Angela Ackerman's Blog: Writers Helping Writers, page 38

Introducing…The Character Type & Trope Thesaurus!

Character building is hard work, and when we see certain types of characters appear again, and again in fiction and film, we wonder if there’s a way to start with a familiar character building block yet still create someone fresh. And with a little out-of-the-box thinking, we can.

I’m talking about using archetypes and tropes — characters who play a specific role in a story or who have a blend of characteristics that make them instantly recognizable: the Rebel, the Bully, the Hot Billionaire, the Chosen One…you get the idea. Readers recognize these types of characters and may even expect to find them in certain stories.

So, our job is done, right? Pick an archetype or trope, put some clothes on them and shove them into the story. No, ‘fraid not. Character types and tropes can provide a skeleton, but to avoid a stock character or overdone clich��, they must stand on their own and mesmerize by being unique.

And that’s where this thesaurus comes in.

Characters need layers, full stop, so trope or not, we want to dig for what makes them an individual, give them a soul, and make adaptations that will challenge a reader’s expectations.

What this thesaurus will cover:

A Trope or Type Description and Fictional Examples. Before we can think about how to adapt a trope, we need to know more about who they are. This overview and examples will help you know if this baseline character is right for your story.

Common Strengths and Weaknesses. A character who aligns with a trope or type tends to have certain positive and negative traits, so we list those as a starting point. But don’t be afraid to branch out – personality is a great place to break the mold.

Associated Actions, Behaviors, and Tendencies. Because tropes have a mix of traits, qualities, and a worldview baked in, you’ll need to know how to write their actions, choices, priorities, and certain tendencies…so you can then decide how to break with tradition.

Situations that Will Challenge Them. Every character faces challenges in a story that are extra difficult because of who they are, what they believe, fear, and need. A trope or type character is no different. We’ll cue up ideas to get your brains whizzing on what this can look like in your story.

Inner Struggles to Give Them Depth. Oh, we’re getting to the good stuff now, people! Whether you start with a type or trope or craft someone from scratch, what makes a character a true individual is everything going on inside of them. Showcasing your character’s inner struggles, emotional tug-o-wars, clashing beliefs and needs…this is how you unearth someone with depth for readers to fall in love with!

Twist This Type With a Character Who… is where we give you ideas on how to break expectations, so you deliver someone who has fresh angles, and isn’t a typical stand-in.

Clich��s to Avoid is where we alert you to some of the overdone versions of a type or trope so you’re aware of them as you develop your characters and plot your story.

Readers are hardwired to look for patterns and familiarity

Which is why we see tropes used so often, but good storytellers know that in 99% of cases, using one is the starting point only. We want rounded and dynamic characters, not flat ones. So, unless you require a stock character to fill a background role, any character who starts as a trope should be as carefully developed as those who did not. Readers want–and deserve!–fresh characters, so dig into those inner layers and bring forth someone unique.

Join us next Saturday for the first entry, and if there’s a character type or trope you’d like us to cover, add it in the comments, and we’ll add it to the list of potentials!

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Does Your Story Need a Hit of Organic Conflict? Look to Your Setting.

Every writer���s mission is to pen a story that draws readers in, offering familiarity when it comes to certain genre expectations while also delivering something fresh so to be distinctive and memorable. This is how to cultivate a loyal–and, fingers crossed, rabidly obsessed–reading audience.

But heck, there���s a lot of stories out there. And didn���t someone say there���s only so many plot forms to choose from? Is ���fresh��� even possible?

 YES.

When you know where to look, you can find a kaleidoscope of unique ideas and apply them to any type of story to transform it.

 A Story���s Secret Weapon: Conflict

One of the easiest ways to offer that thrill of ���newness��� for readers is to activate the power of conflict. In fiction, it is the crucible that tests, bruises, and shapes our characters. Externally, it pushes the plot onward by supplying the resistance needed to force characters to scrutinize their world, make choices, and take action to get what they want. Internally, conflict generates a tug-of-war between the character���s fears, beliefs, needs, values, and desires. Ultimately, it forces them to choose between an old, antiquated way of thinking and doing, or a new, evolved way of being, because only one will help them get what they want.

Conflict touches everything:
plot, characters, arc, pacing, tension, emotion, etc. 

No matter the genre or the type of plot, conflict allows you to make a storyline fresh. The scenarios you choose can be adapted to your character, their circumstances, and the world where everything is taking place, personalizing the experience for readers and drawing them in closer to the characters they care about.  

The other beautiful thing about conflict is how you can find it anywhere: the character���s career, relationships, duties, etc., or it can come from adversaries, nature, the supernatural, or even from within themselves. And that���s just to start.

But no matter where your character is and what is happening, there���s one eternal source for conflict that can always lead you to a complication, obstacle, or blocker to clash with your character���s goals: the setting. 

