Julie Duffy's Blog, page 2

Build Better Characters (Today, Not ‘Some Day’!)

Or: Be Your Own Casting Director

Listen to the podcast episode that inspired this post

Readers don’t fall in love with stories because of clever twists or thrilling events. They connect because of characters—flawed, funny, furious, fragile characters who make us feel something. 

If you want to improve your writing—and your readers’ response to it—mastering character creation is one of the most satisfying ways to do it. 

But I don’t want you to go and read a book about character (David Corbett’s “The Art of Character” is great, but at 380 pages, will not leave you much time to write, this weekend). 

So here are some practical ways to think about and craft characters that leap off the page and grab your reader by the heart. 

And you can get started by building a stash of character building blocks, this weekend.

Why Character Matters

Characters are the heartbeat of your story. They don’t just exist in a setting or respond to a plot. Nope. They drive the plot. 

Every decision a character makes causes ripples. They mess things up, fix them, sabotage themselves, fall in love, hate the wrong person, take the wrong job, say the wrong thing at the worst time—and that’s what creates story.

Thankfully, you don’t have to invent every character from scratch on the day you sit down to write. (That’s a guaranteed way to find yourself staring at a blinking cursor for 45 minutes and then convince yourself that doing laundry counts as productive procrastination. It doesn’t. Nice try.)

Instead, do yourself a favor: build your characters now Then dip into this little treasure chest any time you’re short on inspiration or just need a quick-start push.

Start With What You Know

Your first batch of characters? Make them like you.

Yes, you. The person reading this. You are the perfect inspiration for at least five characters. And no, they don’t have to be “you” in the obvious ways.

Start a list of five characters who share something with you:

Hair color? Sure.
Your love of spreadsheets? Perfect.
Your ability to cry at pet adoption commercials? Gold.

You can use your own internal traits too: your introversion or extroversion, your conflict-avoidance, your snarky sense of humor, your perfectionism, your unshakeable optimism, or the way you freeze up when someone asks where you see yourself in five years. All of it is fair game.

These characters are easy to write because you’ve lived in their skin. So when you’re stuck and short on time, they’re your go-to. Let them loose in your stories.

Bonus points: Write down which of those traits delight and frustrate you. That’s where the conflict lives. That’s where the story is.

Characters NOT Like You

Made your “like me” list? Great. Now, do the opposite.

Write down five characters who are unlike you. These are the ones who baffle or irritate you, or maybe the ones you secretly wish you could be. Pick traits you don’t relate to:

Someone who’s smooth-talkingA fearless adrenaline junkie.A meticulous rule-follower.Someone who thrives in social chaos while you’re ready for a nap after five minutes of small talk.

Think about how these traits might cause trouble—or create strength—in a story. How does an overly confident character screw up a sensitive situation? How does a shy person save the day because they notice what everyone else misses?

Again, note the conflict potential. Conflict = story. Always.

Add Color

Characters aren’t just about personality. Let’s dress them up a bit—literally.

Make a list of ten accessories or physical features that a character might have. These details are powerful shorthand in short stories. You don’t always have space to dive deep into every side character’s backstory, but you can make them memorable with:

A red umbrella with a duck-shaped handle.A constantly rumpled trench coat.Neon-green glasses.A nervous habit of jingling keys.

These are little anchors for your reader’s brain. They give your stories color and texture—so everything doesn’t start to feel like a blank-stage play with floating heads and indistinct voices.

(There are useful for main characters but also a great way to make a secondary character pop.)

Get Quirky

Personality traits can show up whether your character wants them to or not. These are the reflex reactions, the annoying habits, the self-sabotaging instincts that make people people.

Think of five traits that drive you bananas in real life (or delight you—if you’re feeling generous). Use those.

Maybe your character:

Always expects the worst.Can’t say no.Over-apologizes.Constantly tries to “fix” people.Never sees the good right in front of them.

Then for extra credit, jot down how each trait might be subverted in the story. Turn the annoying trait into a strength. Make it a liability that forces change. Or let it spark unexpected humor.

