Angela Ackerman's Blog: Writers Helping Writers, page 35

The Link Between Character Thought and Credibility

Readers come into a story eager to greet a new world, willing to temporarily suspend their belief in the way the world works to explore your vision of the alternatives. They place their trust in you to make it feel plausible. Could that character really turn into a fly? Would this one really give up stardom for her love?

Stories that fail to ring true break that trust. These brittle, hollow stories break reader immersion again and again before finally driving readers away.

It���s easy to blame the tinny, artificial quality of an unconvincing story on external factors: plot holes, improbable scenarios. We just don���t believe that the plot could happen that way.

But dip into any well-written speculative novel or a tightly crafted psychological thriller, and you���ll see that readers are keen to be led into all sorts of farfetched nooks and crannies. They���ll overlook a certain amount of hand-waving and even step willingly over minor plot holes as long as the characters are all in.

If characters forge a fathomable path into the story through their thoughts and reactions and emotions, readers will dive in alongside them.����

Credibility & Inner Life

Character reactions are signposts that show something has happened in the story worth noticing. When the characters fail to react, readers assume that there���s nothing worth noticing going on.

Inappropriate character reactions leave readers hanging. When a character melts into tears because the donut shop is out of blueberry donuts (I know���it hits me right in the feels, too), readers will wonder if the character is unhinged. Could blueberry donuts really play such a key role in the plot? Or is the author simply unable to convey how the characters are behaving in a believable way?

As long as you offer a frame of reference through your characters��� inner lives, readers will willingly travel fantastic places within your book, plumbing a serial killer���s psyche or accepting magic and alien cultures. Your characters��� inner life is like the legend of the story map, showing how the regions of the story world relate to each other. Stiff, disconnected, or missing character reactions remove that key and scramble readers��� ability to make sense of the story.

The Roots of Verisimilitude

It���s all about action and reaction, stimulus and response. Multiple stimulus-response units within even a simple plot point or exchange of dialogue���the characters��� reactions���are what make the scene feel real. If you gloss over character reactions, the writing feels wooden and inauthentic.

This isn���t a matter of hitting the high points. Getting readers to swallow the twists in your story is a process of making the individual ���transactions of fiction��� seem believable in their eyes, as Jack Bickham explains in Scene & Structure. You can read more about character reactions in our exploration of action-reaction misfires, where we made a step-by-step survey of the experience of tumbling into a hill of roiling ants.

When characters fail to react or when they fail to react appropriately, readers lose trust that things make sense within the confines of the story world. Heap enough action-reaction clunkers on readers, and the entire plot loses credibility. Why are the characters doing this? Why should readers care?

Scene Goals

People tend to dwell on their immediate needs and concerns. This is true whether they���re sweating through a potentially career-making presentation or racing to make it home first at the end of a lousy day to snag the last ice cream bar from the freezer. Momentous or not, people always have some top-of-mind agenda.

���We know that the viewpoint character is strongly motivated toward a specific, short-term goal essential to his long-term quest when he enters the scene,��� Bickham explains. ���Therefore, he will tend to be preoccupied with this goal throughout the scene. In fiction, as in real life, people tend to interpret everything in the frame of reference of their preoccupation of the moment.���

You can keep that agenda in view using the viewpoint character���s inner life. Their continual orientation and re-orientation to their short-term goal (the scene goal) helps readers grasp why they���re doing what they���re doing. As long as readers grasp the why, even implausible actions in an implausible setting can take on an aura of verisimilitude.

���Fiction must make more sense than real life if general readers are to find it credible,��� Bickham writes. But how could it be possible to make fiction make more sense than real life? By showing how and why it makes sense to the characters who are living it.

To put it another way, plausibility arises from consistent authenticity. When the characters��� reactions and choices feel authentic, the plot itself gains credibility. Based on the reactions of these characters in this situation, what���s happening makes sense.

And even when readers disagree with the characters��� choices, they���ll accept them as long as the story clearly shows how the characters arrived at those conclusions.

The post The Link Between Character Thought and Credibility appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Character Type & Trope Thesaurus: Magician

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.