Maximize a Scene���s ���Where���

The location of each scene contains inherent dangers and risks, meaning you can mine those to create problems and remind the character of the cost of failure. Drawing conflict from your setting also gives it a greater role in the story. Rather than be a ���stage��� for action to unfold, your setting becomes a participant.

Here are some things to keep in mind to draw the very best conflict from your setting, making important story moments more intense, and offering that fresh gauntlet of challenges for your character to navigate.

Choose Settings Thoughtfully

Some setting choices are obvious. If you need your character���s car to break down in an isolated area, then a country road, campsite, or quarry might do the trick. But conflict very often happens in an ordinary setting, like a retail store or at home. In cases like these, when the story has dictated where events will occur, up the ante by choosing a specific location that holds emotional value for your character. Instead of choosing just any store, pick one with an emotional association���such as the place the character was caught shoplifting as a teenager. Good or bad, any setting that plays upon their emotional volatility will increase their chances of saying or doing something they���ll regret.

And while we���re talking about emotional value, don���t underestimate the symbolic weight of the objects within the scene. The backyard may be a generic place to have a difficult conversation but put the characters next to the treehouse their son used to play in before he got critically sick, and you���ve already heightened their emotions, potentially adding additional conflict to the scene.

Use Natural Obstacles

It���s also important to think about which settings contain infrastructure that will make the character���s goal harder to reach. Maybe it���s a ravine the protagonist will need to cross, a locked door to get through, or a security guard to evade. Remember that the character’s journey to achieve their goal shouldn’t be a walk in the park. Conflict is necessary in every scene, so choose settings that contain obstacles or provide poignant emotional roadblocks.

Think about how conflict naturally evolves. The character has an objective. They put together a plan and start pursuing that goal. Then complications come along and make things interesting. Luckily, there are lots of ways we can manipulate the setting to create additional conflict scenarios.

Level-Up Setting Conflict

Mess with the Weather. Unexpected showers, a heat wave, an icy driveway, the threat of a tornado���how can small and large weather considerations create problems for your character?

Take Away Transportation. No matter what setting you choose, your character will need to move from one place to another. What kind of transportation disruptions will make it harder for them to get where they need to go?

Add an Audience. Falling down in private is totally different than doing it in a crowd of people. Both may be physically painful, but the latter adds an element of emotional hardship. Who could you put in the environment as a witness to the character’s missteps or misfortune?

Trigger Sensitive Emotions. Conflict is easier to handle for an even-keeled, emotionally cool character. So use the setting to throw them off balance. If they’re struggling to put food on the table, place them in a locale where wealthy characters are eating lavishly and throwing away leftovers. Likewise, a character with daddy issues can be triggered in an environment that highlights healthy and loving father-daughter relationships. So when you���re planning the setting for a scene, ask yourself: What could I add specifically for my character in this situation that will elevate their emotions?  

Exploit What They Don���t Have. If your character doesn���t have a light source, place them in a dark place, like a cave or deserted subway tunnel. No weapon? Surround them with physical threats. If they’re lacking something vital, capitalize on that.

Make Them Uncomfortable. Vulnerability sets the character on edge and elevates their emotional state. So whenever you can, put the character in a location where they have no experience, don���t know the rules, or aren’t really suited to navigate it. This can work for small- or large-scale settings, from a character who has to traverse an alien planet to someone who’s averse to kids having to host a child’s party.

Use Symbolism. Nothing impedes progress like fear and self-doubt. Think about which symbols can be added to the environment to remind the character of an area of weakness, a past failure, a debilitating fear, or an unresolved wound.

Add a Ticking Clock. One sure-fire way to up the ante is to give the character a deadline. Instead of them having unlimited time to complete the goal, make them dependent upon elements within their environment, such as having to avoid rush-hour traffic, reach the bank by four p.m., or get home before sunset.

Setting-related conflict is fantastic in that it can be endlessly adapted, helping you keep the tension going in every scene no matter where your character is.

Need More Help with Unleashing the Power of Conflict?

The Conflict Thesaurus: A Writer���s Guide to Obstacles, Adversaries, and Inner Struggles Volume 1 & 2 are packed with ideas on how to make conflict work harder in your story. Find out more.

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How to Uncover Your Character’s Deepest Fear

Fear is a disruptive force, even though its job is to keep us safe. When there’s a perceived physical or psychological threat, our brain blasts us with a shot of adrenaline so we respond, fight, flight, or freeze, whichever helps us navigate the danger we’re in.

But fear is also insidious. It can sink into our thoughts and memories and become an ongoing dark force that cloaks us, changing our behavior and how we see the world.