Let Them Speak

Finally, give your characters their own voice. Not just dialogue—voice.

List five expressions or phrases people in your life overuse. Think of the office cliché machine, your grandmother’s weird sayings, or the barista who always says “rock on” no matter the situation.

Give each character a verbal tic. Let one say “bless your heart” with venom. Another can end every sentence with “you know what I mean?” even when no one does. These quirks do double duty: they reveal character and make your dialogue sparkle.

Don’t wait. Make these lists this weekend.

Stop waiting to get “good enough” to write great characters. You already have everything you need: your quirks, your annoyances, your people-watching superpowers. 

Use them. 

Make your lists. 

Keep them handy.

 And when it’s time to write—today, not someday—you’ll be ready.

Make a mess. Have fun.

And, of course, keep writing.

If you loved having prompts turning up in your inbox, but would like to go at a more leisurely pace, consider subscribing to my
StoryAWeek newsletter:
52 lessons and writing prompts, weekly for a whole year!

Your 4-Week Writing Rescue Plan

(aka: what to do after StoryADay May)

The StoryADay Challenge is hard because it’s a LOT of writing, and because you had to sacrifice activities—and perhaps sleep—to make time for it.

But StoryADay is great because you know exactly what is expected of you every day: 

show up, do the best you can with the assignment, move on with your life satisfied that you’ve shown up for your creativity today.

When the challenge month is over, I always hear from people that they experience a little letdown. They’re not writing as much. They lack motivation. They don’t know quite what to do first.

Of course, there is no ‘right’ way to be a writer, but I’ve put together a kind of follow-on curriculum for you, to help you structure the next few weeks, before all the momentum from StoryADay May drains away.

Post-Challenge Momentum Plan

Week 1: Capture what you wrote

Use this worksheet to capture the names of your stories, what inspired them, where you wrote or stored themOverall, what worked in your stories? What was most fun?Pick 2 stories to rework and refine.Journal prompt: what did I learn about myself and my writing practice, during the challenge? What can I take forward? What can I let go?

Week 2: Position the Big Rocks

Pick one of the stories to begin editing, based on your enthusiasm levels, the complexity of the edits you think it needs, and how much time you have available.Begin revising with the plot: do the events follow logically from the choices your characters make? If not, a, did you make a choice to write something experimental or b, what plot events could change or move to make them more logical?If you get stuck or discouraged, switch to the other story.Revision help: Listen to the 7 Revision Myths You Should Ignore podcast episode, and bookmark the checklist on that page!

Week 3: Character Development

Assignment: Review the Creating Compelling Characters article and see where you can strengthen you characters.Focus on revising dialogue and inner/outer conflict to illustrate your character’s desires.Writing prompt: rewrite one key scene (hint: not the opening) to find your character’s most authentic voice and attitude.

Week 4:  Finalize A Draft

Read over all your notes and take a deep breathSchedule a writing sprint or two to work through one of the stories until it is as complete as you can make it, for now.Optional, consider who you could send it to, for feedbackNon-optional: Celebrate! Do a dance, give yourself a gold star, pump the air, or take some time off to play with your pets. Seriously. Making it fun is what makes you want to come back!

Bookmark this checklist so you can come back to it! And why not share with a friend?

If you loved having prompts turning up in your inbox, but would like to go at a more leisurely pace, consider subscribing to my
StoryAWeek newsletter:
52 lessons and writing prompts, weekly for a whole year!

SWAGr for June 2025

Welcome to the Serious Writers’ Accountability Group!

Leave a comment telling us how you got on last month, and what you plan to do next month, then check back in on the first of each month, to see how everyone’s doing.

(It doesn’t have to be fiction. Feel free to use this group to push you in whatever creative direction you need.)

Did you live up to your commitment from last month? Don’t remember what you promised to do? Check out the comments from last month.

And don’t forget to celebrate with/encourage your fellow SWAGr-ers on their progress!

