Angela Ackerman's Blog: Writers Helping Writers, page 47

Fear Thesaurus Entry: Not Fitting In

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 Not Fitting In

Notes
As social creatures, we all have a basic human need to be loved and accepted by others. This requires us to be able to fit in with the people around us. When your character is unable to do this or they worry about failing in this area, their need to be accepted���in general or by a specific group���can become an obsession.

What It Looks Like
The character allowing people to mistreat them if it means being part of the group
Using self-deprecating humor
Sharing personal accomplishments to impress others
Hiding ideas or beliefs that wouldn’t be popular with the group
The character changing their personal habits (clothing, food preferences, the music they listen to, etc.) to fit in
Over-preparing to be sure everything is perfect
Mimicking the actions, speech patterns, and habits of others
Struggling to say no
Telling people what they want to hear
Laughing or smiling at things the character normally wouldn’t approve of
Putting others down if doing so pleases the group
The character being pressured into doing things they don’t agree with
Seeking out like-minded individuals
Being a loner
Being quiet, withdrawn, and content to stay in the background
Proactively rejecting others before they can reject the character

Common Internal Struggles
The character wanting to be true to themselves but also wanting to be liked by others
The character losing sight of who they really are and what they believe
Worrying excessively about what others think
The character constantly analyzing themselves (their appearance, their responses, etc.) and being disappointed
Ignoring their own needs and wellbeing
The character disliking how the group treats them (putting them at the bottom of the pecking order, mistreating them, etc.) but not wanting to be alone
Living in a constant state of uncertainty���of being alone, doing something wrong, being laughed at���and hating it

Flaws That May Emerge
Apathetic, Callous, Catty, Dishonest, Disloyal, Evasive, Frivolous, Hypocritical, Insecure, Needy, Obsessive, Oversensitive, Perfectionist, Subservient, Timid, Unethical, Weak-Willed, Worrywart

Hindrances and Disruptions to the Character’s Life
Losing any sense of personal identity
Being a slave to the whims and demands of the group
The character struggling to think for themselves
The character’s needs going unmet because they’ve put the needs of others before their own
Being taken advantage of
Toxic relationships being normalized for the character
Gaining a reputation for being inauthentic or dishonest
Living a lonely life (because it’s too risky to try and be accepted by others)

Scenarios That Might Awaken This Fear
Having to start over in a new place (a new school, job, city, etc.)
Attending a party or gathering where friend groups are already established and the character doesn’t know anyone
The character being criticized by someone influential within their group
Witnessing someone being shunned, belittled, or ostracized by others
Having to sit alone (at lunch, church, a work seminar, etc.)
Seeing a loner become targeted because they have no group to protect them

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: Not Fitting In appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Why a Strong Plot Requires a Significant Goal

By September C. Fawkes

Many say plot begins with conflict. But you can���t have conflict if you don���t have an antagonistic force. And you can���t have an antagonistic force, unless your protagonist has a goal, a want; opposition doesn���t exist until it���s in the way of something. This is why plot truly begins with a want or goal.

At any given moment, your protagonist should almost always have a want that manifests in a concrete goal. Even if the want is something abstract, such as, ���I want to be loved by others,��� it needs to be tied to something visually attainable. Perhaps the character believes that if she throws the biggest, best summer party anyone has ever attended, her neighbors will adore her. An abstract want has now become a concrete goal. And the audience now knows what success looks like: an outstanding summer party.

The concept sounds so simple, that many newer writers overlook or even dismiss the idea. But a clear goal is critical to a strong plot, not only because it essentially is what starts plot, but because if there isn���t a goal, the audience can���t measure if what happens is progress or a setback. If nothing is trying to be attained, then the events don���t really matter. The audience is just watching stuff happen. Or, perhaps as the Cheshire Cat says, if you don’t know where you want to go, then which way you go doesn’t really matter.

The goal helps provide context to the plot, by orienting the audience to a desired outcome. When the goal is to throw an outstanding summer party, then managing to book the biggest local band becomes a success while rainclouds become a setback.

Some writers are resistant to including goals because they have a restrictive view of what a goal must look like and the kind of protagonist needed reach it, but not all goals are lofty and not all protagonists are go-getters.

Goals fit three categories:

Obtaining

These are related to gaining something. Often, these are more aspirational. The protagonist may want an award, treasure, a significant other, or a career. They may also simply want a meal. These goals are more associated with the character having a hope.

Avoiding

Some plots are about stopping something (the antagonistic force) to avoid a negative outcome. It could be a meteor about to hit Earth, or bandits robbing travelers, or an illness that promises death. The goal may be to prevent the consequences from happening or to stop problems currently happening or to minimize potential damage. These goals are more associated with the character having a fear.

Maintaining

Sometimes the goal is to keep things the way they are, or on the path they are currently going. When something disrupts that (an antagonistic force), the protagonist strives to re-establish an equilibrium. These goals can be more associated with hope or fear, depending on the story���s angle. (Note: the tricky thing with these is that if there aren���t big disruptions and obstacles to overcome, the story can feel too passive.)