We become ever-watchful for new threats, and avoid things that have the potential to lead to another painful experience. In fiction, characters will also feel this dark weight, and it can be as detrimental to them as it is to us.

Fear may cause a character to…

Hold back in relationships
Underachieve (by choosing ‘safe’ goals below their potential)
Avoid certain places, events, and people
Misread situations and overestimate threats
Feel stuck in life
Struggle with self-worth
Retreat into themselves
Stay within their comfort zone
Settle for less
Find it harder to make decisions
Hold onto the past in an unhealthy way
Have a more negative view of the world
Doom cast (decide something will fail without trying)
Become triggered by certain events and circumstances
Project fears onto others (damaging relationships)
Develop phobias
Not take advantage of opportunities
Have unmet needs (that grow deeper as time goes on)
Develop health conditions
And more.

Whatever your character wants in the story, fear stands in their way.

Strong characters have agency, meaning they make choices and act, steering their own path toward their goal. But this goal will be hard to achieve, and if fear is in the driver’s seat, it affects their choices and actions.

If they stay within their comfort zone rather than take a risk, avoid something they must do because they don’t want to be judged, or convince themselves an effort will only end in failure, their decisions and actions are impaired, and whatever they choose to do instead won’t be enough to win.

There are many debilitating fears which can hold someone back. Knowing what your character’s exact fear is, be it rejection, intimacy, competition, or something else, will help you write their actions, behaviors, and decisions in the story. It will also help you plot events to purposely challenge that fear, in the hopes that they will grow and come to control it, rather than it controlling them.

How to find your character’s deepest fear

Fears can be learned (like a child who fears dogs from being exposed to their mother’s phobia of them), but for the most part, fears are born of negative experiences, especially trauma.

For example, being surrendered to the state by a parent who no longer wants to be tied down would be a devastating experience for a character. This trauma likely would create a fear of rejection, abandonment, or both. They will move through life worrying that if they let someone in, that person will eventually get tired of them and the character will be discarded once again.

To find your character’s fear, think about their experiences, especially emotional wounds. What happened to them, and how did this shatter how they see themselves and the world? What insecurities do they now have? What triggers them, what do they avoid more than anything, and what do they refuse to do because the mental barrier of fear is too strong?

Help for brainstorming a character’s fears

We’re thrilled to announce that our Fear Thesaurus is now part of our THESAURUS descriptive database at One Stop for Writers.

This thesaurus dives into deep-level fears so you can show how one changes who your character is & how it steers their thoughts and actions in the story.

Each entry looks at what the fear looks like, the behavioral fallout it leads to, what might have caused it to form, the inner struggles your character may be facing as a result, and the triggers, possible disruptions to their life, and more.

Use this thesaurus to build deeper characters, understand the role of fear in character arc, and plot events that will be specifically challenging for your character so they struggle but also have an opportunity to grow!

Want to check the Fear Thesaurus out?

Start a free trial, or use this one-time discount code:

FEARS

to save 25% off any plan.

(Valid until April 10th.)

1) To redeem, sign up or sign in
2) Go to Account >> My Subscription and choose your plan
3) Add & activate the FEARS ode in the box provided
4) Enter payment details, click the terms box, & hit subscribe

One Stop for Writers�� is a site Becca and I created to help you beyond our thesaurus books. It’s packed with tools designed to make planning, writing, and revising easier, and teach you to become a stronger storyteller as you go.

If you’d like to take a look, join Becca for a tour.

We hope you love this new addition. Happy writing!

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Creative Ways to Brainstorm Story Ideas

Inspiration is a fickle beast. She strikes at inopportune times (3 AM, anyone?) then disappears for months on end. She doesn’t call, she doesn’t write. Or maybe she treats you differently, pouring on so many ideas that you can’t tell the golden nuggets from the stinky ones.

Finding and prioritizing story options can be a frustrating process, but it’s easier if you approach it from the right angle. Here are a few possible starting points.

Start with Genre

What do you like to write? What do you like to read? Which kinds of stories are you passionate about? We know that emotions are transferable, from author to page to reader, so writing something that gets you excited pays off in dividends. 

Do you like fantasy? Which elements? Think dragons, portals, evil wizards, shapeshifters���then consider how those elements might be reimagined. 

Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonriders of Pern series gave us a whole new take on dragons, turning them from marauding villains into loving creatures that impress upon humans at birth and use their fiery powers for good. 

Then, twenty years after the first book was published, she released the dragons’ origin story and how humans first came to Pern. While the previous books were straight fantasy, this one was also science fiction, showing the settlers traveling to the new world and using their technology to establish communities and bioengineer full-blown dragons from foot-long fire lizards. Dragonsdawn is an innovative blending of the sci-fi and fantasy genres in a way that was new and entirely fresh.