Download your SWAGr Tracking Sheet now, to keep track of your commitments this month

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Examples of Goals Set By SWAGr-ers in previous months

Finish first draft of story and write 3 articles for my school paper. – CourtneyWrite on seven days this month – ClareExtend my reading and to read with a ‘writers eye’- Wendywrite 10,000 words – Mary Lou

 So, what will you accomplish this month? Leave your comment below

(Next check-in, 1st of the month. Tell your friends!)

What Now?!

Today is a particularly important day…you’ve spent the past month focusing on your writing and your life as a writer. 

I couldn’t be more proud of you!

I encourage you to download the post-challenge worksheet attached to this page and either print it out or simply use the question and answer them in your journal. 

What worked?What was a sure-fire way to torpedo your writing day?What surprised you?WRITE IT ALL DOWN

While you’re in the throes of the challenge it’s easy to think you’ll never forget all the lessons you’re learning. 

You will.

So save the lessons, put them somewhere safe, then take the rest of the day off. Maybe tomorrow too. You deserve it.

Celebrate Your Success

And don’t forget to download your Certificate of Completion. Print it out, fill in your name, and post a picture of yourself on social media with the hashtag #StoryADayMay

I’ll be back in your inbox in a few days, to invite you to think about some ways to continue the momentum, here at StoryADay, but for now: celebrate!!!

Day 31 | Granting Wishes by Julie Duffy

The Prompt

You did it! Now let’s see if your character has THEIR wish granted…

Grant your character’s deepest wish, today

You’ve done it!

You started this month with the desire to write more, write better, and build your writing practice.

With commitment (and probably some imperfect execution) you’ve arrived here, at Day 31 of StoryADay. That’s a huge accomplishment.

As you write your story today, think about how it feels to get what you wanted.

Of course, reality never quite matches up with how we imagined the perfect outcome (for example, I imagined that this year I wouldn’t crave Sundays ‘off’ from my own challenge. This did not turn out to be true…)

For your character, feel free to use the old fairy-tale caution to be careful what you wish for.

For yourself, however, I’d remind you that achievements begin with two things: a vision of how things could be; and a decision to work towards that better future. You used both to write, this month.

CELEBRATE!
Whether you wrote three stories or 31, you Imagined yourself as a writer, you Wrote, you Refined your practice, you Improved your craft, you Triumphed and, if you’re still reading this, I’m pretty sure you Engaged with the community.

You’re living the I, WRITER life.

If you’d like to keep Repeating this successful pattern, take the next steps by joining our on-going community, the StoryADay Superstars. Find out more.

Tomorrow, I’ll be back in your email inboxes one final time, related to StoryADay May 2025, to send you a self-assessment form, so you can capture what went well and what you will do differently as a result of everything you’ve learned on this journey.

This is one of the most valuable documents you’ll create for yourself and I recommend repeating the practice after every project, in future.

For now, sit back and bask in the your successes as a StoryADay 2025 Winner!

Julie Duffy

Julie Duffy
In 2010 Julie was a frustrated writer, who decided that writing a StoryADay in May would be a great way to kickstart her writing practice. 16 years later, it seems she was right. The rest of the writing world quickly caught on and now May is known as Short Story Month! Julie is the author of writing handbooks, articles, podcasts, workshops and courses, as well as a short story writer, and ‘Book Boss’ — your accountability coach for getting to ‘the end’.

If you’d like to spend six months in the writing community Julie created, consider joining our StoryADay Superstars group.

Join the discussion: what will you do with today’s prompt OR how did it go? Need support? Post here!

Remember: I don’t recommend posting your story in the comments here (and I talk more about why not, here). Best practice: Leave us a comment about how it went, or share your favorite line from your story.

Here’s your next Game Piece. save the image and share on social media with #storyaday

Prefer paper crafts? Here’s the cut & paste version

 

How To Get Feedback That Actually Helps Your Writing

(without getting discouraged or giving up)

You’ve been writing for a while now—maybe you’ve just taken part in the StoryADay Challenge and have a bunch of drafts—and it feels pretty good.

