Angela Ackerman's Blog: Writers Helping Writers, page 37

Character Type & Trope Thesaurus Entry: Hero

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.

Hero (Archetype)

DESCRIPTION: Heroes are driven to fight for the oppressed and defend the defenseless, and they succeed by employing their own specific mix of strengths, talents, and skills. In addition, some form of sacrifice is usually required for them to win.

NOTES: In the context of storytelling, the terms hero and protagonist are used interchangeably, but when it comes to archetypes, the two are distinctly different. A protagonist (the main character whose goal drives the story) with the characteristics described above will be a hero. But not every protagonist is a hero; it’s actually quite common for secondary characters to play this archetypal character. As an example, in Where the Crawdads Sing, Kya is the protagonist of the story, but its her lawyer, Tom Milton, who represents the hero type.

Secondly, please note that ���hero��� in the context of this entry is used as a gender-neutral term, similar to artist, athlete, or doctor.

FICTIONAL EXAMPLES: Atticus Finch (To Kill a Mockingbird), Katniss Everdeen (The Hunger Games series), Aibileen, Minny, and Skeeter (The Help), Luke Skywalker (Star Wars: A New Hope), Elle Woods (Legally Blonde)

COMMON STRENGTHS
Adventurous, Bold, Confident, Courageous, Disciplined, Focused, Honorable, Idealistic, Independent, Industrious, Inspirational, Intelligent, Just, Persistent, Resourceful, Responsible, Talented

COMMON WEAKNESSES
Cocky, Nosy, Obsessive, Perfectionist, Pushy, Stubborn, Workaholic

ASSOCIATED ACTIONS, BEHAVIORS, AND TENDENCIES
Having a specific goal in mind and working toward it
Gathering allies that complement them and assist in the pursuit of the goal
Having a strong moral code
Being sensitive to injustice
Speaking up or stepping forward when others won���t
Utilizing certain strengths or skills in the pursuit of their goal
Making sacrifices to achieve the goal
Struggling with personal flaws or demons
Learning from their mistakes
Seeking to learn or improve skills and abilities that will aid them in their task
Persistence
Standing up for the vulnerable or defenseless
Difficulty accepting viewpoints that go against their own moral code
Overconfidence and cockiness
Trying to do things on their own instead of depending on or working with others
Taking too long to self-correct
Difficulty taking orders or advice from others

SITUATIONS THAT WILL CHALLENGE THEM
Losing a minor confrontation with an adversary
Being betrayed by an ally
The death of a mentor
Facing a setback that makes success seem impossible
Having to make a decision that will result, either way, in someone being hurt
Being unable to save someone
Being pitted against a seemingly undefeatable enemy
Not being in control
Loved ones not supporting the character in the pursuit of their goal

INNER STRUGGLES TO GIVE THEM DEPTH
A strength becoming a weakness���e.g., John Nash’s mental acumen being compromised with the onset of schizophrenia (A Beautiful Mind)
Having to change course and not knowing what to do
A significant failure causing the hero to doubt themselves
Recognizing a weakness but struggling to deal with it or do things differently
Having to make a decision between the goal and important people in the hero’s life
Being tempted to give in to temptation or take a shortcut along the way
An ego-driven mistake harming the people the hero is trying to help or protect

TWIST THIS TROPE WITH A CHARACTER WHO���
Has a moral code that’s in flux, making it difficult for them to know right from wrong
Wants to right a wrong or save others but can’t find a person or cause to fight for
Has unresolved trauma that gets in the way of their success
Is physically or mentally weak in a key way
Tries to be a hero but fails in a fumbling way
Is running from their goal instead of working toward it
Has an unexpected backstory
Has an atypical trait: cowardly, apathetic, disrespectful, unethical, etc.

*Heroes are one of the most common archetypes found in stories, so they have been tweaked, altered, and reworked to avoid clich��s many times over. Thus, it can take some ingenuity to come up with a new spin on this character type. It may help to explore tropes that represent alternative versions of this archetype to see how they’ve been rewritten, such as the reluctant hero, the tragic hero, the chosen one, superheroes, and antiheros.

CLICH��S TO AVOID

The perfect hero: lots of positive traits but short on flawsThe hero who already has everything they need to defeat the enemy; they just have to look within and tap into it to succeedHeroes with predictable journeys and story endings

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 Entry: Hero 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, winners will receive feedback from a professional editor. So exciting! Five winners will receive a critique of their first six pages.

If you���re working on a manuscript and would like some objective feedback, please 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’re 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:Erica Converso

I���m Erica Converso, author of the Five Stones Pentalogy. I love chocolate, animals, anime, musicals, and lots and lots of books – though not necessarily in that order. In addition to my work as an author, I have been an intern at Marvel Comics, a college essay tutor, and a database and emerging technologies librarian. Between helping adult patrons in the reference section and mentoring teens in the evening reading programs, I was also the resident research expert for anyone requiring more in-depth information for a project.

As an editor, I aim 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 I edit, I see the author as both client and student. I believe that 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 my website astrioncreative.com for more information on my books and editing and coaching services.

Contest GuidelinesThis month���s contest will work the same as it usually does���except our amazing guest editor will be the one sending feedback if you win.

Please be sure your first six pages (double-spaced in 12-point font) are ready to go so our guest editor 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, please 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!

Five 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.