So think of the genre you want to write, then tweak the standard conventions to create something new. Or blend your preferred genre with another one and see what ideas come to mind.

Start with Character

Everyone’s process is different. It’s one of the things I love about the writing community���the vast diversity of thought and method that can birth uncountable stories. Maybe you’re the kind of writer who’s drawn to characters. They come to you fully-formed, or you have an inkling of who they are before you have any idea what the story’s about.

If this is you, start by getting to know that character. If you have a good idea of their personality, dig into their backstory to see what could have happened to make them the way they are. If you already know about their troubled past, use that to figure out which positive attributes, flaws, fears, quirks, and habits they now exhibit. What inner need do they have (and why)? Which story goal might they embrace as a way of filling that void? 

Characters drive the story, so they can be a good jumping-off point for finding your next big idea.

BONUS TIP: For an easy-to-use, comprehensive tool to build your character from scratch, check out our Character Builder .

Start with a Story Seed

But maybe it’s not characters that rev your engine. When I’m exploring a new project, I have no idea about the people involved. Instead, my stories typically start with a What if? question. What if a man abandoned his family to strike it rich in the California Gold Rush���what would happen to them? What if all the children under the age of 16 abruptly disappeared? What if someone’s sneezes transported them to weird new worlds?

If story elements, plotlines, and unusual events get your wheels turning, brainstorm those areas. If inspiration strikes when you’re neck-deep in research for your current story, write down those potential nuggets. Use generators to explore concepts you wouldn’t come up with on your own. Keep a journal of any possible seeds for future stories so you have options.

Start with a Logline

If you’ve got a vague idea of something you might want to write about, a great way to explore it is to create a logline���a one- or two-sentence pitch that explains what your story is about. Here’s an example you might recognize:

A small time boxer gets a once-in-a-lifetime chance to fight the heavyweight champ in a bout in which he strives to go the distance for his self-respect.

Writing a logline for a story idea enables you to flesh it out and experiment with its basic elements. The process of test-driving your idea with different protagonists, goals, conflicts, and stakes can turn a boring or already-done concept into an entirely new one that you can’t wait to write.

BONUS TIP: For more information on how to write a logline, see these posts at Writers Helping Writers and Screencraft .

Start with GMC

Debra Dixon’s Goal, Motivation, and Conflict (affiliate link) teaches authors how to use these foundational elements to plan and enhance a story. But the same principles apply to fleshing out a story idea. If you’re thinking about a certain goal (it’s a story about someone who has to stop a killer/find their purpose/plan a wedding), play with various conflicts and motivations. Throw ideas into the hopper and see what pops out. Keep turning the handle to produce concept after concept until one of them strikes your fancy.

Listen, we all know the importance of writing what we’re excited about. Without that passion, writing becomes a slog and our stories end up partially finished on a back-up hard drive instead of filling people’s bookshelves. So when it comes to story ideas, let your imagination run riot. Consider all the options, no matter how far out they are or uncomfortable they make you feel. Don’t stop ’til you find the one that gets you going.

Then get going.

BONUS TIP: For a comprehensive guide on brainstorming ideas and planning your story (as well how to draft and revise it), check out the One Stop for Writers’ Storyteller’s Roadmap .

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How Much Time Do You Waste as a Writer?

It’s a touchy topic, I know.

On one hand, we may putter a bit as a way ‘into’ writing–getting supplies together, pouring a cup of coffee, and putting a few cookies on standby. Most of us have a pre-writing ritual. But, on the other hand, after we do those things, how many of us suddenly remember something that needs our attention? Maybe, Oh, I forgot to send that email and so we head to the inbox. We send our message, but as we do, see another about a friend’s new book. So, naturally we zip over to Goodreads and add it to our shelf.

You know where this is going. Goodreads leads to Facebook, which leads to Instagram and Tiktok, and boom, an hour’s gone. Maybe more.

Another thing that chews up writing time is the research and brainstorming we need to do. There’s always things to look into for our story, and information for marketing, learning stronger craft, and more.

Finally, there’s the time we waste trying to locate our story planning materials – those characters bios, timelines, notes about the plot, worldbuilding information, and the rest which helps us as we write and revise. These things may be scattered in notebooks, on hard drives, post-its, etc. and every time we need to look something up, it pulls us out of the writing flow. Sometimes by the time we find it, we’ve lost track of what we had planned to say.

So…how do we get lost time back?

By changing our habits & process a touch so writing time is spent doing exactly that: writing. Here are some tweaks that might help you:

Procrastinate…with a timer. If you know it’s your habit to check a few things before you start writing, then give in to it, but set a timer on your phone to limit how long you spend surfing social and handling email.