Magician Archetype

DESCRIPTION: For magicians, the pursuit of knowledge (in any area, not just magic) isn’t enough; fulfillment only comes through understanding and mastery of the seemingly unknowable. While this is similar to the SAGE archetype, magicians differ in that the acquisition of knowledge is meant to increase their own power or achieve their goals. Primarily, their quest for knowledge is meant to benefit themselves more than others.

FICTIONAL EXAMPLES: Sherlock Holmes (the Sherlock Holmes canon, Dr. Strange (the Marvel universe), Voldemort (the Harry Potter series), Anakin Skywalker (the Star Wars franchise), John Locke (LOST)

COMMON STRENGTHS: Adventurous, Alert, Ambitious, Centered, Confident, Curious, Decisive, Disciplined, Focused, Independent, Industrious, Intelligent, Meticulous, Passionate, Patient, Persistent, Persuasive, Private, Resourceful, Studious

COMMON WEAKNESSES: Abrasive, Cocky, Confrontational, Disrespectful, Fanatical, Haughty, Know-It-All, Obsessive, Oversensitive, Paranoid, Perfectionist, Possessive, Rebellious, Selfish, Stubborn, Uncooperative, Withdrawn, Workaholic

ASSOCIATED ACTIONS, BEHAVIORS, AND TENDENCIES
Being passionate about the area of knowledge they’re pursuing
Facing challenges and opposition with confidence; being undaunted
Using highbrow language that isn’t easy for laypeople to understand
Preferring to work alone
Being focused; knowing what they want and going after it without hesitation
Believing that things will work out, even when it’s hard to see the path forward
Learning from mistakes
Thinking on a higher level than most people
Being very intelligent
Being viewed by others with envy or awe
Prioritizing the object of study above everyone and everything else
Being possessive of their knowledge
Holding back information from underlings
Putting safeguards in place to secure their work and keep it private
Having an air of superiority
Difficulty relating to common folk
Lacking deep connections with others
Being overconfident in their own abilities
Breaking rules and conventions if they keep the character from the knowledge they’re seeking
Having workaholic tendencies
Being a team player while other people are necessary, then striking out on their own
Lacking contentment; always wanting more
Wielding their knowledge or status to gain power
Having a fluid moral code depending on what’s needed in the moment
Being self-serving

SITUATIONS THAT WILL CHALLENGE THEM
A competitor making significant strides and threatening to overtake the character in the pursuit of their goal
Being unable to solve a problem or grasp a concept
Having to mentor or work with someone who will only slow the character down
Having to pander to an inferior benefactor or boss
Being held back because of life circumstances or limited resources

INNER STRUGGLES TO GIVE THEM DEPTH
Encountering a worthy challenger who makes the magician doubt their own strengths
The character being tempted from their studies by a distraction (a romantic interest, a new idea, etc.)
Experiencing a significant failure that makes the character consider giving up
Learning that a trusted ally has stolen their work or given it to an enemy
Facing a challenge that requires the character to make a moral sacrifice to overcome it
The character suspecting they may have gone too far in the pursuit of their goal but being reluctant to turn back or make things right

TWIST THIS TROPE WITH A CHARACTER WHO���
Is pursuing knowledge and power in an unconventional area���e.g., as a teacher, in the world of animal husbandry, as a baker, etc.
Cares for others and acts as a mentor or advisor while still having a self-serving goal of being powerful and all-knowing
Has an atypical trait: nurturing, empathetic, indecisive, insecure, traditional, innocent, etc.

CLICH��S TO BE AWARE OF
The magician villain who craves power and is evil just to be evil, with no known reason or motivation
Magicians who are wholly devoted to the cause and never doubt themselves or shrink from the goal

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: Magician appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Character Type & Trope Thesaurus: Magician 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.

Magician Archetype

DESCRIPTION: For magicians, the pursuit of knowledge (in any area, not just magic) isn’t enough; fulfillment only comes through understanding and mastery of the seemingly unknowable. While this is similar to the SAGE archetype, magicians differ in that the acquisition of knowledge is meant to increase their own power or achieve their goals. Primarily, their quest for knowledge is meant to benefit themselves more than others.