To some degree, one may argue that these all overlap. After all, isn���t thwarting a supervillain a type of aspiration? And when the protagonist is striving to keep things the way they are, aren���t they avoiding negative consequences? Nonetheless, the categories can be useful in better understanding plots and characters. Ariel trying to become human in The Little Mermaid is much different than Batman trying to stop the Joker from destroying Gotham.

Goals of obtaining often feature go-getter protagonists who are innately motivated, whereas reluctant heroes often have goals of maintaining���they act in the desire of going back to not having to act.

But just including a goal isn���t enough���a goal really only matters when achieving (or not achieving) it carries significant consequences. Who cares about a successful summer party if it doesn���t change anything? For a goal to be meaningful, it needs to have stakes���potential consequences���connected to it. For example, if our character succeeds in throwing her outstanding summer party, perhaps she���ll finally be able to form deep relationships in her community, and if her party turns into a disaster, perhaps others will alienate her even more. These are significant consequences because they change the character���s ���world.���

Luckily, even the simplest goals can become significant with the right stakes. The goal to obtain a drink of water can be just as effective (if not more effective) as the goal to become a famous musician, if the character is at risk of dying from dehydration. To make a goal more powerful, raise the stakes tied to it. This is also how to get the most reluctant of protagonists to act���anyone will act when the stakes get big enough.

While a protagonist���s goal can evolve or change, or they can have multiple goals through a story, if you want a strong plot, make sure your protagonist has a goal with significant stakes.

PSSST! If this post has gotten you thinking about meaningful story goals, you might want to check out the One Stop for Writer’s Character Motivation Thesaurus!

September C. Fawkes

Resident Writing Coach

September C. Fawkes has worked as an assistant to a��New York Times��bestselling author and writing instructor, and now does freelance editing at FawkesEditing.com. She has published poetry, short fiction, and nonfiction articles, and her award-winning writing tips have appeared in classrooms, conferences, and on Grammar Girl. Grab this AMAZING guide on Crafting Powerful Protagonists at her website and find her on

Twitter �� Facebook �� Instagram �� Tumblr

The post Why a Strong Plot Requires a Significant Goal appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

3 Tricks to Reel Your Reader in With Flashbacks

We oftentimes hear the word flashback and we begin to think of all the don���ts associated with them. Don���t use them too early. Don���t let them go on too long. Don���t include too many. The list goes on and on. Flashbacks get a bad rap because they���re oftentimes misunderstood in terms of how to use them. If used intentionally and with deliberate purpose, flashbacks can reel your reader in, transforming their understanding of your character and transforming the way your character���s journey evolves. Let���s talk through four ways flashbacks can achieve these wonderful ends without drawing any sort of negative attention via all the don���ts we���ve come to know all too well.

1. Flashbacks can give rise to emotional attachment to facets of the character���s ordinary world.

If you���ve sent your character away from their normal world somewhat early in your story, flashbacks can work like a gauge for where your protagonist is emotionally inside their new world versus when they were in their ordinary world. When they arrive to a new setting, they will encounter new faces, places, objects, and other unfamiliar things. Consider how you can bridge elements about these new things to elements from the ordinary world to evoke a sense of longing. For example, if the character settles in for the night in a strange room, maybe there���s a mirror hanging in a spot similar to where their favorite picture of them and their best friend is back home. Recalling that picture can be a gateway into a small flashback that lets us glean that friendship, and how being away from it makes the protagonist feel. Think of this as a sliding scale. We might expect more of these types of flashbacks closer to when the protagonist enters the new world, signaling their reluctance to be comfortable in the new world. But as time goes on, the flashbacks signal old attachments are fewer and further between to suggest growth and a ���letting go��� of the ordinary world.

2. Flashbacks can give rise to an aha about something in the ordinary world.

Time and distance away from the ordinary world can afford your protagonist an aha as they look back. Piggybacking on the point above, you can use new faces, new places, new objects, and other unfamiliar things to show a shift in their perspective. Maybe a new character has the same hair color as your protagonist���s friend back in the ordinary world. Only this new character is always upbeat and encouraging and eager to help your protagonist, which gives rise to the realization that the friend back in the ordinary world actually isn���t the friend your protagonist once thought they were. Or maybe your character visits a wonderful place in the new world and realizes that in their ordinary world, they didn���t take risks or explore enough. The dichotomy of the old and the new can evoke a realization and mark inner growth for your character.

3. Flashbacks can be tools to gradually reveal a character���s hidden past if they���re not yet ready to face it.

In books where the protagonist has trauma buried in their past, it makes sense that we may choose to unroll that past as the front story increases their confidence and comfort to do so. In other words, flashbacks can be like you handing the reader (and the character) puzzle pieces of the protagonist���s past. Little by little, the reader gradually understands the traumatic event that created the character they meet on page one. And to honor the nature of trauma and the authenticity of a healing journey, we can deliberately select flashback snippets that build���almost like a plot all their own���to a full reveal. Some of the most masterful examples of this are HEART IN A BODY IN THE WORLD by Deb Caletti and WALK TWO MOONS by Sharon Creech.