The post Phenomenal First Pages Contest – Guest Editor Edition appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

5 Ways to Crash Your Character���s Pity Party

We generally craft characters with the intention of making them someone the reader cares about. One of the primary ways to achieve that is to tap into reader empathy, and that���s largely achieved by showing what the character lacks in their ���ordinary world��� life. But sometimes, we unintentionally present our characters in ways that turn readers off. Without meaning to, we miss the mark of empathy and instead conjure pity. And though you���d think a pitiful character tugs at readers��� heartstrings, pity creates a divide between the reader and the character. Readers don���t want to identify with someone who is self-pitying or who perceives themselves as a victim.

The good news is that there are things we can do to earn empathy and to avoid pity. Let���s talk through 5 techniques that make the reader need to know how the story turns out because they can imagine themselves in the character���s shoes.

Let Your Protagonist Be Ignorant to Their Circumstances.

Story can arguably be distilled to one question that drives it from start to finish: Is your character capable of change? If the character is blaming or envying others, directly pointing to what they lack and how terrible life is without it, overly-aware of their plight, or exuding any other behaviors that spell ���victim,��� you���re veering into The Danger Zone. Self-pity is one of the primary ways readers are turned off, no matter how likable we think our characters are. Worse, if it seems your character suggests that their circumstances are someone else���s fault or they���re just not as fortunate as others, you���ve written your character���s story off right out of the gate. Readers need to see that the ability to change is within the character���s own hands���not in those of anyone else. If it seems it���s someone else who needs changing, why tell your protagonist���s story at all?

How to avoid the pity party? Avoid using direct phrasing for what your character wants or needs, even if done through a third-person narrator. Let us glean those wants and needs indirectly in what they say and do. Avoid language that suggests envy, blame, or other characters needing to realize something or change in some way. Instead, craft actions and dialogue for your character that have them wrestling with what they can do to change their own circumstances in order to deliver themselves to what they ultimately want or need.

Limit the Amount of Time Your Narrator Has the Microphone.

Sometimes, our writing can suffer from a case of ���chatty-narrator syndrome.��� The narrator talks at the reader too much, letting them in on every thought and feeling, including pointing to the things the character wants and needs. This doesn���t leave any space for the reader to work, and the character begins to feel high-maintenance. Needy. And even too controlling because they overly handle the narrative. Direct narrative is a notorious gateway to self-pity. Though first-person narrators can be especially guilty of this, it���s important to note that this can happen with a third-person narrator, too.

Chatty-narrator syndrome fails to build trust between the writer and the reader. As writers, we worry readers aren���t noticing how messed up our character���s situations are or how they came to be that way. We fear readers aren���t seeing what the character needs, and we decide to point it out. Heavily. Directly. Annoyingly. Chatty-narrator syndrome is almost always due to us as writers not trusting ourselves to show what we need to show, and not trusting our readers to notice it. Tell your narrator to step away from the microphone, and let the scenes of your story show us what we are meant to notice and feel about your character���s life.

Put Your Character into Circumstances That Reveal Their Wounds.

Sometimes we craft opening scenes because they just came to us or because we imagine that���s where the story starts. But intentionality in crafting scene events is crucial. What external action might your character experience that lets us glean what they lack? Consider characters that can provoke your character to reveal hints of their wounds to us. What might other characters do or say to reveal your character���s baggage? Consider locations and external events that might bring your character���s wounds to the surface. What type of event would trigger ���side effects��� of your character���s backstory wounds in a way that relies on showing instead of telling?

In Deb Caletti���s HEART IN A BODY IN THE WORLD, protagonist Anabelle encounters teenage boys as she waits in line for her fast-food order. Her anxiety rises as she notices sensory-based details about the boys, and she takes off running. Literally. And that event with those carefully-chosen characters is enough to let us start working out what���s possibly gone wrong in her backstory.

Think of circumstances that can noticeably make your character uncomfortable, or show them deliberately ignoring what���s happening around them. The first quarter is all about the character resisting change. Refusing to act. Reluctant to try new actions. What might you throw your character���s way that can elicit those types of responses?

Start Developing the Logic For Your Character���s Wounds Early And Often.

It���s crucial that your narrator���whoever they may be���start offering up clues about your character���s backstory and why it���s still in play. If all we do is hint at things that trigger our characters, the reader will start to feel frustrated. They will see us behind the words pointing to the character���s wounds, which will begin to feel like pity if the why piece of things isn���t developed.

As you let the reader glean your character���s ���lack,��� offer them steady puzzle pieces that begin building out the full picture of why your character carries the exact baggage that they carry. Resist the urge to withhold. The more we think we���re manipulating tension by not showing clues of why our characters are how they are, we risk readers leaving our stories. Still, it���s worth a word of caution that giving the why away too quickly and in one fell swoop can overwhelm a reader, too. Instead, piece by piece, one scene at a time, help the reader work through what your character lacks and how that lack came to exist.

In HEART IN A BODY IN THE WORLD, we meet protagonist Anabelle as closed off and unable to openly talk about whatever past she has. This starts to signal to us that whatever went wrong in her backstory, it���s painful. Traumatic. It���s so horrific that it���s going to take time to reveal it. And because we���re only getting clue drops, we���re intrigued, free to feel empathy, and not overwhelmed by a massive suitcase of woe. Caletti masterfully doles out one puzzle piece at a time of how Anabelle is in her ordinary world life, and how she became that way.

Employ a Narrative Perspective That Puts Your Reader Inside Your Character���s Skin as Much as Possible.