…but now what?

This is where you get to do what I call ‘refining’. 

It’s the slippery, uncomfortable, yet important, middle part of the writing process: 

The thrill of discovery-writing is pastThe satisfaction of the polished draft lies int he future.And you’re in that foggy, no-man’s land of “how do I get there, from here?”

The good news is that ‘refining’, doesn’t mean you have to make anything perfect. Or doing it alone.

 It’s all about making progress—in your drafts and your practice. And that can be helped by getting feedback.

Let’s talk about how to do that without freezing…or fleeing!

Define: Refine

Refining isn’t about perfect: it’s about progress with purpose.

It means:

Taking a dispassionate look at your workMaking decisions about what stays and what can goSetting appropriate expectations and the processes that support themCourageously taking the very next (possibly tiny) step with one piece of your writing.The Fundamentals of Feedback

Some of our writing lives to teach us one lesson and remain in draft form forever.

Others—the ones you can’t let go—want to live on. We owe it to them to get some perspective…and that’s a hard thing to do alone.

That’s where critique comes it. But not any old critique. You need the right sort of feedback, at the right point in your process, and from the right people.

The Wrong Time To Seek Feedback

Before you ask: yes, there are times when it’s  just fine for you to keep your writing secret and safe and only for you.

Don’t be pressured into sharing your writing if:

It’s incredibly personal and too raw to discuss (clue: if it makes you cry when talking about it. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s hard to hear dispassionate feedback when you’re still attached to the source materials)You’re still in the honeymoon phase with this piece and aren’t ready to hear anything critical about it.You’re still working on it and are worried that other people’s opinions might shape it more than you would care for.

These a all legitimate reasons NOT to seek critique and that’s fine. Keep working until you need something else.

How To Know When You’re Ready for Feedback

There’s a difference between being healthily protective of your work, and being over-protective of your tender creative’s heart.

Here are a few signs that you’re ready for feedback–even if the idea still scares you:

You feel stuck on a piece of writing. You’ve done everything you can think of and it’s still just not ‘right’ (this might be a feeling you have, or something you’ve heard from editors at publications  you’ve send it to).You keep polishing the same parts over and over again even though you suspect there’s a raging plot hole in the middle.You have no idea if your ideas are coming through or if some important parts are still stuck in your head. You need a reader’s perspective!

At this point, feedback is going to be the thing that propels you into the next level of your writing craft.

How to Get Feedback You Can Use (Without the Flop-Sweat!)

Just because something calls itself a ‘critique group’, doesn’t mean you’ll get what you need from it. Choose carefully and avoid getting discouraged or stalled.

1. Trust the Group

It helps if you can find a group that’s run by someone you already know and trust. Ask them about the level and experience of the writers in the group. Ideally, you want to find a group where people are a little more experienced/skilled than you, but not so far ahead that they’ll scoff at all your ‘beginner mistakes’. 

And for the love of all that’s literary, do not send your work in to an anonymous online group. Those places are either so complimentary that they waste your time or so brutal that you might never pick up a pen again.

2. Help The Readers Help You

If the group allows it (and I think it should), add a note to our piece letting folks know what you’re looking for, in their feedback. There’s no point in someone doing a heavy-duty copy-edit if you’re still in the first draft, or giving you general feelings if what you’re looking for a is a detailed, final check before you send it out for publication.

Include in your note these pieces of information

Where your piece is in your process (“It’s very much a first draft and I’m trying to see if it’s intriguing enough to pursue” or “I’m getting ready to send it to publications and want to know if the plot hangs together.”)What kind of feedback you want (“Does the pacing work?” “When did you guess whodunnit?”, “Was the ending satisfying?”). If you’re new to critique it might be difficult to know what to ask, so feel free to say that!What you don’t want to hear, yet. (“Don’t bother correcting the typos, I’ll get to them later”; “I know I haven’t included much description in this draft. I’ll add that once I’m sure the story works.”)3. Ask Specific Questions

Again, this is hard to do if you don’t have much experience of critique, but here are some questions that are miles better than saying “Is it any good?” or “What did you think?”