Despite the way flashbacks can enrich our stories, yes, there are caveats to consider:

Flashbacks Should be Written Tightly

Because we effectively stop the front story for them, they risk pulling down tension and they cause the reader to start forgetting what was going on pre-flashback. As I often tell clients, get in and get out. Consider showing us only what we absolutely need to see and build the flashback around one snapshot of emotional punch and plot reveal. Flashbacks can be a small as one sentence. And while you might expect I���m going to say wait to show flashbacks, I���m going to say the opposite. Don���t wait to start sprinkling in those mini-flashbacks. The one-liners that pique curiosity and start giving shape to why you started your novel where you did. Those clues that keep your reader engaged as they piece together your character���s past and how your front story is going to address it.

Flashbacks Should be Logically-Timed

It helps to have a concrete thing the reader can point to that kicks off the timing of the flashback. For example, your character may walk down a gravel path as they approach the front door of their new foster family, and the sound evokes a memory of driving down a gravel road, singing alongside the father they lost. Connect the flashback so the narrator isn���t manipulating their timing strictly for tension���s sake, but rather doling them out in a way that feels intentional.

Carefully Plan Flashbacks

Any time we choose to unroll a character���s past through flashbacks, we must do so with solid reasoning that goes beyond setting up a twist for the sake of shock factor. As I mentioned above, books with trauma have grounds to utilize this technique because we can assume characters have been too traumatized to give their full backstory to us up front. But if you withhold past memories in an effort to keep the reader���s attention, chances are it will backfire.

Each Flashback Should Show Something New

If we have multiple flashbacks showing us how much your protagonist loved their pet lizard, the flashbacks flatten the plot arc. They���re interchangeable since they���re more or less the same. But if each flashback shows something more secretive, or something harder for the protagonist to face, or something higher in terms of what your character values, the sequence of flashbacks create an arc all their own.

Flashbacks Should Not be Your Only Connection to Your Character���s Past

We should still see hints of the flashback inside the front story itself. We may not know what caused the character���s wounds, but we see the scars. The past we don���t yet fully know should drive their behavior, their choices, their interactions, and their dialogue. As the writer, you know the backstory and so you can craft clue drops that let us puzzle our way along until we get the full story.

How else can flashbacks be used to enrich the reader���s experience? As a reader, how best do flashbacks resonate with you, and what flashback features turn you off? Chime in! Happy Writing!

The post 3 Tricks to Reel Your Reader in With Flashbacks appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Fear Thesaurus Entry: A Loved One Dying

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 a Loved One Dying

Notes
At some point, everyone loses a loved one. It’s an inevitable part of life. We all worry about it to a certain extent, but for some characters, the fear of someone close to them dying can take over their life. Sometimes it’s rooted in the character not wanting to see their loved one suffer, but it can also be centered on uncertainty about death itself, the character’s ability to cope on their own, or how their life will change with their beloved no longer in it.

What It Looks Like
Being overprotective of a loved one’s health
Refusing to talk about the possibility of a loved one’s death (even if it’s likely to happen)
Being morbidly obsessed with death or funereal trappings, such as Victorian death masks and portraits
Limiting a child’s freedom and independence to keep them safe���not allowing them to drive, stay out late, or visit new places, for instance
Being obsessed with germs and sanitation
Forcing family members to take part in health crazes that promote longevity
Holding onto things as they are instead of allowing people and situations to evolve
Having panic attacks when thinking about the death of a loved one
Refusing to make contingency plans for a loved one’s death (not buying life insurance or making a will, etc.)
Refusing to accept a loved one’s illness or terminal diagnosis
Visiting psychics to gain insight into a loved one’s well-being and future
Investing in extensive security measures to keep family members safe

Common Internal Struggles
Obsessing about a loved one’s death and what it would mean for the character
Wanting to hold on tightly to a child while also knowing they need freedom to grow
Letting anxiety and fear control decision-making
Fearing the passage of time despite recognizing its inevitability
Knowing their fears are irrational but being unable to overcome them
Worrying constantly about worst-case scenarios despite knowing they’re unlikely to occur
Understanding that death is a part of life but being unable to accept it
Wanting to control a loved one (to keep them safe) but fearing it will drive them away

Flaws That May Emerge
Controlling, Fanatical, Fussy, Gullible, Irrational, Melodramatic, Morbid, Needy, Nervous, Obsessive, Paranoid, Possessive, Superstitious, Worrywart

Hindrances and Disruptions to the Character’s Life
The character’s neediness pushing loved ones away
Losing sleep from worry and anxiety
The character neglecting their own self-care because they’re so consumed with the health of others
Being plagued with worry and unable to enjoy life when the loved one is away
Being unable to watch the news or participate in social media because the stories about people losing loved ones are too upsetting
The character’s relationship with their children deteriorating because the kids are tired of being smothered and not trusted

Scenarios That Might Awaken This Fear
A close friend unexpectedly losing a family member
Seeing a TV show or movie in which the character loses a spouse or child
A mass shooting or natural disaster resulting in extensive loss of life
A loved one having a near-death experience
A loved one becoming terminally ill or being diagnosed with a debilitating disease
Discovering that a child has been engaging in risky behaviors (racing their car, skydiving, driving under the influence, etc.)