Readers are more likely to empathize and identify with our protagonist if we use an intimate point of view, one that puts the reader inside the character���s mind and body. An intimate point of view gives readers exclusive access to a flawed character���s perspective. It allows readers to make an easier connection with a character. Consider the use of a viewpoint such as first-person, or third-person close. In using a viewpoint that brings readers as close as possible to your character, you maximize their engagement with the story. Think of ways to help readers feel as though they are one and the same with your protagonist. To feel the character���s lack as though it���s the reader���s own. Just be sure to avoid that dreaded chatty-narrator syndrome.

What other ways do you find help you as a reader empathize with the character? Which craft techniques tend to make you pity the character? As a reader, do you mind pity in a character, or do you prefer to see the character positioned to change their circumstances as a result of their own actions? Chime in!

The post 5 Ways to Crash Your Character���s Pity Party appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Character Type & Trope Thesaurus: Caregiver

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.

The Caregiver

DESCRIPTION
Caregivers are compassionate and put the needs of others first. Their role is to help, protect, and provide emotional support for characters they care about or feel responsible for.��

FICTIONAL EXAMPLES: Mary Poppins (Mary Poppins), Samwise Gamgee (Lord of the Rings), Molly Weasley (Harry Potter)

COMMON STRENGTHS: Affectionate, Appreciative, Calm, Diplomatic, Empathetic, Gentle, Kind, Loyal, Nurturing, Observant, Optimistic, Patient, Perceptive, Protective, Supportive, Unselfish, Wise

COMMON WEAKNESSES: Fussy, Gullible, Perfectionist, Subservient, Worrywart

ASSOCIATED ACTIONS, BEHAVIORS, AND TENDENCIES
Providing a warm welcome
Seeing to the needs of others
Being a calming presence when emotions are activated
Asking questions to show interest and encourage others to open up
Providing food, comforts, a place to stay, etc. when needed
Standing up for others (especially those in need of advocacy or protection)
Being able to read people and their intentions
Lying or misdirecting in order to protect those in their care
Offering to help, run errands, or take on duties to help out
Sharing what they have
Being a peacekeeper��
Being the voice of reason
Being a good listener
Validating the feelings of others
Offering advice that���s balanced and encourages people to think
Setting aside their own personal needs for others
Mending, fixing, or procuring the things others need
Letting others know they���re here to help or listen
Giving time, energy, and resources if it will help
Providing a safe haven to those who need it
Putting their own desires or needs on hold
Acting as a teacher or paternal/maternal figure
Showing unconditional love and support
Telling people what they need to hear, but respectfully
Displaying patience and understanding
Stepping in with childcare, offering a ride, etc.��
Sharing what they have
Speaking up for others
Putting others first
Offering encouragement��
Being open with praise and pride of others

SITUATIONS THAT WILL CHALLENGE THEM
Misunderstandings where their actions are misunderstood
Dealing with people who are entitled and expect help rather than appreciate the gift of it
Setting boundaries with others��
Making time for their own needs and self-care
Wanting to help but being asked not to
Letting go of worry when they have done all they can
Dealing with someone who is demanding or difficult
Offering advice and wisdom but not having it taken
Discovering well-meaning advice they gave led to disaster

INNER STRUGGLES TO GIVE THEM DEPTH
Helping but not feeling appreciated, and wondering if they���re being taken advantage of
Needing to put themselves first but feeling guilty about not being there for others
Feeling drained by being constantly needed
Having to quash frustration when they need to drop everything
Struggling with personal identity in times when they aren���t needed

TWIST THIS TROPE WITH A CHARACTER WHO���
Has their own busy life outside of care-giving
Is an extrovert with a variety of interests and friends
Channels their caregiving in an unusual way, like being a fixer for people who have been wronged by others, specialized in matchmaking,
Is an anonymous caregiver, watching out for others or interceding on their behalf without them knowing
A caregiver who is famous on some way, and so is always in the spotlight

CLICH��S TO AVOID
The caregiver who sits at home, waiting to be needed
The fretting, anxious caregiver
A caregiver who’s identity is begins and ends with helping others
A caregiver who meddles, interferes, or smothers out of a skewed belief that they know best
A caregiver who guilt trips loved ones or plays the martyr as a way to get attention or control

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: Caregiver appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

What Are Your Protagonist’s Flaws?

The most relatable characters are ones who mirror real people, meaning they are complex individuals with a blend of strengths, failings, attributes, and flaws. Of these four, flaws are often the most difficult to figure out, because knowing which negative traits will emerge in someone means exploring their past to understand who negatively influenced them and what painful experiences they went through. It also means digging up unresolved emotional wounds which have left dysfunction and fear in their wake.

Flaws, or negative traits as they’re also called, are unusual in that the person who has them probably doesn’t view them as dysfunctional and instead believes these traits are helpful and necessary. Why? Because these traits are very good at creating space around your character. And when your character goes through life afraid of being hurt again, keeping people and experiences distant when they seem like they could lead somewhere painful is exactly what your character will want to do.

So, what does this look like?

Let’s take a character who dropped the ball in the past. He was babysitting his nephew, feeding him in the high chair, and the phone rings. He goes to retrieve the phone from his jacket pocket in the other room, and a scream sounds from behind him. His nephew wriggled free from the chair and fell, breaking his arm.

Mom and dad are alerted, and they are not happy.

Moving forward, our character, once the brother who always helped out, stepped up, and volunteered, becomes the guy who shows up late, loses or breaks things, and is always “busy” when asked. What happened? What caused this change?

Easy, that situation with his nephew, and the fallout that came after for not being there when he should have been.