Schedule time for non-writing tasks. Story planning, researching information to help us write and market, connecting with people on social media, and yes, answering email – it all needs to be done. But if we organize ourselves better, and create designated times for those bits of work, we protect our sit-down-and-write sessions.

Organize our story materials in the same place. It’s true, we can be like birds, storing shiny bits and bobs for our story all over. This happens because as we’re planning, we’re not always in the same place. Sometimes we’re at the computer and things go into a file, other times, ideas hit in the car and we jot down notes on our phone or on the back of a receipt.

Keeping things together means we always know where to go when we need to check something about a character, scan our outline, or remind ourselves of certain story details. Being able to find the information we need quickly is key to getting back to writing and more words each session.

If you’re looking for a way to organize all your story items, check out One Stop for Writers. We just revamped our dashboard, the Workspace. You can create everything for your story there, store it, and when you need to look something up, it auto-sorts everything for you. (Don’t you wish someone would create a button to sort out your actual desk? I do!)

Check it out:

Finally, if you’re procrastinating too often, ask yourself why. Often, we fall into a distraction hole because we’re struggling with the story. When the writing gets hard, our motivation drains away. We’d rather get lost on the internet than face a nasty knot in our manuscript.

Problems don’t fix themselves, so we need to push ourselves to identify what’s wrong, so we can find a solution. Going back to our story materials is often key as they can show us if we’ve planned enough, need to raise the stakes, give a character more depth, add a scene, or something else. TIP: The Storyteller’s Roadmap has a Code Red section to help you fix the most common story problems.

How do you make sure procrastination and disorganization doesn’t derail your writing? I’d love to hear your tips!

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The Importance of a Great Opening in a Novel

How you start your story is super-important, which is why your novel’s opening is crucial. In just a few sentences – yup, sentences, never mind pages! – you need to GRAB your reader’s attention and pull them into your storyworld.

But HOW do writers do this? Well, how long is a piece of string … your novel’s opening may depend on many factors. That’s the bad news though. The good news is there ARE best practices we can learn from. Ready? Let’s go …

WHY a Great Opening is Important

A great opening in a novel is important for several reasons …

i) It sets the tone for the rest of the book. ‘Starting as you mean to go on’ is very important in novel writing. It won’t do to start a romantic comedy with a murder, for example. Whilst that may seem obvious – and it is – it’s surprising how few writers ‘match’ their genre and tone with their content!

ii) It can also set up the conflict and introduce the reader to the characters. Lots of writers think ‘conflict’ = lots of arguments or fighting. Yet as screenwriters always say, ‘drama is conflict’ which means the SITUATION characters find themselves in. In other words, you just need a strong situation that creates lots of problems for your protagonist. This in turn means we learn about your character from how they respond to those problems.

iii) Lastly, a great opening can hook the reader and make them want to keep reading. If a potential reader is interested in your book, there’s a strong chance they will check out your first page. Few of us buy books without downloading the sample from Kindle, or opening the book in the store. We all make snap judgements!

Think of your novel’s opening as your ‘audition’ for a new reader and you can’t go wrong.The Different Types of Openings

A great opening in a novel is one of those ‘you’ll know it when you see it’ type of things. It could be a powerful prologue that sets the stage for the story to come, or it could be a slow-burn first chapter that gradually builds up to something more exciting. Whatever form it takes, a great opening is always important in hooking readers and keeping them invested in the story.

Tip # 1: Start with Action

One of the most common ways to open a novel is with some kind of action scene. I write crime fiction and thrillers, so I often start with the crime itself … Or I may begin with a person’s response to it (running away, fighting back, racing to cover it up, etc).

However, you can do whatever you like as long as it’s exciting! Perhaps in your horror novel your protagonist is being haunted by ghosts or chased by werewolves? Or in your romantic comedy, perhaps your character is racing after their ex-partner to stop them from leaving?

Action openings are usually fast-paced and exciting, and they can give readers a good sense of what the rest of the novel will be like. They can also be used to introduce readers to the characters and setting of the story right away.

Tip # 2: Focus On Worldbuilding

Another popular way to start a novel is with a focus on worldbuilding. This could involve introducing readers to the rich history and lore of the storyworld. Alternatively, it could simply be establishing the everyday lives of the characters before things start to get interesting.

One word of caution: it can be very easy to ‘info dump’ when worldbuilding if you are not careful! Make sure you don’t make your reader ‘wait’ for the story to start … Introduce the setting, situation and characters hand in hand.

Tip # 3: Start with Characters

Some novels choose to open with character introductions instead, either through dialogue or inner monologue. This often benefits from a quirky beginning that really marks the character out.

One of my favorites is probably I Capture the Castle by Jodie Smith. Protagonist and narrator Cassandra starts with the memorable line, ‘I write this sitting in the kitchen sink’!