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: A Loved One Dying appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Coming Soon: The Conflict Thesaurus (Volume 2)

Some things are harder than others: getting up to work out rather than sleeping in. Not eating that entire container of salted caramel gelato. But one of the hardest? Waiting for a sequel.

When it comes to finishing off an amazing novel, your brain goes into fourth of July mode: The characters, the world! You want more, and then sometimes, joy of joys, you discover there will be a sequel. It’s an instant sugar high. And then of course the realization hits that it’s going to be awhile. You’re a writer, so you how much goes into producing a book. It’s tough, because you know you have to wait, even though you want to do nothing more than dive right back into that reality again.

Becca and I won’t pretend our second volume of The Conflict Thesaurus is on the same level as your favorite fiction series, but if you’ve read the first guide, you know it’s packed with game-changing ideas on how to leverage conflict. And if you have been waiting, there’s only a month-ish to go, meaning it’s time to share a bit more about Volume Two.

First up…the cover!

Isn’t she pretty?

Silver is the perfect match for gold, and together these books will add serious storytelling ammo to your writerly toolkit because you’ll have non-stop ideas on conflict, making it easier to choose meaningful problems and struggles that draw readers in and further the story.

Next, the back jacket.

THE CONFLICT THESAURUS, VOLUME 2:
A Writer’s Guide to Obstacles, Adversaries, and Inner Struggles

A story where the character gets exactly what they want doesn���t make for good reading. But add villainous clashes, lost advantages, power struggles, and menacing threats���well, now we have the makings of a page-turner. Conflict is the golden thread that binds plot to arc, providing the complications, setbacks, and derailments that make the character���s inner and outer journeys dynamic.

FORTIFY YOUR STORY BY ADDING MEANINGFUL CONFLICT AT DIFFERENT LEVELS

Inside Volume 2 of The Conflict Thesaurus, you���ll find:

A myriad of conflict options in the form of power struggles, ego-related stressors, dangers and threats, advantage and control losses, and other miscellaneous challengesInformation on how each scenario should hinder the character on the path to their goal so they’ll learn valuable life lessons and gain insight into what’s holding them back internallyInstruction about using the multiple levels of conflict to add pressure through immediate, scene-level challenges and looming problems that take time to solveGuidance on keeping a story���s central conflict in the spotlight and utilizing subplots effectively so they work with���not against���the main plot lineAn exploration of the climax and how to make this pinnacle event highly satisfying for readersWays to use conflict to deepen your story, facilitate epic adversarial showdowns, give your characters agency, infuse every scene with tension, and more

Meaningful conflict can be so much more than a series of roadblocks. Challenge your characters inside and out with over 100 tension-inducing scenarios in this second volume of The Conflict Thesaurus.

If this is Volume 2, it means there’s a Volume 1! Where do I find this mother lode of conflict?

Right here. Read a sample if you like to see how it will help you level up your story. And a bonus: it’s the Kindle deal of the month at Amazon.com & Amazon.ca., so you can grab it right now for .99 cents. (affiliate link)

Will there be a preorder?

Sorry, no. We’ve tried a preorder in the past, but a certain online store made a mess of it (costing us hundreds of sales), so we’d rather not have that happen again. But if you’d like a notification if the book comes up early, add your email here.

Can I get an ARC of The Conflict Thesaurus, Volume 2?

Every book launch we give out 50 Arcs, and unfortunately these have already been distributed. (Sorry.) We would love it if you would review the guide when it releases though. It would mean the world to us!

Do you have a Street Team? Can I help?

Yes, yes, and YES! If you would like to be part of our Street Team, you can sign up here. We would love to have your help. Plus, being on the inside of a book launch means you can apply what we do to your own book launch strategy. Win-win!

Can I access The Conflict Thesaurus Volume 2 at One Stop for Writers?

Yes! If you’d like to take a look at the full list of scenarios from both books, you can find the Conflict Thesaurus here along with the rest of the topics in our show-don’t-tell database. Start a free trial if you’d like to poke around & view it in full.

(TIP: if you like to use our books for character building, try the Character Builder. It contains all our databases and will help you step by step as you build a character, and connect all the characterization dots for you.)

Did I miss a question? If so, please ask, and I’ll be happy to answer!

Thanks so much for always supporting us. September 6th will be here soon, and we can’t wait. We hope this book is everything you need, and more!

The post Coming Soon: The Conflict Thesaurus (Volume 2) appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

An Antagonist vs a Villain: What’s the Difference?

By Neil Chase

What’s the difference between an antagonist and a villain? We often see these terms used interchangeably, but there’s a big difference between them, and you need to know which is the right one for your story.

What Is an Antagonist?

In literature and film, an antagonist is a character or force that actively works against the protagonist or main character. Think of them as a roadblock with a clear purpose and well-defined reasons for their choices and actions.

The antagonist may be an institutional force, such as an oppressive government, or an individual, such as a villainous mentor or a romantic rival. Antagonists can also be nature itself, such as in the case of a severe drought or a hungry animal.

In addition to providing conflict and tension, antagonists also help to create a stronger sense of empathy for the protagonist by highlighting their strength and determination in the face of adversity. And while they may cause difficulties for the story’s protagonist, they are not necessarily bad people. Antagonists play an essential role in making a story more memorable.