FICTIONAL EXAMPLES: Sherlock Holmes (the Sherlock Holmes canon, Dr. Strange (the Marvel universe), Voldemort (the Harry Potter series), Anakin Skywalker (the Star Wars franchise), John Locke (LOST)

COMMON STRENGTHS: Adventurous, Alert, Ambitious, Centered, Confident, Curious, Decisive, Disciplined, Focused, Independent, Industrious, Intelligent, Meticulous, Passionate, Patient, Persistent, Persuasive, Private, Resourceful, Studious

COMMON WEAKNESSES: Abrasive, Cocky, Confrontational, Disrespectful, Fanatical, Haughty, Know-It-All, Obsessive, Oversensitive, Paranoid, Perfectionist, Possessive, Rebellious, Selfish, Stubborn, Uncooperative, Withdrawn, Workaholic

ASSOCIATED ACTIONS, BEHAVIORS, AND TENDENCIES
Being passionate about the area of knowledge they’re pursuing
Facing challenges and opposition with confidence; being undaunted
Using highbrow language that isn’t easy for laypeople to understand
Preferring to work alone
Being focused; knowing what they want and going after it without hesitation
Believing that things will work out, even when it’s hard to see the path forward
Learning from mistakes
Thinking on a higher level than most people
Being very intelligent
Being viewed by others with envy or awe
Prioritizing the object of study above everyone and everything else
Being possessive of their knowledge
Holding back information from underlings
Putting safeguards in place to secure their work and keep it private
Having an air of superiority
Difficulty relating to common folk
Lacking deep connections with others
Being overconfident in their own abilities
Breaking rules and conventions if they keep the character from the knowledge they’re seeking
Having workaholic tendencies
Being a team player while other people are necessary, then striking out on their own
Lacking contentment; always wanting more
Wielding their knowledge or status to gain power
Having a fluid moral code depending on what’s needed in the moment
Being self-serving

SITUATIONS THAT WILL CHALLENGE THEM
A competitor making significant strides and threatening to overtake the character in the pursuit of their goal
Being unable to solve a problem or grasp a concept
Having to mentor or work with someone who will only slow the character down
Having to pander to an inferior benefactor or boss
Being held back because of life circumstances or limited resources

INNER STRUGGLES TO GIVE THEM DEPTH
Encountering a worthy challenger who makes the magician doubt their own strengths
The character being tempted from their studies by a distraction (a romantic interest, a new idea, etc.)
Experiencing a significant failure that makes the character consider giving up
Learning that a trusted ally has stolen their work or given it to an enemy
Facing a challenge that requires the character to make a moral sacrifice to overcome it
The character suspecting they may have gone too far in the pursuit of their goal but being reluctant to turn back or make things right

TWIST THIS TROPE WITH A CHARACTER WHO���
Is pursuing knowledge and power in an unconventional area���e.g., as a teacher, in the world of animal husbandry, as a baker, etc.
Cares for others and acts as a mentor or advisor while still having a self-serving goal of being powerful and all-knowing
Has an atypical trait: nurturing, empathetic, indecisive, insecure, traditional, innocent, etc.

CLICH��S TO BE AWARE OF
The magician villain who craves power and is evil just to be evil, with no known reason or motivation
Magicians who are wholly devoted to the cause and never doubt themselves or shrink from the goal

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: Magician Archetype appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Personalizing Your Protagonist���s Emotional Wound

Emotional wounds are tricky to write about. Abuse, betrayal, victimization, and the death of a loved one may exist in a character���s pasts and so should be explored, but these are also real life events that cause damage to real people. So as I talk today about personalizing wounds for our characters, please know that I���m aware of the pain they cause in our world, and I applaud the courageous individuals who fight to come to grips with them every day.

Why Wounding Events Matter in Fiction

Wounding events can greatly affect a character���s development, so they���re important to identify. These painful experiences are deeply impactful, giving birth to life-altering fears, new habits and behaviors, even flaws meant to protect them from facing that pain again. Wounding events are aptly named because they change who the character is. Until they���re faced and addressed, he or she will never be whole.

But pinpointing what that event might be for a character is just the first step. Traumas affect people differently; something that would destroy one character may have little impact on another. That minimal impact can work for most secondary and minor characters in the story. But for the protagonist, their traumatic experience should stop them in their tracks, making it impossible for them to achieve��the story goal that will result in personal fulfillment.��

As the author, it���s your job to be sure the wounding event is adequately debilitating for the main character, and you can do that by making it more personal. To maximize the results of a past negative experience, take the following factors into consideration and incorporate them into your story as needed. 