By becoming irresponsible, unreliable, and self-absorbed, what are the chances someone will ask him to take on a big responsibility again? Pretty low. And as long as he’s never the one who has to come through, he’ll never have a chance to fail and disappoint like he did when he was caring for his nephew.

Logically, he was only out of the kitchen for a moment, and whether it were him or the child’s parent, probably the same thing would have happened. But when a person fails, they often take it to heart, blame themselves, and don’t ever want to be put in that same situation (because they’re sure they’ll only screw up). Adopting a character flaw or two will ensure he’s never going to have to worry about dropping the ball again.

Well, heck, that’s great right? No, not at all. Because while his flaws will keep people from requesting he be responsible in some way, he’s also denying himself the chance to be responsible and have a better outcome, which leads to growth and being able to let go of the past. It may also cause friction in his relationship, and even for him to not be there for others when he really wants to be, all because he’s too scared of making a mistake again.

Flaws are normal and natural. We all have them, and so will a character. And in order for them to solve their big story problems and succeed, they will need to examine what’s holding them back…their flaws, and the fears that caused them. So don’t be afraid of giving your character some flaws. Remember, the most relatable characters are those who think, act, and behave just like real people…and that means they’ll be far from perfect.

Now, some writers tend to rush character development in their eagerness to get words on the page, and randomly assign certain flaws without thinking about why they might be there. Unless these aspects of a character’s personality are fleshed out down the road, a character can feel like they lack depth. So make sure you know the “why” behind a flaw…it will help you understand what’s holding them back in the story, how they need to grow, and will point you toward conflict that will trigger them in negatives ways so they become more self-aware. After all, your character won’t realize his negative traits are a problem until failure because of them is staring him in the face.

How do we decide which flaws are right for a character?

1) Make Friends with the Character���s Backstory
Backstory gets a bad rap, but the truth is, we need to know it. Understanding a character���s past and what events shaped them is critical to understanding who they are. So brainstorm your character���s backstory, thinking about who and what influenced them, and what difficult experiences they went through that soured their view in some way, damaged their self-esteem, and cause them to avoid certain people and situations. This isn’t so that you can dump a bunch of flashbacks and info-heavy passages into your story to “explain” the source of a flaw. Rather, this information is for you as the author so you better understand what motivates your character, what he fears, and how his goal will be impossible to achieve until he sheds his flawed thinking and behaviors.

2) Poke Your Character���s Wounds
Past hurts leave a mark. Characters who have experienced emotional pain are not eager to do so again, which is why flaws form to ���protect��� from future hurt. A man who loses his wife to an unfortunate infection picked up during a hospital stay is likely have biases toward the medical system. He may grow stubborn and mistrustful, refusing to see a doctor when he grows sick, or seek medical treatment when he knows something is deeply wrong.

This wounding event (his wife���s death) changed him, affected his judgement, and now is making him risk his own health. Had his wife survived, these changes would not have taken place. Knowing your character���s wounds will help you understand how flaws form in the hopes that the character can protect himself from being hurt again.

3) Undermine Your Character���s Efforts
In every story, there is a goal: the character wants to achieve something, and hopefully whatever it is will be an uphill battle. To ensure it is, think about what positive traits will help them achieve this goal, how you can position the character for success. Then brainstorm flaws that will work against them, making it harder. This will help them start to see how their own flaws are getting in the way and sabotaging their progress.

4) Look for Friction Opportunities
No character is an island, and so there will be others who interact with them or try to help in the story. Maybe your character has certain flaws that will irritate other people and cause friction. Relationships can become giant stumbling blocks, especially for a character who wants connection or really needs help but has a hard time admitting it. Make them see how the path to smooth out friendships and interactions is to let go of traits that harm, not help.

5) Mine from Real Life
We all have flaws based on our own experiences, as do all the people around us. Some are small, minor things, others are more major and create big stumbling blocks as we go through life. Flaws are often blind spots, because the person who has them doesn’t see them as a bad thing, just that they have reasons for acting or thinking a certain way, meaning it’s okay. But whenever things don’t go well and we’re frustrated, there’s a good chance one of our flaws is getting in the way.

So, if you’re feeling brave, look within and find the bits of yourself that may not cast you in the best light. Do you get impatient easily? Do you feel like you always have to be in control? Are you sometimes a bit rude, quick to judge, or you make excuses to get out of responsibilities? Thinking about situations where our own behaviors crop up and cause trouble can help us write our character���s flaws more authentically.

If you need brainstorming help…

Don’t forget, we wrote the book on this…literally! The Negative Trait Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Flaws explores a vast collection of human flaws and shows you how they will cause your character to think, feel, and behave in a certain way. This guide also explains how flaws can be used in the story, and their role in character arc and the necessary change a character must make to minimize or defeat a flaw and achieve their goal.

If you like, zip over here to see a list of the flaws covered in this book, and a few sample entries. Happy writing!

The post What Are Your Protagonist’s Flaws? appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Why Readers Love Anti-Heroes

To understand why readers love anti-heroes, we first need to define what they are. An anti-hero is a flawed, complicated character who thrives in shades of gray. They play the hero of the story, but rarely, if ever, follow conventional expectations of heroism. 

Anti-heroes aren���t new. One of the first to emerge was the deeply flawed Huckleberry Finn. Marvel���s Wolverine and Hulk also are deeply flawed anti-heroes. Then came vigilante anti-heroes like Dexter Morgan, who lives by a code. Even though he���s a serial killer, he only murders other killers who���ve escaped justice.