What Is a Villain?

A villain is an amoral or evil character with little to no regard for the general welfare of others. They are driven by ambition, greed, lust, or a desire for power or revenge.

Whatever their reason, villains typically use underhanded methods to try to achieve their goals. This might include deception, trickery, or violence.

While villainous characters can seem simplistic, they can be complex and even sympathetic if written well. In some stories, the villain might be the only one who understands the true nature of the conflict. This can make for a captivating and thought-provoking story.

Are All Villains the Antagonist of a Story?

Villains are a great addition to a story. Thanks to their lack of morals and self-serving attitudes, they immediately add conflict, tension, and suspense. But not all villains are created equal.

In some stories, the villain is the clear-cut antagonist, standing in opposition to the protagonist and working to foil their plans. In others, however, the lines are more blurred. The villain may not be an active force opposing the hero; instead, they may simply have their own goals and motivations in parallel with that of the hero.

Are All Antagonists the Villain of a Story?

In any good story, there is typically a protagonist and an antagonist. The protagonist is the main character of the story, while the antagonist is the opposing force. They provide conflict and help to drive the story forward. However, not all antagonists are villainous. In some cases, the antagonist may simply disagree with the protagonist or pose a challenge. They might even share the same goal, but have different methods to reach it.

In conclusion, while antagonists and villains are cut from the same cloth, they aren’t necessarily the same. To clarify, here are some popular examples of each.

A Character Who Is an Antagonist and a Villain

Hans Gruber in Die Hard is a classic villain, who is also the main antagonist to the hero, John McLane. Hans is an evil character intent on harming others for his own benefit. He is strongly motivated by greed – he wants the money in the Nakatomi Plaza vault, and he’ll stop at nothing to get it.

A Character Who Is an Antagonist But Not a Villain

Samuel Gerard in The Fugitive is a textbook antagonist. He works in direct opposition to Richard Kimble’s attempt to escape, and spends the entirety of the story tracking him down, because it’s his job. It’s not personal and he has no ulterior motives. He’s simply really good at what he does, and he’s been tasked with bringing a known fugitive to justice. He’s not a villain. There are not evil intentions to what he does, but he is the primary antagonistic force preventing Richard from achieving his goal of finding the real killer.

A Character Who Is a Villain But Not an Antagonist

In American Psycho, Patrick Bateman is not only a terrifying serial killer but the protagonist. He is clearly evil and motivated to harm others, but the main antagonist working against him is Donald Kimball, a police detective and a good man, simply trying to solve a case.

Who is your favorite Villain or Antagonist? Why?

Neil Chase is a story and writing coach, award-winning screenwriter and actor, and author of the acclaimed horror-western novel, Iron Dogs. Neil believes that all writers have the potential to create great work. His passion is helping writers find their voice and develop their skills so that they can create stories that are both entertaining and meaningful. If you���re ready to take your writing to the next level, check out his website for tips and inspiration!

The post An Antagonist vs a Villain: What’s the Difference? appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Fear Thesaurus Entry: Letting People Down

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 Letting People Down

Notes
The feeling of letting people down is never a pleasant one, nor is it uncommon. Not wanting to disappoint or upset others is understandable���especially if it’s someone the character loves or is responsible for. The problem comes when this mindset becomes an obsession. This fear can come from a desire to please a parent, spouse, employer, friend, group, or even society as a whole. When pleasing people takes over, unhealthy patterns form, which lead to a whole host of problems.

What It Looks Like
Repeatedly asking for instructions
Asking to help (with chores, services, etc.) or doing these things without asking
Consistently receiving high grades or performance reviews
Working overtime often
Being a perfectionist
Volunteering to run errands, do favors, etc.
Constantly apologizing for little things
Being hurt by constructive criticism
Seeking validation and praise for work or services
Spending free time on pursuits that will make the character better (studying, volunteering, taking on an internship, etc.)
Obsessing over small details
Agreeing to plans with minimal hesitation
Being empathetic and sensitive to others’ emotions
Making sacrifices to put other’s needs first
Agreeing with others’ opinions, evaluations, and ideas
Being highly suggestible
Repeatedly assuring others when they make mistakes
Conforming to societal norms
Watching others carefully for negative reactions
Cheerfulness, even when doing menial tasks

Common Internal Struggles
Wanting to follow a passion (for a career, etc.), but caving to what others expect
Putting on an emotional front to hide “unacceptable” emotions
The character investing in a hobby they don’t enjoy because someone else likes it
Not knowing how to say no
The character feeling that they’re not enough
The character compromising their values to do what’s expected
Smiling on the outside while falling apart on the inside
Wanting to share an opinion but not wanting to cause trouble
Resenting the people the character is trying so hard to please, and feeling guilty about it
Worrying about the repercussions of falling short or making a mistake

Flaws That May Emerge
Cowardly, Defensive, Fussy, Inhibited, Insecure, Irrational, Martyr, Needy, Obsessive, Oversensitive, Perfectionist, Pessimistic, Self-Destructive, Subservient, Timid, Weak-Willed, Workaholic