More Examples of Great Novel Openings

More memorable first lines that focus on the characters …

“Call me Ishmael.” – Herman Melville, Moby Dick“It was a queer, sultry summer, the summer they electrocuted the Rosenbergs, and I didn���t know what I was doing in New York.” – Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar“It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.” – George Orwell, 1984“Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins.” – Vladimir Nabakov, Lolita“It was a pleasure to burn.” – Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451Tips on Writing a Great Opening for Your Novel

It’s no secret that the first few pages of a novel are important. They are what hook the reader and make them want to keep reading. But how do you write a great opening? Here are a few tips:

1. Start with action. You want to grab the reader’s attention from the very first sentence. One way to do this is to start in the middle of the action, rather than at the beginning.

2. Introduce your characters quickly. Don’t spend pages and pages describing them; just give enough information so that readers can start forming attachments.

3. Set the scene. Give readers a sense of place and time so they can immerse themselves in the story.

4. Use strong language. Your words should be evocative and paint a picture in the reader’s mind.

5. Hook the reader with a question or mystery. Make them want to know more so they’ll keep reading to find out what happens next.

Last Points

A great opening in a novel is incredibly important and should be taken seriously. It sets the tone for the entire story, and it can make or break a reader���s interest from the start.

An effective opening will have characters that readers can relate to, an engaging plotline, vivid description of setting, and clever dialogue. Put simply ��� craft your opening thoughtfully and carefully for maximum impact.

Good Luck!

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Fear Thesaurus Entry: Being Taken Advantage Of

Debilitating fears are a problem for everyone, an unfortunate part of the human experience. Whether they’re a result of learned behavior as a child, are related to a mental health condition, or stem from a past wounding event, these fears influence a character’s behaviors, habits, beliefs, and personality traits. The compulsion to avoid what they fear will drive characters away from certain people, events, and situations and hold them back in life. 

In your story, this primary fear (or group of fears) will constantly challenge the goal the character is pursuing, tempting them to retreat, settle, and give up on what they want most. Because this fear must be addressed for them to achieve success, balance, and fulfillment, it plays a pivotal part in both character arc and the overall story.

This thesaurus explores the various fears that might be plaguing your character. Use it to understand and utilize fears to fully develop your characters and steer them through their story arc. Please note that this isn’t a self-diagnosis tool. Fears are common in the real world, and while we may at times share similar tendencies as characters, the entry below is for fiction writing purposes only.

Fear of Someone Taking Advantage of Them

Notes
A character with this fear may worry about potential situations where they might be taken advantage or exploited. These could be serious crimes, such as sexual abuse and identity theft or a simpler occurrence, like being used by a friend for some larger gain.

What It Looks Like
Questioning people’s motives
Believing that other people can’t be trusted
Highly valuing privacy
Not volunteering information
Being very independent
Living self-sufficiently
Doing extensive research (to avoid scams, find out if someone is reliable, etc.)
Avoiding vulnerable situations, such as walking at night or being alone with someone
Setting boundaries that keep others at a distance
Avoiding situations where the character has been burned in the past, such as dating, shopping online, or sharing their creative work with others
Not trusting certain types of people (politicians, salespeople, women, etc.)
Pulling away when people try to get too close
Seeing exploitation where there is none
Taking careful security measures (locking up documents, changing passwords frequently, giving a false name, etc.)
Demanding payment up front before offering services
Difficulty working with a team
Resisting new technologies or advances that carry an element of risk
Being standoffish with strangers and new acquaintances
The character being reluctant to help someone outside their inner circle who asks for help

Common Internal Struggles
The character worrying about a person’s trustworthiness, then wondering if they’re being paranoid
Second-guessing the motives of others
Living in a constant fear of betrayal
Feeling unnoticed and underappreciated
The character doubting their own judgment (because they’ve been wrong about people before)
The character mentally warring with their body’s fight-flight-or-freeze instincts

Flaws That May Emerge
Abrasive, Antisocial, Callous, Confrontational, Controlling, Cowardly, Cynical, Evasive, Fussy, Martyr, Oversensitive, Paranoid, Stingy, Suspicious, Uncommunicative, Withdrawn

Hindrances and Disruptions to the Character’s Life
Allowing career advancement opportunities to pass them by because the character fears they’ll be taken advantage of in some way
Being unable to develop meaningful relationship outside of a tight inner circle
Being perceived as paranoid, confrontational, and difficult to work with
Frequently making false assumptions about people
Missing out on friendships or romantic relationships because the character is too afraid to be vulnerable

Scenarios That Might Awaken This Fear
Being asked for a favor
Someone testing the character’s boundaries
Being pressured for information, a commitment, or a purchase
Reuniting with someone who has taken advantage of the character in the past
Catching someone in a lie
Being stalked or followed
Situations where vulnerability is expected (therapy, a Bible study, a game of truth or dare, etc.)
A loved one falling victim to a scam

Other Fear 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 Fear Thesaurus Entry: Being Taken Advantage Of appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Phenomenal First Pages Contest

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

If you���re working on a first page (in any genre except erotica) 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 your first page is chosen. Just please know that if I���m unable to get in touch with you through that address, you���ll have to forfeit your win.