Personality. Some people are simply better equipped to deal with difficulty than others. An anxious or embittered person may find it harder to deal with a traumatic event than someone with an optimistic outlook or an adaptable nature. 

Support. A strong support system is hugely helpful in facilitating healing for a victim. Loyal loved ones, a steady faith, or a supportive community can make it easier for someone to spring back, whereas a victim suffering alone will have a harder time.

Physical Proximity. The closer the danger, the more traumatic it can be. A violent bank robbery may impact the employees, the customers, a security guard, etc. But the teller with the gun stuck in her face may take longer to recover than anyone else.

Emotional Proximity. It���s harrowing to be conned by a stranger, but if the offender is someone the protagonist knows personally, it can cause even more damage, breeding self-doubt and making it difficult for them to trust others in the future.

Responsibility. It���s commonplace to replay a horrific event, picking it apart to figure out how it could have been avoided. This often results in the victim blaming herself, even when she was in no way at fault. So if you need to intensify an already difficult circumstance, add an element of self-blame.

Justice. Seeing the perpetrator pay for what he���s done often provides closure that can set the victim on the path to healing. On the other hand, knowing the criminal is still out there and free to strike again can cause a wound to fester.

Compounding Events. A trauma is horrible enough, but it often sets other events in motion that the wounded character is ill equipped to deal with. For instance, someone who has lost a child may also face divorce, be unjustly blamed, or lose a job due to depression. 

Just as you can use these factors to make a rough circumstance more difficult for your protagonist, you can also tweak it to soften its impact on��others. As you���re building your cast of characters, think about each person���s backstory and how deeply it should impact them in your current story. Then personalize those wounding events as needed.

To see a sample entry of The Emotional Wound Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Psychological Trauma, visit this page, or to browse our online version hosted at One Stop for Writers, where this thesaurus is part of the largest fiction-focused descriptive database available online.

If you sign up for One Stop for Writers by June 3, 2023, you can get 25% off any plan!

The post Personalizing Your Protagonist���s Emotional Wound appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Free Resources for Writers

By Erica Converso

Free. It���s a wonderful word, isn���t it? A limited budget shouldn���t prevent you from becoming the best writer you can be. And if you use the resources available in your community ��� and outside it on the vast expanse of the internet ��� you���ll find that the possibilities for finding story inspiration and guidance are limitless.

So where should you start? Well, as a former librarian I may be biased, but I���d like to recommend your local library. Of course, this doesn���t seem like particularly original advice ��� everyone knows you can borrow books for free from your local library. But I���ll bet you don���t know just how many books ��� and other materials like movies, music, magazines, and more ��� you have at your fingertips.

Do Your Research with Databases

Check your library���s website to find out which databases they offer. My local library has Creativebug, which teaches you various craft projects. Want your character to develop a knitting hobby? Watch a few videos, and you can both learn how. Or Bluebird, offering to teach you any of 163 different languages. Knowing a subject deeply can add a level of authenticity to your characters and plots that a quick internet search just can���t match.

There are digital versions of traditional encyclopedias like Britannica, and newspaper subscriptions through ProQuest, giving you access to news not only across the country, but also across time. If you plan to set your work in a bygone era, primary sources are only the press of a button away. Don���t have a computer or printer? Your library has you covered there too! While the specific databases your library has available will vary, many have similar services to the ones listed above.

Get A Wide Variety of Inspiration Via Worldcat

Maybe you���re not quite ready to write yet, and want to settle in with a good book to enthuse your Muse. Wander through your library or ask a librarian for a recommendation. Grab a grammar guide to brush up on your writing basics. Or, if you know which book you want, see where it is available. For this, I recommend Worldcat.org ��� the premier resource for finding which books are in which libraries.

Worldcat.org helps you find which libraries carry which books ��� even if they���re rare, translated, or long out of print! Once, I even sent an e-mail to a library in Australia to ask about a particular rare book Worldcat informed me they had, A Ruler of Princes, by Baroness Orczy, published in 1909. The library was kind enough to send me scans of the table of contents and first pages, enough for me to determine that it was an Australian edition of a favorite book I���d already read.