Hindrances and Disruptions to the Character’s Life
Struggling to function at work or school due to fear of failure or making mistakes
Struggling with low self-esteem and depressive disorders
Feeling a lack of true connection to certain people (parents, a boss, etc.)
The character being unable to do the things that make them personally happy because they’re too busy doing what others want
Being taken advantage of due to a lack of personal boundaries
Constantly flirting with burnout
Frequently falling ill due to a lack of self-care
The character believing that their own opinions and ideas aren’t as important as other people’s

Scenarios That Might Awaken This Fear
Receiving a poor grade or performance assessment at work
Being asked to do a large or difficult task
The character learning that someone wasn’t happy with their work
Having to make a crucial decision���e.g., marriage, attending college, choosing a career
Being punished or penalized for making a mistake
Someone critical or harsh re-entering the character’s life
Getting invited to two events at the same time and having to choose one
Being asked or pressured to do something the character isn’t comfortable with
A significant other not appreciating a thoughtful gift

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: Letting People Down appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

3 Medical Mistakes to Avoid in Your Story

By Natalie Dale, MD

As a former physician, I get a lot of questions from other writers about medical aspects of their stories. And while every story is unique, there are a few mistakes writers seem to make over and over. Below are three of the most common mistakes, along with suggestions on how to avoid them.  

1. Passing Out from Blood Loss

The mistake:

Your character is injured in a fight and they���re losing blood, fast. Then the world goes black. They wake up some time later, woozy but otherwise fine, with a bandage slapped over the wound. 

Why it���s wrong:

If your character is bleeding out fast enough to pass out, they���re bleeding out fast enough to die. The average human contains about five liters (5L) of blood. The amount of blood they lose, and how fast they lose it, will dictate their symptoms.

10% blood loss (0.5L): Minimal symptoms20% blood loss (1L): Anxiety, dizziness, and blacking out when going from lying down to standing up (called orthostatic hypotension)30% blood loss (1.5L): Low blood pressure, racing pulse, and fast breathing rate, feeling woozy/drowsy, having difficulty focusing. Also called hemorrhagic shock.40% blood loss (2L): Loss of consciousness50% blood loss (2.5L): Death

It doesn���t take much to go from unconscious to dead. If you want your character to pass out from blood loss���and survive���they���ll need some sort of intervention to stop the bleeding. And no, slapping a bandage over the wound won���t cut it.

How to fix it:

Get your character medical care, such as surgery, blood products, and pressors, soon after they fall unconscious. If that isn���t possible, consider having them pass out from pain or from the sight of their own blood, rather than from the blood loss itself.

2. The Harmless Head Injury

The mistake:

Your protagonist has subdued her nemesis; all she must do now is get rid of him. But she���s the good guy���she can���t kill him. So, she knocks him unconscious instead. He wakes up an hour or so later with a mild headache and a burning desire for vengeance.

Why it���s wrong:

A hit to the head that causes unconsciousness is a traumatic brain injury, or TBI. TBIs are major injuries, with lasting consequences ranging from daily headaches to coma and death. Here���s a brief guide to the symptoms your character should exhibit based on the duration of their unconsciousness. 

No loss of consciousness: Mild-moderate concussion. Concussion symptoms include headaches, dizziness, ringing in the ears, trouble concentrating, short-term memory problems (posttraumatic amnesia), and behavior changes that last from several hours to a few weeks.Brief loss of consciousness (seconds to 30 minutes): Severe concussion or epidural hematoma, a potentially fatal type of brain bleed. If your character has a concussion, they will have severe concussive symptoms (see above) lasting days to months. If they have an epidural hematoma, your character will briefly pass out, then wake up and insist they���re fine. But watch out! As they continue to bleed into the space between their brain and skull, your character will get progressively drowsier and more incoherent, until they fall asleep. If they don���t get neurosurgery to stop the bleed, they���ll die.Up to 6 hours unconscious: Moderate TBI. Requires hospitalization and often ICU admission. After their hospitalization, your character will require weeks to months of intensive rehabilitation to recover. If your character doesn���t receive treatment, they may die.More than 6 hours unconscious: Severe TBI. Your character will require treatment in the ICU. If they survive���and many don���t���they will probably suffer from lifelong disability. Full recovery from a severe TBI is exceedingly rare.    

How to fix it:

Unfortunately, there is no safe way to instantaneously knock someone unconscious, keep them unconscious for any appreciable amount of time, then have them wake up and be totally fine. It���s a buzzkill, I know. But there are ways you can make it work.

Hit them over the head and give them a concussion: If your story needs your character to be immediately knocked unconscious for a few minutes, you can get away with it. Just keep the duration of unconsciousness to under 30 minutes and give them signs of a concussion afterwards.Give a sedative: If your story needs a character to be knocked out for a while, consider giving them a sedative like midazolam (Versed). Intravenous (IV) administration would start working fastest but can���t be given quickly. Intramuscular (IM) injections, on the other hand, can be given in as little as 2-4 seconds. Because they���re so easy to give, IM sedatives are often used by paramedics and psychiatrists on severely agitated patients. Once injected, these medications will take 15-30 min to take effect, but once it does, the character will be reliably asleep for up to 90 minutes.3. The Mythical “Medically Induced” Coma

The mistake:

Your character has been grievously injured, so they are put in a medically induced coma to heal. They���re on the brink of death and the family/police can���t talk to them, so no one really knows what happened. All they can do is wait and pray your character will be OK.