Two caveats:

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

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

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

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

Best of luck!

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

The post Phenomenal First Pages Contest appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Character Arcs: Making a Long Story Short

A well-structured story uses events (also called story beats) to move the narrative forward ��� with compelling issues, rising stakes, and an organic sense of cause and effect ��� toward a surprising-yet-inevitable resolution. At the same time, our story���s plot events force our characters to react, adapt, make choices, and decide on priorities, often resulting in new goals and revealing a character���s values and beliefs. The biggest events are ���turning points,��� which send the story in new directions and create the sense of change for a story���s arc.

In other words, story structure affects both plot and character (internal/emotional) arcs. So just as we must adjust the plot aspects of story structure when writing a shorter story, we also need to consider the character arc aspects of story structure with shorter stories. Let���s dig into the ways we might tweak story structure for shorter stories, especially when it comes to character arcs.

Story Structure & Shorter Plots

On a basic level, we can understand story structure as:

story beginnings introduce characters and story problems,story middles add stakes and depth to both characters and story problems, andstory endings bring issues to a satisfying conclusion.

In addition to those basics, the structure of novel-length stories fleshes out events ��� with inciting incidents, denouements, subplots, pinch points, or other complications ��� to increase the stakes, create more obstacles, explore failed attempts to solve the problems, etc. Those techniques are especially common in the middle of the story to prevent a ���sagging middle.���

Those fleshing-out events like subplots and pinch points are usually the first plot aspects we trim for shorter length stories. Short stories simply don���t have the word count for subplots or other complications.

Character Arcs: What Are Our Options?3 Types of Character Arcs

Character arcs in Western storytelling are defined by 3 categories:

Positive Arc: (also called a Growth Arc) The character learns and grows, bettering themselves (such as by understanding how their previous choices were self-sabotaging), as part of their journey to overcome the story obstacles.Flat Arc: The character learns how to better the world around them (such as by understanding how they can take action) as part of their journey to overcome the story obstacles (think of many single-protagonist series).Negative Arc: (also called a Failure Arc) The character fails to overcome the story obstacles and reach their desires (such as by becoming disillusioned, corrupted, etc.) and succumbs to their flaw (think of Anakin Skywalker to Darth Vader).Spectrum of Character Arc Depths

Each of those types of arcs can be explored at different depths. For example, in a positive arc, a character can grow and better themselves in a���

simplistic way, such as being willing to trust someone else, or in adeeper way, examining how that emotional journey happens, such as exploring an emotional wound from their backstory that led to them having fears and false beliefs about the world (���trust just leads to being stabbed in the back���), and the character working to overcome their fears and false beliefs to be willingly vulnerable with their trust of another.

There���s no ���best��� approach, as different stories might work better with certain types or depths of character arcs, and different genres have different expectations for the emotion level of character arcs. In addition, the length of our story can affect the type and depth of our character���s arc.

Character Arcs, Story Structure, and Story LengthMapping a Simplistic Character Arc onto Story Structure

Using a positive/growth arc as an example, here���s how a simplistic character arc can be mapped onto���and explored within���a story���s structure:

What does the character long for and desire? (story ending)What choices are they making that keep them from their dream? (story beginning)What do they learn? (how they change throughout the middle)What are they willing to do at the end that they weren���t willing to do before? (story climax)Adjusting Story Structure for Deeper Arcs

If our story has the word count and setup for a deeper emotional arc for our character, we could flesh that basic story structure out with:

subplots that reinforce their backstory wound or fears from a different angle,scenes with failed attempts to overcome their fears,plot events that make them retreat into their fears,scenes with the character���s growth/epiphanies tying their arc into the story���s theme, etc.5 Options for Adjusting Story Structure & Character Arcs of Shorter Stories

If our story isn���t novel length, we have several choices for how to adjust our story���s structure for a character arc in a shorter story. For example, we could���

stick with a positive/growth arc but keep it simplistic rather than deep ��� we need a minimum of 3 spread-out sections (such as scenes, or perhaps just paragraphs in shorter stories) to explore the character���s issue, with at least: one to establish the longing, one to illustrate the struggle, and one to show the change.show a positive/growth arc with deeper emotions by tying the change very tightly to the main plot, so every plot event allows for exploration of the character���s internal arc.explore a deeper positive/growth arc���if the story is long enough for a subplot���by making the ���subplot��� actually the character���s emotional arc (or tie the change very tightly to the subplot, rather than the main plot as above).use a flat character arc, which is often easier to tie directly to the main plot, as the character learns how to take action and cause the change they want to see in the world throughout the plot.limit the number or depth of character arcs if we have multiple protagonists (like in a romance) by having only one of the characters complete an arc, or at most using only a flat arc with the second protagonist (such as by having one protagonist ���change the world��� by convincing the other protagonist in a romance that they���re perfect for each other).

