering a new environment (school, a new job, etc.) that requires the character to start over with strangers
A love interest wanting to take the relationship to the next level

INNER STRUGGLES TO GIVE THEM DEPTH
Being offered a place in a group, but it means having to change or hide who they really are
Being accustomed to playing the victim for past hurts but recognizing that their own decisions are now train-wrecking their life
Struggling with insecurity and feelings of inadequacy
Doubting their gut responses (because their need for acceptance has driven them into toxic relationships or bad situations in the past)
Believing there’s something wrong with them, that they’re to blame for being abandoned or alone
Struggling with despair; believing their situation will never change

TWIST THIS TROPE WITH A CHARACTER WHO���
Has been orphaned but maintains their optimism and hope in humanity
Has learned a valuable skill or ability because of their abandonment
Is able to view their abandonment as a positive (because it frees them from an abusive environment, allows them to relocate, etc.)
Isn’t financially dependent on the family that abandons them, making it possible for them to survive without being monetarily crippled
Has an atypical trait: obedient, respectful, diplomatic, confident, fussy, scatterbrained, etc.

CLICH��S TO BE AWARE OF
The literal orphan whose problems are solved when they’re adopted into a family
Groups of orphans banding together to form their own family or community
Villains who started out as orphans���

Other Type and Trope Thesaurus entries can be found here.

Need More Descriptive Help?

While this thesaurus is still being developed, the rest of our descriptive collection (16 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, and then give our Free Trial a spin.

The post Character Type & Trope Thesaurus: Orphan Archetype appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Using Talents and Skills to Reveal Hidden Layers

When you���re creating a well-rounded and realistic character, there are many factors to consider: their backstory, personality traits, fears, desires���the list goes on. Each is important because it plays a part in defining and fleshing out the character for readers. But there���s another aspect of characterization that authors overlook���one single element that can reveal multiple hidden layers about who your character really is: a talent or skill.

At first blush, this may not make sense. Why does it matter that my character can bake or read people or throw their voice? These are things they do. What does a talent or skill tell people about who they are?

I���m so glad you asked .

Personality Traits

Let���s say your character has been dancing since they could walk and their star is on the rise. They���re an accomplished dancer, sure, but as such, there are certain things you can also infer about their personality:

They���re likely to be disciplined���not only in the hours spent practicing, but in their diet and the things they give up to devote so much time to the art. To achieve this level of skill, the character is going to be incredibly driven.Their work ethic is no joke.They may be a bit of a perfectionist.

Many talents and skills can give readers an overview of who the character is personality-wise. Revealing a talent in the story���s opening is a great way of showing this information to the reader instead of telling them. Then it���s just a matter of reinforcing the associated traits as the story goes on.

Other Strengths and Abilities

Not only can a talent reveal personality, it can also hint at other aptitudes that are common or even required for that activity. If your character is skilled at hot-wiring cars, for instance, they���re also going to be good with their hands, have knowledge of wiring and how electronics work, and be adept at blending in and avoiding notice. They might be mechanically minded overall, and this specific talent is just one piece of their skillset. 

Knowing how other abilities coincide with a talent or skill can give you realistic ideas of what else the character might be able to do and how those aptitudes could play into your story.

Values and Morals

How the character uses their talent can tell you something about their moral code and belief system. White hat hackers, humane hunters, and serial killers who only prey on people who have caused great harm���these are examples of characters using their skills in ways that hint at deeper values. When it comes to using skills to characterize, the how and why can matter even more than the what.

Motivation and Backstory

Speaking of why���the reason your character chooses to pursue an activity can provide valuable insight into what���s driving them. Sometimes it���s as simple as them enjoying that hobby or reveling in something they���re good at. But the reasons often go deeper.

Let���s say your character is a gifted boxer. A passion or aptitude for the sport is only one of many reasons she may have taken it up. Consider the following possibilities:

She started taking lessons after a physical assault as a means of self-defense.The character has difficulty expressing her emotions in a healthy manner, and boxing allows her to do so without hurting herself or others.Her dead father, who she idolized, was an amateur boxer, and this is her way of honoring him.She���s sticking it to her mother, who despises the sport.The instructor is hot.

The reasons behind your character���s pursuit of a talent or skill can reveal a lot about their fears, wounding events, healthy and unhealthy coping mechanisms, and motivations. But those connections only work if you���ve taken the time to understand who your character is, why they are that way, and how a skill ties into their history. 

People Skills

Talents can also give you an indication of your character���s people skills. Someone with a knack for manipulation, mentalism, or making friends is going to be good with people. They���re able to read others and know what to say or do to gain their trust. On the other hand, a character who spends the majority of their time alone and has turned fishing or gaming into an art form, may be more comfortable on their own than with others. This information can give readers a hint about whether your character is an introvert or extrovert, as well as their level of social aptitude.

Readers won���t be able to figure this out for sure from just a talent or skill. But combine it with personality traits, how they choose to spend their time, and a glimpse into their interactions with others, and the audience will be able to put the pieces together.

A Little Extra Help

A talent or skill can provide a window into who the character is. It���s also a natural vehicle for showing, which allows you to reveal important information with an economy of words. Now it���s just a matter of figuring out which abilities make the most sense for your character.

Get Help from One Stop for Writers

The��Talent and Skill Thesaurus��at One Stop for Writers is a great resource for brainstorming possible areas of giftedness and exploring how each might contribute to your story.

The��Character Builder��enables you to organize all of a character���s details���talents, traits, wounds, motivations, physical appearance, and more���to create a complete picture of who they are so you can bring them to life for readers.

What other hidden elements of characterization can a talent or skill reveal?

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