Many libraries now belong to consortiums that link them with other libraries in the area. So if your library doesn���t have a book, you can inter-loan it from another. In some cases, libraries can even reach out across the state for an older, rarer book or, if it can���t be transported, to help you set up an appointment to view the book in its home library. And in many states, being a resident with valid ID entitles you to a library card for some of the bigger city libraries. For example, even though the New York Public Library only has branches within New York City, any resident of the state can get a card. Even if you don���t visit, you still have access to the vast collection of digital resources they have available.

Free Books for Everyone

That brings me to my last major set of resources: free e-books and audiobooks. Many libraries have access to Overdrive, the main digital distributor for libraries. Overdrive, and its companion app Libby, offer e-books, audiobooks, online magazines, and even some streaming video. You can borrow a book for a period of weeks, and read it online or on your e-reader, tablet, or phone. Many titles can even be read through your favorite app, such as Kindle or Apple iBooks.

If your library doesn���t have a title, you can use the web portal to request it, and your library may purchase it if there is enough demand. Some libraries also have alternate or additional e-book distributors, such as Freading, Hoopla, and Tumblebooks. This is a great way to study other authors��� styles or dive deep into a new genre without struggling to haul home a bagful of books.

Outside of the library, you can also use Project Gutenberg to download works that are out of copyright ��� also known as being in the public domain. In the United States, that���s works published in or before 1927. Project Gutenberg has domains in various countries, so look for yours to find the works that are available for your country. These books aren���t just great to read, though; they can also be wonderful jumping off points for new stories. Want to write more about Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy? As characters in the public domain, you can do just as you please.

I could go on all day about the resources available all over the internet to teach, motivate, and inspire you, but this is a great starting point. Also, I dare you to go to the library and come out without something to read ��� I never could manage it!

While you���re enjoying all of this fabulous and absolutely free content, we���d love to know what some of your favorite ways to use your local libraries as a writer are. Let us know in the comments!

Here’s a Writers Helping Writers post full of additional FREE resources
to power up your writing. Enjoy!

Erica Converso, author of the Five Stones Pentalogy, (affiliate link) loves chocolate, animals, anime, musicals, and lots and lots of books – though not necessarily in that order. In addition to her writing, she has also been a research and emerging technologies librarian. Check out Erica’s blog for more free resources!

As an editor, she aims to improve and polish your work to a professional level, while also teaching you to hone your craft and learn from previous mistakes. With every piece she edits, she sees the author as both client and student. She believes every manuscript presents an opportunity to grow as a writer, and a good editor should teach you about your strengths and weaknesses so that you can return to your writing more confident in your skills. Visit her website astrioncreative.com for more information on her books and editing and coaching services.

The post Free Resources for Writers appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Character Tropes and Types: Innocent

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.

Innocent Archetype

DESCRIPTION: Innocents are goodness personified. They are morally grounded, optimistic, see the light in others, and view the world as a safe and wonderful place. They are gentle and caring, walk playfully through the world with the best intentions, and will always try to do what is right.

FICTIONAL EXAMPLES: Dorothy (The Wizard of Oz), Forrest Gump (Forrest Gump); Charlie Bucket (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)

COMMON STRENGTHS: Adventurous, Affectionate, Appreciative, Centered, Charming, Courteous, Creative, Curious, Generous, Gentle, Happy, Idealistic, Imaginative, Innocent, Kind, Obedient, Playful, Trusting

COMMON WEAKNESSES: Flaky, Frivolous, Gullible, Needy, Subservient, Verbose

ASSOCIATED ACTIONS, BEHAVIORS, AND TENDENCIES
Gravitating to people with strength or authority
Asking questions & displaying curiosity
Noticing the little things
Appreciating small simple things
Giving others compliments
Being polite
Giving people the benefit of the doubt
Taking people at their word
Always finding the silver lining of a situation
Being less adept at picking up on sarcasm, double-speak, or deceptiveness
Voicing the positives in every situation
Smiling and acting upbeat
Being kind to everyone and everything
Rarely getting mad or upset
Feeling hurt when someone shouts or snaps
Building friendships quickly and easily
Turning the other cheek quickly and not holding onto things
Saying what they mean, being open and honest
Being gifted at bringing people together
Voicing the questions that others won���t ask
Trying to make others happy in small ways
Being unafraid to call out wrongs even if it���s dangerous or could cause problems, because it���s the right thing to do