Modern media has grown tired of idealized heroes. Pop culture fell in love with characters who have less-than-heroic traits since they are more relatable. We can���t see ourselves in a hero who stands on a pedestal of perfection. Beloved characters like Jack Sparrow constantly challenge the line between good and bad. Which makes him more relatable than, say, Superman.

Thus, our adoration of the anti-hero is rooted in self-identification with their characteristics and backstories. When characters reflect versions of ourselves, we connect on a deeper level. Our love for these characters stem from empathy. Empathizing with a character immerses us in the fictional world.

Anti-heroes are cool and complex characters that millions of readers adore. Their morality, or lack thereof, makes readers gravitate toward them. It is in our human nature to empathize with people, and what makes anti-heroes so easy to understand is because they are relatable, and typically well-rounded, dynamic characters.

When characters are richly detailed psychologically, we connect to them. If a character is complex enough, it challenges readers��� capacity for understanding others��� beliefs and desires���known as theory of mind���and that challenge can be a pleasant one for fans who like to think deeply about the books they read. Characters who aren���t so black and white, but morally gray, fuel our fascination. Also, perhaps a small part of us wish we could do what they do. Plus, they���re fun characters with snarky, witty dialogue.

Anti-heroes act on impulses we all have but cannot act on, which allows readers to explore what that might feel like. We all have “shadow sides” that contain forbidden impulses, and we need to confront and understand those shadow sides to be our healthiest, most complete selves. Carrying out socially unacceptable things in real life would bring negative consequences and damage our self-concepts but reading safely from the sidelines as our beloved anti-heroes ���walk the walk��� is immensely satisfying.

Dark characters do what they want, unconstrained by social norms. These complex and nuanced characters fascinate and provide a safe way to get in touch with our own forbidden impulses. In short, we love anti-heroes because they reflect the duality of man. Both good and bad traits combine to create a relatable, more human character.

Three Types of Anti-HeroSelf-Interested Anti-HeroUnwilling Anti-HeroVigilante Anti-HeroSelf-Interested

These anti-heroes tend to have a biting wit, sharp tongue, and a complete disregard for polite society. Their biggest concern is protecting their own interests, even at the expense of others. Fortunately, they aren���t actively trying to harm anyone, and they all have a moral line they won���t cross. If getting what they want would betray their values, they���ll find another way.

Most stories featuring this type of anti-hero focuses on convincing them to fight for the world around them, rather than just themselves.

Unwilling Anti-Hero

These characters are forced to engage with their story���s conflict by the Inciting Incident or First Plot Point, much like the typical hero. However, what makes them an anti-hero is that they spend most of their journey trying to turn back the clock to get out of their new obligations and return to their old life.

By the time they���ve completed the quest, they���ll embrace their new situation and learn to fight for what���s right���even if they continue to complain about it.

Vigilante Anti-Hero

The vigilant anti-hero is by far my favorite to write.

Some, like Jack Reacher, align with the classic ���lone wolf. Others have families and deep personal connections. The vigilante anti-hero rejects authority, doesn���t trust society���s version of justice, and has their own nonconventional sense of morality. When they see evil in their world, they set out to correct it, even if it involves violence, deception, and murder.

As you can imagine, this requires a careful balancing act.

This style of heroism is exciting, but it���s also easy for these anti-heroes to cross the line in villain territory. Because of that, the vigilante anti-hero requires a rock-solid moral compass that is intrinsically good, even if their methods are more complex.

Though some anti-heroes toe the line between good and evil, they���re ultimately more hero than villain.

Have you crafted an anti-hero? What type did you choose? Tell us about them!

If you’d like to see anti-heroes in action, you can find some examples in my latest release.

Amidst a rising tide of poachers, three unlikely eco-warriors take a stand to save endangered Eastern Gray Wolves���even if it means the slow slaughter of their captors.

The post Why Readers Love Anti-Heroes appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Character Type & Trope Thesaurus Entry: Jester

In 1959, Carl Jung first popularized the idea of archetypes���”universal images that have existed since the remotest times.” He suggested 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.

Jester (Archetype)

DESCRIPTION
Jesters are the comedians and tricksters in the story. Their job is to make light of serious things and provide comic relief, but they also can impart wisdom through their shenanigans.

FICTIONAL EXAMPLES: Puck (A Midsummer Night���s Dream), the Fool (King Lear), Timon and Pumbaa (The Lion King), the Genie (Aladdin)

COMMON STRENGTHS: Confident, Easygoing, Enthusiastic, Flamboyant, Friendly, Funny, Happy, Imaginative, Observant, Perceptive, Persistent, Persuasive, Philosophical, Playful, Quirky, Spunky, Supportive, Uninhibited, Whimsical, Wise, Witty

COMMON WEAKNESSES: Abrasive, Addictive, Childish, Disrespectful, Evasive, Foolish, Frivolous, Impulsive, Irresponsible, Mischievous, Reckless, Tactless

ASSOCIATED ACTIONS, BEHAVIORS, AND TENDENCIES
Encouraging others and lifting their spirits when they’re down
Cracking jokes (even in in appropriate situations)
Using self-deprecating humor
Being able to laugh at themselves
Finding humor in every situation
Laughing often
Being able to say things with a humorous twist
Changing the subject when a conversation gets too serious
Pranking others
Spontaneity; trying new things
Living each moment to the fullest rather than planning for the future
Not holding grudges or living in the past; letting things go
Taking things in stride; not being easily ruffled
Remaining neutral rather than taking sides
Exploring or broaching deep topics in a roundabout way���e.g., through the context of a story rather than a one-on-one debate
Going over the top to gain attention (in their appearance, with extravagant pranks, etc.)
Impulsivity
Not knowing when to stop
Taking jokes and pranks too far
Irritating others with their behavior
Using humor as a shield to hide their pain

SITUATIONS THAT WILL CHALLENGE THEM
Serious moments, when humor is unacceptable
Being partnered with someone who doesn’t appreciate humor
Seeing a friend in a difficult situation and being unable to cheer them up or lighten their load
Trying to impart a truth to someone in an indirect way, and them not getting the message
Another jester entering the character’s friend group���one who is funnier, more charismatic, better liked, etc.