Not every story needs characters to have an internal conflict arc. Not every story needs deep emotional arcs. But if we want character arcs in our story���and our story is less than novel length���we need to be more purposeful and deliberate with how we structure our story to make the most of our character���s arc with the word count we have. *smile*

Have you written shorter stories where you needed to adjust the story���s structure? How did you adjust the structure for the plot (reduced complications or subplots)? How did you adjust the structure for the character arc (changed the type or depth of the arc)? Had you thought about how your story���s length might affect story structure or character arcs before? Do you have any questions about how story length affects story structure or character arcs?

The post Character Arcs: Making a Long Story Short appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Fear Thesaurus Entry: Conditional Love

Debilitating fears are a problem for everyone, an unfortunate part of the human experience. Whether they’re a result of learned behavior as a child, are related to a mental health condition, or stem from a past wounding event, these fears influence a character’s behaviors, habits, beliefs, and personality traits. The compulsion to avoid what they fear will drive characters away from certain people, events, and situations and hold them back in life. 

In your story, this primary fear (or group of fears) will constantly challenge the goal the character is pursuing, tempting them to retreat, settle, and give up on what they want most. Because this fear must be addressed for them to achieve success, balance, and fulfillment, it plays a pivotal part in both character arc and the overall story.

This thesaurus explores the various fears that might be plaguing your character. Use it to understand and utilize fears to fully develop your characters and steer them through their story arc. Please note that this isn’t a self-diagnosis tool. Fears are common in the real world, and while we may at times share similar tendencies as characters, the entry below is for fiction writing purposes only.

Fear of Being Loved Conditionally

Notes
Conditional love has to be earned through performance or achievements. A character who has experienced love in this way is likely to develop certain habits that they believe will ensure the acceptance of others. They may also perceive their value as being tied to certain behaviors or successes. These thought patterns and actions may continue to plague the character even after they’ve recognized that this kind of love is unhealthy and they want no part of it.

What It Looks Like
Being a people pleaser
Being an overachiever
Perfectionism
Making choices based on what other people want or like rather than on the character’s own desires
Difficulty setting or maintaining personal and emotional boundaries
Being oversensitive to signs of anger, disappointment, or disapproval from others
Being slow to open up
Building up emotional walls to keep others away
Stopping romantic relationships before they progress too far; keeping things superficial
Apologizing for the smallest of mistakes
Ghosting others
Only expressing positive emotions (to avoid driving people away)
Needing frequent reminders of a friend or partner’s love
The character seeking approval for their thoughts, actions, and emotions
Only showing the best side of themselves to others
Staying in a toxic relationship
Being highly obedient or subservient
Being too permissive (not knowing how to love someone while also expressing criticism or correction)��
Loving others unconditionally
Being highly attuned to signs of conditional love in others

Common Internal Struggles
Constantly needing to prove themselves to others
Analyzing other people to determine what must be done to earn their love
Wanting to be in a relationship but being afraid of disappointing the other party
Overthinking interactions with the other person to determine if the character is doing all they should be doing or has done anything wrong
The character doubting their own worth
The character constantly doubting where they stand with the other party
Believing they are unlovable
Vowing to never love others conditionally but worrying that this is exactly what the character is doing

Flaws That May Emerge
Inhibited, Insecure, Nagging, Needy, Obsessive, Oversensitive, Perfectionist, Pushy, Resentful, Selfish, Subservient, Weak-Willed, Withdrawn

Hindrances and Disruptions to the Character’s Life
Difficulty forming intimate relationships
Getting entangled in an ongoing cycle of toxic relationships
Not knowing what true love looks or feels like
Struggling to love fully and vulnerably
The character viewing minor setbacks as major failures and defining moments
Relational friction caused by the character’s constant need for affirmation or frequent questioning of the other person’s love

Scenarios That Might Awaken This Fear
Having to interact with a parent, ex, or sibling who loved the character conditionally
Beginning a new friendship and not knowing what’s expected
Being asked out
A past abuser or manipulator asking for forgiveness
The character realizing they have loved someone conditionally
Making a mistake that hurts someone else
Falling short of the conditional standard someone has placed upon the character
Being blown off or ignored
Getting dumped

Other Fear 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 Fear Thesaurus Entry: Conditional Love appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.