Why it���s wrong:

People aren���t put into comas to heal. In fact, therapeutic comas (the medical term for ���medically-induced coma���) are used only in two very specific situations. But first, let���s talk definitions.

A coma is a prolonged state of unresponsiveness, meaning that your character isn���t responding at all to their environment. Coma isn���t a diagnosis; there are lots of things that can cause a coma, ranging from drug overdose to TBI. If your character is in a coma, it means their brain has suffered a big enough insult that it needed to shut down some of its most basic functions. The prognosis of a coma depends on both its cause and duration. But for the most part, if your character is in a coma, they are going to have a very long road to recovery.

A therapeutic coma is when doctors give your character medications to artificially depress brain function so completely that your character becomes comatose. Doing so is quite dangerous; your character will need to be intubated and put on a ventilator to breathe for them, and their vital signs���particularly blood pressure���will need to be closely monitored. Because it���s so dangerous, your character will only be put into a therapeutic coma if doctors need to shut down all brain activity. And there are only two reasons for this: unrelenting seizures (refractory status epilepticus) and increased pressure inside the skull (increased intracranial pressure) due to brain swelling, bleeding on the brain, or a fast-growing brain tumor. These conditions are exceedingly dangerous and have a terrible prognosis. If you want your character to fully recover from their injuries, I highly recommend avoiding the therapeutic coma.   

How to fix it: ��

Luckily, there is an easy solution: ventilation and sedation.

If your character has been seriously injured, they might need to be put on a ventilator to help them breathe. Reasons for needing a ventilator range from traumatic chest injuries, like flail chest or pulmonary contusion, to pneumonia. Ventilators are notoriously uncomfortable���many people who���ve been on a ventilator get PTSD from the experience���and so ventilated patients are usually kept at least minimally sedated.

Unlike comas, the prognosis of recovery after sedation is excellent. The medications can be reversed or just given time to make their way out of your character���s system, and they���ll wake right up. Ventilation and sedation provide all the tension of a life-threatening injury���and the inability to communicate���without the horrible prognosis of the medically induced coma.

Final Thoughts

What we write matters. Though it may seem like nitpicking to insist that you sedate your character instead of putting them in a medically induced coma, or give your character symptoms of a concussion after their head injury, I assure you that it���s important. There are real people out there suffering from these conditions and how we, as writers, portray these conditions can make a real difference.

Natalie Dale, MD, is a former neurologist turned writer and medical story consultant. Her ���Writer���s Guide to Medicine��� series currently has two volumes published through Ranunculus Press. Volume 1: Setting & Character was released in 2021, and Volume 2: Illness & Injury recently launched in July 2022. Dr. Dale also has essays and short stories published through The Bump, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Wyldblood, and Downstate Story, among others. To find out more, check out her website or follow her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.  

The post 3 Medical Mistakes to Avoid in Your Story appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

The Dreaded Synopsis

By Michelle Barker

Many authors would rather write a whole new novel than cram the one they���ve already written into a five-hundred-word summary. If I wanted to write a short story, I would have written one. Right?

The reason we hate writing synopses is because they���re hard. The reason they���re hard is because, more than any other tool available to us, they show us what���s wrong with the novel we���ve labored over for months, if not years.

The synopsis is the equivalent of a house inspector���that man or woman who walks around with a clipboard and goes through the house you thought you were ready to sell, pointing out all the structural issues you either didn���t know about or pretended weren���t a problem: roof damage, termites, a saggy bearing wall, you name it. You can do all the fancy writing in the world. If there���s something fundamentally wrong with your novel, it will come out in the synopsis.

            That���s why we hate them.

            That���s why most agents ask for one.

Reading a synopsis is the quickest way to know if a novel will work or not. It���s also the surest way to find out if the author knows what they���re doing when it comes to things like structure, causality, story arc and characterization���you know, those critical developmental issues you hoped wouldn���t matter.

            Guess what? They do.

If your plot is anecdotal, it will show up in the synopsis. If your protagonist doesn���t have a goal that they���re actively pursuing throughout the story; if there are no stakes, a weak antagonist, a plot that���s bursting with too much superficial business and no depth���yup, the synopsis will reveal all of that.

If you, the author, are willing to see it, the synopsis will be that heart-sinking moment of truth where you can no longer deny that this house is not ready to sell, not by a long-shot. It needs help. It might even need to be razed to the ground.

Too extreme, you say? Well. Most published authors I know (myself included) have had to do it on numerous occasions. If you believe John Green, he does it with every one of his first drafts, throws out ninety percent, right down to the foundation, and starts over.

What do most new authors do? Close their eyes and send out the query as is, along with that stinky synopsis, hoping no one will notice.

            They���ll notice.

If you wonder why your novel is getting rejected time and again, now you know. Even if the premise is great���which it may well be���if you can���t execute it because of developmental issues, forget it. No one will ask to read it.