INNER STRUGGLES TO GIVE THEM DEPTH
Developing a mental health challenge that makes humor and lightheartedness difficult
Being forced to take a stand on a serious moral issue that will create strife with others
Feeling like they always have to be “up” and fun, even when they’re sad or down
Struggling to care properly for themselves (because they’re always encouraging others and cheering them up)
A traumatic or devastating situation that steals the character’s joy and lust for life

TWIST THIS TROPE WITH A CHARACTER WHO���
Has a serious, deep side
Is interested in current events and uses their gifts of satire, irony, etc. to tackle injustices
Is dry and deadpan instead of flamboyant and melodramatic
Is masking a deep insecurity
Is funny without meaning or trying to be (�� la Adrian Monk)
Has an atypical trait: fussy, timid, proper, cautious, etc.

CLICH��S TO AVOID
��� Funny people with no substance; all they care about is having a good time and making people laugh
��� The preachy jester who always has a message to convey
��� Jesters who are happy and upbeat all the time
��� Jesters with no flaws

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 Entry: Jester appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Six Ways to Make Your Author Blog More Successful

How can you make your author blog more successful?

Whether you���re just starting a new blog or you have one you���ve been working on for a while, the following steps will help you increase your readership.

1. Ask Yourself: What���s in It for My Reader?

By far the biggest mistake I see writers making with their author blogs is making it all about them.

They talk about their books, their writing process, their cats and dogs, their irritating family members, their travels, and sometimes, their meals.

Some writers can create entertaining posts on these topics, but not for long. (There���s only so much you can say about your cat, after all.)

What writers must remember is that they���re competing with millions of other blogs for their readers��� attention.

Think about what makes you stop and read a post. Usually, it���s because the headline promises to tell you something you want to know. Or it intrigues you for some other reason���often because you���re interested in the topic the writer is covering.

When writing a post, pretend you���re standing up in front of a group of strangers to talk about something for 10 minutes. You don���t want your listeners turning to their cell phones because they���re bored. Whatever you talk about, make it interesting to them!

2. Find Your Niche

Roughly 70 million posts are posted on WordPress sites alone each month.

To stand out amidst all that competition, it helps to have a unique niche���something to talk about that sets you apart from the rest.

I recommend you combine your personal strengths (are you funny? romantic? organized?) with your writing genre to come up with a unique niche that sets you apart from others.

Let���s say Paula is a thriller writer who is also passionate about flying airplanes. She could combine those two into a niche that would serve her well on her blog. Maybe she writes about thrilling flight adventures, exciting places to fly for vacation, or thrilling crimes that have taken place on or around airplanes.

How about Rose? She is a romance writer who loves gardening. Maybe she could have a blog that combines the two somehow. She could blog about the unique way that plants bring people together, plants that inspire romance or signify love, or how getting back to nature can help relationships.

As long as you choose something that you���re interested in, you can usually blog about it for years to come without getting bored. Choose a topic that���s at least distantly related to what you write about (it doesn���t have to be exact), and you���ll be likely to attract people to your blog who may be interested in your books.

3. Write Longer, Quality Articles

When people first started writing blogs, they were encouraged to write short���500 words or less. That���s changed today.

According to Backlinko, the ideal content length for maximizing social shares is 1,000-2,000 words. SEO company AHREFS also notes that long-form content (about 1,000 words) gets more backlinks than shorter articles���and that helps your posts show up higher in search engine results.

Then, make sure you���re creating quality posts. That means that your posts are deemed helpful, informative, and/or entertaining by your readers. In a survey by GrowthBadger, ���quality of content��� was the #1 most important success factor among all bloggers.  

Take some time to craft a good post every time you write one. Make sure you have at least a few solid takeaways for your readers���things they can use to make their lives better in some way.

4. Write Great Headlines and Subheads

There���s a science to creating ���clickable��� headlines. Fortunately, several companies have researched that science and made it available for us to use.

I highly suggest you use Coschedule���s free headline analyzer to check every blog headline you write. It will ���score��� your headline so you can see the difference between high-performing headlines and those people tend to ignore.

The Advanced Marketing Institute also has a headline analyzer and some helpful information on writing good headlines.

Then don���t forget to include subheads in your post. These are minor headings placed about once every 300 words or less to break up the text.

Most blog readers skim articles rather than carefully reading from beginning to end, so subheads are critical to keeping them on the page.

Headlines and subheads also help increase your SEO score. (Read on!)

5. Learn SEO and Use It!

You���ve probably heard about search engine optimization (SEO). If you���re already using it, you���re good to go. But if you haven���t started yet, don���t wait another minute.

SEO activities are those that you use to help your post show up sooner in search engine results. It sounds intimidating, but it’s not.

All you have to do is choose the keywords you want your blog to rank for���words that someone looking for your blog or stories might type into the search engine. Then use those keywords in your headlines, subheads, and articles.