SITUATIONS THAT WILL CHALLENGE THEM
Wanting people to be equal and care for each other but not knowing how to make that happen
Wanting to help others but feeling in need of help and protection themselves
Being in a competition
The realization that they are being manipulated (and the subsequent pain of a loss of trust)
When they need to set boundaries or be assertive
When someone is trying to take advantage of them
When situations are complicated or political instead of simple and straightforward
Being in a situation where they must make the decisions rather than another

INNER STRUGGLES TO GIVE THEM DEPTH
Having to make a choice where someone will suffer as a result
Feeling disillusioned when exposed to the darker side of people
Wanting to be independent but lacking the confidence to get there
Suspecting someone of lying but not wanting to rock the boat
Struggling over what to do with negative feelings
Wanting to forgive someone but finding it hard to do

TWIST THIS TROPE WITH A CHARACTER WHO���
Is an older character who has maintained their innocence
Comes to realize their moral beliefs were flawed and they must calibrate
Is someone who never gives up their hope and sense of wonder in a world that has as much darkness as light
An innocent who inspires others and through that inspiration, becomes a great leader

CLICH��S TO BE AWARE OF
Innocents who never seem to ���wise up��� after being repeatedly taken advantage of
Innocents who are quick to forgive being portrayed as ���weak���
Innocents being betrayed as a device to show the reader just how bad or evil another character is

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 Tropes and Types: Innocent appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

How a Show-Don’t-Tell Mindset Helps You Write Stronger Stories

Show-Don’t-Tell is something we hear a lot about as writers, and yet many struggle to apply it. Why? Because while most understand the basics of show-don’t-tell, not every writer can spot descriptive opportunities where deploying it the right way will draw readers in.

Becca and I have studied description extensively and trained ourselves to spot these opportunities by adopting what we call a Show-Don’t-Tell Mindset. To help you do the same, we’ve created a recorded webinar on our process: Think Like a Story Expert: How to Engage Readers Using Psychology & the Show-Don’t-Tell Mindset.

In it, I’ll show you how we identify details that can connect the story dots for readers, add depth, and how leveraging psychology will help you connect readers to your characters so they care and become invested in what happens next.

This isn’t a long webinar, but it’s packed with takeaways to help you strengthen your stories. So if you’d like help in this area, give it a watch, and happy writing!

More Show-Don’t-Tell Help

Show-Don’t-Tell Resource Page
Free Show-Don’t-Tell Pro Pack
One Stop for Writers’ Show-Don’t-Tell Database
Mastering Show-Don’t-Tell

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Should You Write Over the Summer, or Take a Break?

We’re a month away from the official kickoff to summer, and as someone who gets less of this season than many (Oh, Canada), I’m starting to get giddy. Summer is ahead, ready to unfurl like a warm, sunny rug. I’m talking longer days, less rigid schedules, and more trips to Gong Cha for bubble tea. Let the good times roll.

Some writers may be looking to take the next few months off from writing, or shift focus to other writerly tasks. Others have no such plans, and will be full steam ahead as usual.

I want to make room to enjoy summer, but I’ll still be working, balancing writing and research with the other things on my plate, and frankly, I’m good with that. I’m the type of person who needs to know I’m furthering the ball when it comes to my goals, even if it’s at a slower pace.

Writing over the summer is glorious because…

We can move our office wherever we want. I love being able to take my laptop outside and work on the sun-dappled balcony in the morning, or pull a deck chair into the shade during the afternoon. Sometimes I decide it’s a take-your-adult-beverage-to-work-day, because why not? Summer!

We can tap into greater creativity. Writing outside, or even with just the windows open, brings us birdsong, the shush of leaves, and perfumed air of flowers and greenery. Color is everywhere, too, visual reminders that everything is growing, coming into its own, just as we are with each word we write.

We can take our stories on the road. Is there anything better than taking a notebook on a walk, finding a quiet park or place along the river, and just letting our imagination flow? Getting out from the desk is a powerful way to reconnect with creativity and spontaneity (and it keeps us from losing hours to scrolling tiktok videos).