This is harsh. It���s not what writers want to hear. But it���s the truth.

So���what to do about it?

Learn About Novel Structure

There are many great craft books that can teach you novel structure, and numerous workshops, classes, and conferences you can take. You can also hire an editor or even a writing coach to sort through these issues with you. In all of these cases, you���ll come away with skills that you���ll be able to rely on for the rest of your career.

Here are tons of tools to strengthen your plot and structure…including step-by step help while you plot with the Storyteller’s Roadmap.

Reverse the Process

Write the synopsis first.

In case you���re wondering: no, writing the synopsis first isn���t much fun, either. It���s way more enjoyable when you have that first ping of an idea to sit down and start writing the novel right away. I know. I���ve done it. And then you hit ten thousand words or so and suddenly it���s not so fun anymore. You���re stuck. You���ve written yourself into a corner that you can���t get out of because you haven���t thought about structure, or goals, or stakes.

            The trick is to think about these things before you start writing.

How detailed you get about this pre-emptive synopsis is up to you. Personally, I like to know the big plot points but allow the finer details to emerge in the creative process of the novel itself, but there are writers who take a scene-by-scene approach. There���s no wrong way to do it. What you want to make sure you do, however, is list the essential structural elements of a novel and make sure you know what each of them will look like in your story. You���ll also want to make sure your protagonist���s goal is clear, specific, and quantifiable, and that the reader knows in the end whether the protagonist got what they wanted.

If your great idea turns out not to work at the synopsis stage, all you���ll lose are a few pages of work���as opposed to a three-hundred-page clunker of a novel. It���s also far easier to pinpoint where it���s not working at the synopsis stage and figure out how to fix it. When you���re deep into the novel, that���s a much more difficult thing to see. Usually by that point, you���ll need a dev editor to see it for you���and by then you���ll be so attached to your work (and all the time you���ve sunk into it), that you���ll be less inclined to listen to them when they tell you you need to start over.

Save yourself the heartache of rejection. Start at the end and give yourself a solid foundation to work with. Then, when it comes time to send out the synopsis, you���ll already have it done and will be confident that your house is sound and ready to sell.

Here are two posts to help you write a great synopsis:

Synopsis Writing Made Easy
A Cheat���s Guide to Writing a Synopsis

Michelle Barker is the award-winning author of The House of One Thousand Eyes. She is also a senior editor at darlingaxe.com, a novel development and editing service.

Her newest novel, My Long List of Impossible Things, was released in 2020 with Annick Press. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, and her website.  

The post The Dreaded Synopsis appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.

Fear Thesaurus Entry: Leaving No Legacy

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 Leaving No Legacy

Notes
There are different kinds of legacies. Sometimes, it’s accumulating something substantial, such as money or land, for one’s children. In other cases, a legacy is a worthwhile accomplishment that will be remembered after the character’s death. Legacy is often tied up in purpose, resulting in a character with this fear going to any length to leave their mark and prove that their life had meaning and substance.

What It Looks Like
Being ambitious
Accumulating wealth or status (degrees, membership in exclusive clubs, etc.)
Protecting the legacy above all else
Overspending to impress the right people and win recognition
Having high expectations (for themselves and/or others)
The character focusing intensely on whatever path will make their legacy a reality
Passionately pursuing creative endeavors and acclaim
Donating significant amounts of money to charities, hospitals, or the arts
The character pushing their own children toward financial or creative success
Volunteerism
Keeping meticulous records and photos for posterity
Making emotional decisions (instead of logical ones) surrounding the legacy
Using unethical means to keep others from blocking the character’s pursuit

Common Internal Struggles
Feeling guilty for missing family milestones in pursuit of the legacy
Wanting to leave a legacy despite knowing it won’t last forever
Grappling with the fear of dying without having left a mark
Seeing an opportunity that will give the character what they want, but knowing that others will be harmed by it
The character fearing they’ll never do enough to establish their legacy, no matter how hard they work
Being tempted to use unethical means to reach the goal
Wanting to build some kind of legacy but not knowing what it should be
Worrying about who will continue the legacy when the character is gone

Flaws That May Emerge
Addictive, Antisocial, Callous, Cocky, Compulsive, Dishonest, Extravagant, Fanatical, Foolish, Hypocritical, Impatient, Inattentive, Materialistic, Obsessive, Perfectionist, Pretentious, Unethical, Workaholic

Hindrances and Disruptions to the Character’s Life
An inability to balance the legacy with other areas of life
Missing important family events because of the character’s single-minded dedication to the legacy
Being unable to enjoy life outside of the legacy
Competing with friends and siblings (to earn more money, be more successful, etc.)
Living with regret over things and people the character sacrificed in pursuit of the legacy

Scenarios That Might Awaken This Fear
Seeing someone fade into obscurity after their death
The character’s parent dying with nothing to leave for their heirs
A long-standing record of the character’s being broken
The character being unable to overcome an obstacle threatening their legacy
Having to declare bankruptcy
The character falling dangerously ill and not wanting to leave only debts for their children
The character being told that nothing they do matters

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: Leaving No Legacy appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS��.