You can learn more about SEO here. Once you have a general idea, make sure your blog has an SEO plug-in on the backend of the website. Yoast SEO has a good one you can use for free that will guide you toward improving your SEO score for each post.

6. Post Consistently!

A blog is a commitment. Promise yourself that you will post at least once a week (twice is better) for at least six months. Then check your results and see how you���re doing. (Google Analytics is the best way to see how your posts are performing.)

Orbit Media Studios found in a survey of bloggers that those who published more often were more likely to report ���strong results.��� I���ve found that choosing one day (or night) a week to write a blog helps keep me on track.

It���s easier to post more often and increase traffic if you invite guest authors to your blog. Interview people who are ���experts��� in your niche. You���ll expand your network that way, plus get more quality content for your blog. A win-win.

Yes, there are a lot of blogs out there. But if you find a niche that sets you apart, create quality posts, use SEO, and post consistently, you increase your chances of attracting new readers to your website and potentially to your e-newsletter as well. (I���ll talk more about e-newsletters in my next post!)

Note: Get Colleen���s free report on finding your blogging niche plus free chapters of her award-winning books for writers here!

The post Six Ways to Make Your Author Blog More Successful appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

6 Ways to Make Your Author Blog More Successful

How can you make your author blog more successful?

Whether you���re just starting a new blog or you have one you���ve been working on for a while, the following steps will help you increase your readership.

1. Ask Yourself: What���s in It for My Reader?

By far the biggest mistake I see writers making with their author blogs is making it all about them.

They talk about their books, their writing process, their cats and dogs, their irritating family members, their travels, and sometimes, their meals.

Some writers can create entertaining posts on these topics, but not for long. (There���s only so much you can say about your cat, after all.)

What writers must remember is that they���re competing with millions of other blogs for their readers��� attention.

Think about what makes you stop and read a post. Usually, it���s because the headline promises to tell you something you want to know. Or it intrigues you for some other reason���often because you���re interested in the topic the writer is covering.

When writing a post, pretend you���re standing up in front of a group of strangers to talk about something for 10 minutes. You don���t want your listeners turning to their cell phones because they���re bored. Whatever you talk about, make it interesting to them!

2. Find Your Niche

Roughly 70 million posts are posted on WordPress sites alone each month.

To stand out amidst all that competition, it helps to have a unique niche���something to talk about that sets you apart from the rest.

I recommend you combine your personal strengths (are you funny? romantic? organized?) with your writing genre to come up with a unique niche that sets you apart from others.

Let���s say Paula is a thriller writer who is also passionate about flying airplanes. She could combine those two into a niche that would serve her well on her blog. Maybe she writes about thrilling flight adventures, exciting places to fly for vacation, or thrilling crimes that have taken place on or around airplanes.

How about Rose? She is a romance writer who loves gardening. Maybe she could have a blog that combines the two somehow. She could blog about the unique way that plants bring people together, plants that inspire romance or signify love, or how getting back to nature can help relationships.

As long as you choose something that you���re interested in, you can usually blog about it for years to come without getting bored. Choose a topic that���s at least distantly related to what you write about (it doesn���t have to be exact), and you���ll be likely to attract people to your blog who may be interested in your books.

3. Write Longer, Quality Articles

When people first started writing blogs, they were encouraged to write short���500 words or less. That���s changed today.

According to Backlinko, the ideal content length for maximizing social shares is 1,000-2,000 words. SEO company AHREFS also notes that long-form content (about 1,000 words) gets more backlinks than shorter articles���and that helps your posts show up higher in search engine results.

Then, make sure you���re creating quality posts. That means that your posts are deemed helpful, informative, and/or entertaining by your readers. In a survey by GrowthBadger, ���quality of content��� was the #1 most important success factor among all bloggers.  

Take some time to craft a good post every time you write one. Make sure you have at least a few solid takeaways for your readers���things they can use to make their lives better in some way.

4. Write Great Headlines and Subheads

There���s a science to creating ���clickable��� headlines. Fortunately, several companies have researched that science and made it available for us to use.

I highly suggest you use Coschedule���s free headline analyzer to check every blog headline you write. It will ���score��� your headline so you can see the difference between high-performing headlines and those people tend to ignore.

The Advanced Marketing Institute also has a headline analyzer and some helpful information on writing good headlines.

Then don���t forget to include subheads in your post. These are minor headings placed about once every 300 words or less to break up the text.

Most blog readers skim articles rather than carefully reading from beginning to end, so subheads are critical to keeping them on the page.

Headlines and subheads also help increase your SEO score. (Read on!)

5. Learn SEO and Use It!

You���ve probably heard about search engine optimization (SEO). If you���re already using it, you���re good to go. But if you haven���t started yet, don���t wait another minute.

SEO activities are those that you use to help your post show up sooner in search engine results. It sounds intimidating, but it’s not.

All you have to do is choose the keywords you want your blog to rank for���words that someone looking for your blog or stories might type into the search engine. Then use those keywords in your headlines, subheads, and articles.

You can learn more about SEO here. Once you have a general idea, make sure your blog has an SEO plug-in on the backend of the website. Yoast SEO has a good one you can use for free that will guide you toward improving your SEO score for each post.

6. Post Consistently!

A blog is a commitment. Promise yourself that you will post at least once a week (twice is better) for at least six months. Then check your results and see how you���re doing. (Google Analytics is the best way to see how your posts are performing.)

Orbit Media Studios found in a survey of bloggers that those who published more often were more likely to report ���strong results.��� I���ve found that choosing one day (or night) a week to write a blog helps keep me on track.