We have more energy. Summer tends to mean less activities and a slower pace as schools close and people at work rotate through holidays and vacations. With less pressure in these areas, we have more time for ourselves, and more mental energy for our books.

A break from writing can be beneficial because…

Life can be stressful, and sometimes we just need a break. Between work, family, social commitments, and unexpected life hurdles, sometimes the last thing we need is to fill a gap of time with more of anything. It’s okay to take time for yourself, and you shouldn’t feel guilty about not writing, especially if you are a bit burned out.

You just wrapped up something big, and need rest. Last year, my life was nuts. In a span of three months, both my children were married, I moved, and my husband was admitted for major surgery. With so many big life events happening all at once, I needed some downtime in the worst way, so I took it without regret.

You’re struggling with Writer’s Block. When retrieving words seems impossible, sometimes you need to keep trying, but other times, stepping back is the better choice. The dreaded block often happens because the creative well is empty, meaning it needs to be refilled. Read, get out in nature, watch movies, do art, bake, and do all the things that tend to make you feel creative and feed your imagination. When you are itching to get back to writing, you’ll know.

Or…strike a balance!

Few things are all-or-nothing, including your summer writing (or not-writing) strategy. If you have visitors to prep for, weekend camping trips, or this is the year you renovate the yard, it might be difficult to work on your novel with regularity. But if you’re like me and get a bit squidgy when you feel as if you aren’t furthering your writing goals, look for middle ground. One way might be to choose bite-sized tasks over a steady word count.

Think about where you are now, and where you want to be. Make a list of things that you need to know to have a clearer picture of your path forward. Do you need to research publishing options? Get a query letter & list of agents ready to go? Do you need to find a course to help you market, or create a shortlist of reputable freelance editors? Whatever things you believe should be in your headlights, make a list. Order it so what you need to get started on first is at the top.

Do some research. Being a writer means there’s always more for us to learn. Maybe it’s time to research website hosting, play with design tools so you’ll be able to create promotional materials down the road, or find answers to your publishing questions. Summer is a great time to visit new sites, test tools, and find resources that can help you take the next step.

Plan a new story. Summer is the BEST time to dream up new characters, outline a story, or build a fictional world. These are writing bits that are fun, creative, and perfect for smaller pockets of time. Being able to mull everything over, and do some of the important planning, can put you in a great place when it’s time to start writing!

You even have the time and space to decide the best way for your story to start. Having that first scene clear in your mind can make it so much easier to get going when it’s time to write it.

If you are planning to write…

Make sure to take advantage of this 25% JUSTWRITE discount code for One Stop for Writers. One Stop for Writers not only has a host of powerful tools and the largest show-don’t-tell THESAURUS database anywhere, it also contains a Storyteller’s Roadmap, which is like having a story coach in your keyboard, guiding you step-by-step as you plan, write, and revise.

This can be especially helpful over the summer so you keep track of what comes next at whatever stage you’re in. Find out more.

What are your plans this summer – write, take a break, or something in between?

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Character Type and Trope Thesaurus Entry: Sage

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.

Sage Archetype

DESCRIPTION: Sages are wise, always seeking knowledge, but they also are willing to impart their learnings to others. This makes them ideal mentors and parental figures.

FICTIONAL EXAMPLES: Mother Abagail (The Stand), Merlin (The Once and Future King), Obi-Wan Kenobi (the Star Wars franchise), Mr. Miyagi (The Karate Kid), Mr. Keating (Dead Poets Society)

COMMON STRENGTHS: Calm, Centered, Confident, Cooperative, Curious, Decisive, Disciplined, Discreet, Generous, Gentle, Honorable, Intelligent, Just, Kind, Loyal, Mature, Observant, Philosophical, Protective, Resourceful, Responsible, Spiritual, Studious, Talented, Uninhibited, Unselfish, Wise

COMMON WEAKNESSES: Controlling, Fussy, Know-It-All, Perfectionist, Possessive, Pushy, Worrywart