It���s easier to post more often and increase traffic if you invite guest authors to your blog. Interview people who are ���experts��� in your niche. You���ll expand your network that way, plus get more quality content for your blog. A win-win.

Yes, there are a lot of blogs out there. But if you find a niche that sets you apart, create quality posts, use SEO, and post consistently, you increase your chances of attracting new readers to your website and potentially to your e-newsletter as well. (I���ll talk more about e-newsletters in my next post!)

Note: Get Colleen���s free report on finding your blogging niche plus free chapters of her award-winning books for writers here!

The post 6 Ways to Make Your Author Blog More Successful appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Need Organization Help? Try Trello

Staying organized as a writer can be a huge challenge. We all have other responsibilities, and the crazier life gets, the easier it is for stuff to fall between the cracks���important stuff we can���t afford to forget.

Angela and I are constantly juggling a thousand things, so organization is kind of vital for us. We���ve done a couple of things over the past few years to help with this. First, we hired Mindy, our amazing blog wizard. She���s incredibly capable and enthusiastic, and the work she���s taken off our plates has enabled us to keep on chugging.

But we recognize that this isn���t an option for everyone. Heck, it���s why we took so long to do it ourselves. So I���d like to share another idea with you that anyone can use to stay organized. It���s free and has been a game-changer for us.

Trello, for the Win!

Trello is an online visual tool that allows you to organize projects and track tasks. It���s meant for teams, and Angela and I do use it for our projects, but it has been just as useful for me personally, to keep my own jobs and responsibilities organized.

Each board you create consists of lists, and the lists contain cards that can be dragged and dropped to different spots. Here, I���ve created a board for the year, and I���ve used it to break out my tasks by quarter. There���s a list for each quarter, then in each list, I started adding cards���one for each task. This enables me to track what I need to do and prioritize it all by importance and time sensitivity.

I have a number of boards that I use for different purposes. As a writer, you can use Trello boards to do so many things:

Collect story ideas you might want to exploreMake a list of recommended craft books you want to readCompile research links for a book projectStore passages or whole chapters that were cut from your manuscript (to be used later in the story or utilized elsewhere)Curate crutch words or overused phrases to search for when editingTrack edits that need to be made for certain chapters or across a whole manuscriptCreate a list of questions for beta readers to answer once they���ve finished their initial read-through of your manuscriptMake a to-do list for publishing your next bookOrganize a book launch or other marketing eventStore the names and contact information for book reviewers, ARC readers, street team members, and other key peopleRecord processes so you���ll know exactly the steps for importing a file to Scrivener, editing a digital book file, uploading books at a distributor site, or publishing a blog postGather links for cool writerly gifts you can give to critique partners, your agent, an editor, or your cover designerKeep links to spreadsheets, Google Drive folders, Word docs, and YouTube videos for a project all in one spotStore marketing information (bios, cover images, logos, testimonials, press kit info, etc.) in one place for easy editing and accessTrack upcoming speaking engagements or podcast interviews, along with the tasks to complete prior to each oneGather guest post ideas to pitch to blog influencersTrack any tasks that have to be done eventually, but maybe not right now

My To Do board shows how Trello can be used to organize tasks throughout the year. But it could also be helpful to create a board for your current book project. It might look something like this, with each card containing links and attachments so you can easily access all the items you need.

As you can see, this tool is great for keeping things organized and reminding you when certain tasks need to get done. Whatever you need to track, create a board for it (10 are included in the free membership) and click the +Add A Card option in any of the columns. Add a title, then double-click it to record whatever details are most helpful. Here are a few features that can be added to each card/task:

Write a description: Write an overview of this task, and add any links that might be helpful.Attach files for easy reference.Assign a start date or due date. This is super-handy when you have a task that won���t be coming due for a few months, but you don���t want to forget about it. Any date you assign will show up on the card so you can see it from your board. You can also set a reminder so you can be sent an email prior to the event.Create a Checklist (or two, or three…). This is my absolute favorite feature, because what���s better for organization than a list?

Just create a checklist, give it a title, and start adding items. If those items change in priority, you can drag them into a different order, easy-peasy. As you complete items, check them off, and you���re given a status update indicating how much of the checklist has been completed.

This is helpful because there are times when I think a project is finished, or I get sidetracked with something else and forget about it. Seeing the status line on the card acts as a reminder that I still have some tasks to do.

5. Categorize cards with labels. Sometimes, you have tasks spread across your board that are related in some way. Maybe they���re all part of a certain project, they require more research before a decision can be made, or they���re tasks that someone else is responsible for. Create a label and add it to the appropriate cards. Then you���ll be able to see at a glance the cards that go together. Here, I���ve added a blue label for tasks that are One Stop for Writers related.

Use Trello for Collaboration

Writing is more collaborative now than ever before���meaning, you might find yourself one day co-authoring a book, working with other authors on a boxed set, or joining forces for a launch or marketing event. Communicating with other people is super easy on Trello. Just invite the person to your board, and they���ll have access to any lists and cards created there. There���s also a place on each card for comments, so the tasks and projects can be discussed among collaborators.

Let���s face it: there���s so much more to being a successful author than just writing well. Thinking of all the things you have to do can be overwhelming, especially if organization isn���t your strength or you���ve got so much going on that staying on top of it all seems impossible. But as with any area of struggle, sometimes you just need the right tool. Trello has been a lifesaver for me, and I���m happy to share it with you. Because we writers have to stick together.

What tools or resources do you use to stay organized?

The post Need Organization Help? Try Trello appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.