ASSOCIATED ACTIONS, BEHAVIORS, AND TENDENCIES
Being highly curious
Seeking truth
Being a lifelong learner
Having a specific insight that others lack
Being specialized in an area of expertise (the Force, magic, math, baseball, etc.)
Being quirky
Holding a job that is well below their potential because it allows them to help others
Considering different viewpoints (instead of dismissing or being threatened by them)
Eagerly trying new things
Thinking before speaking; weighing their thoughts and words carefully
Being a good teacher
Caring about the people they’re mentoring
Using unorthodox teaching methods
Being optimistic about people and the future of humanity
Offering unsolicited advice if doing so could help someone grow
Challenging lies, misconceptions, and biases
Thinking deeply about things
Working well with others
Not being ego-driven (dismissing slights, not fussing about getting credit for ideas, etc.)
Guiding others while sitting back and not actively participating in the fight
Being reluctant to take action until enough knowledge is gained
Making personal sacrifices in the pursuit of knowledge
Living alone (which, from a story perspective, makes it easier for the sage to mentor others)
Having a spiritual or mystical bent
Guiding their charges to find their own answers (instead of telling them what to believe)
Being perceptive���particularly regarding the hero’s weaknesses and how they should be challenged
Responding to threats calmly and carefully
Standing alone to uphold the truth or challenge a wrong

SITUATIONS THAT WILL CHALLENGE THEM
Being paired with a floundering hero who doesn’t want help
Needing to help someone who is loathsome in some way
A problem with no apparent solution
The sage’s area of expertise failing to provide the answers it always has
A physical, emotional, or mental ailment that makes learning a challenge
Being overcome by a rival
A ticking clock situation tempting the sage to cut corners or make hasty decisions
Not getting along with the person they’re attempting to mentor

INNER STRUGGLES TO GIVE THEM DEPTH
Discovering that advice they’ve given was wrong
Succumbing to temptation and letting someone down
Knowing a sacrifice is required for the hero to win but being reluctant to make it
Struggling to ascertain the correct path forward
Having a crisis of self-doubt; wondering if they’re suited to do what they’re doing, or if the people they’re trying to help are worth saving

TWIST THIS TROPE WITH A CHARACTER WHO���
Has their own arc to traverse, possibly with the help of a hero who will mentor them in some way
Has a well-developed backstory that has contributed to who they are now
Isn’t male
Has an atypical trait: frivolous, irresponsible, timid, lazy, cruel, indecisive, easygoing, etc.

CLICH��S TO BE AWARE OF
The sage living alone in an isolated area so they won’t be distracted by worldly things
A sage who makes the ultimate sacrifice to save the hero
The curmudgeonly sage the hero must win over in order to receive their wisdom

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 and Trope Thesaurus Entry: Sage appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Phenomenal First Pages Contest – Guest Editor Edition

Hey, wonderful writerly people! It���s time for our monthly critique contest. This month, we have a HUGE prize.
3 winners will receive feedback on 20 pages from a professional editor. So exciting! How to enter:

Leave a comment. Any comment :). 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 you are 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.

Here’s the editor you’ll be working with:Stuart Wakefield

With 26 years in theatre, broadcast media, and coaching under my belt, I have a visceral understanding of what makes stories work, and I���d like to share it with you because writing a novel doesn’t always have to be difficult and daunting, especially if it���s your first time. Understanding the process, getting started, and seeing it all come together can seem like an impossible mountain to climb.

As an Author Accelerator Certified Book Coach, I’m passionate about helping new writers craft stories with passion and purpose, momentum and meaning. I have an MA (Distinction) in Professional Writing, and my debut novel, Body of Water, was one of ten books long-listed for the Polari First Book Prize. My latest novel, Behind the Seams, was a 2021 BookLife Fiction Prize Contest semifinalist.

My first TV show is airing on the UK’s Channel 4 in 2023.

So, if you have a story in your heart, just waiting to be shared with the world, I���m here to offer you guidance and support from developing your story right through to pursuing publication. You can find my website, blog, and free self-editing cheat sheet right here: https://linktr.ee/thebookcoach

Contest GuidelinesPlease be sure your first 20 pages are ready to go so Stuart can critique them before next month���s contest rolls around. 1-inch margins, double-spaced, and 12pt Times New Roman font. Feedback will consist of in-line comments concerning what’s not working and what is.

You’ll need to have a synopsis ready (a rough one is fine) so Stuart can make sure his feedback is in context.

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, I’ll contact you with information about sending it to me. Then, I’ll forward it to our amazing editor for 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). 

Good luck! I can’t wait to see who the winners will be.

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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