Were there any places where you were confused by what was happening? Were there any places you started to skim (i.e. got bored)What lines or aspects did you really love (so I can be sure not to edit them out!)?Which character stood out most to you?Did I make any promises that I didn’t deliver on?If you had to write a one-line summary of what was at the heart of this piece, what would you say?Build A Feedback System

Growing as a writer means engaging with your writing in a deliberate way. Don’t leave it to chance. 

Set up a repeatable process – a system – for giving and getting critique. Some ways to do that:

Join a group that has a regular (but not too frequent) critique optionSwap stories on a regular schedule with a trusted writing buddyTry out a critique group on a one-off basis and see if it works for you (remembering that if it doesn’t, that doesn’t say anything about you as a writer. It just wasn’t the right group for you).

If you don’t have a way to get regular feedback yet, don’t worry, I have something that might interest you!

Join a Firm, Fair and Fun Critique Experience (right here at StoryADay)

Three times a year (no more, because we take it seriously!) I host a Critique Week with members of the StoryADay community, and the Superstars group. 

It’s a 10-day guided experience where we

Exchange short stories or excerpts of a longer work-in-progress (up to 7,000 words)Read three pieces each, and receive feedback from at least three other writersLearn how to ask for (and implement) feedback that moves our writing forward.

We have writers who are publishing and writers who are just coming back to their craft after decades away. You don’t need to be at any particular stage in your writing, you just need to be curious and ready to refine. 

Registration for the next edition of Critique Week opens soon. 

We’d love to welcome you in—why not join the waitlist today?

Find Out More About Critique Week

(And if you’re worried you won’t have anything to say about the other writers’ work, don’t be! You simply need to be an enthusiastic reader. After all, that’s what all of us want: someone who cares about writing, to read it and let us know how it hits them.)

Refine Your Writing Life, Not Just Your Draft.

Remember: you don’t have to perfect anything, just keep moving forward.

But if you want to grow as a writer, stay close to the StoryADay community.

Keep going, beyond the challenge, and build a sustainable, joy-filled writing life, with us!

Keep writingKeep refiningKeep surprising yourself.

You don’t have to do it alone.

Next Steps:

Join us for Critique Week – or make a different plan to get some feedback this month. Your future writing self is waiting to thank you!

Keep writing,

Julie

MORE RESOURCES

Listen to the podcast episode that inspired this article

Day 30 | Love Is In The Air by Julie Duffy

The Prompt

Write A Love Story

There are many types of love, and it manifests in as many ways as there are humans in the world (and imagined humans in our stories).

You can write a romance if you must, but I’m going to encourage you to write a story that shows us an act of love more unexpected than that.

It might be:

The love between a grandparent and a grandchildA love that shows up in actions, not wordsA friendship that picks up after years apartRemember to show us what’s happening in your story. Paint me a picture. Make me laugh, make me cry, make me feeeeeel the lurrrve.Julie Duffy

Julie Duffy is a writer and the host of StoryADay May. She believes in love.

Join the discussion: what will you do with today’s prompt OR how did it go? Need support? Post here!

Remember: I don’t recommend posting your story in the comments here (and I talk more about why not, here). Best practice: Leave us a comment about how it went, or share your favorite line from your story.

Here’s your next Game Piece. save the image and share on social media with #storyaday

Prefer paper crafts? Here’s the cut & paste version

 

Day 29 | Story Starter by Kai Lovelace

The Prompt

“Ash had one more loose end to tie up before catching the 9:15 and kissing this town goodbye forever.”

Kai Lovelace

Kai Lovelace is a writer and musician born and raised in New York City. Links to his work can be found here.

Join the discussion: what will you do with today’s prompt OR how did it go? Need support? Post here!

Remember: I don’t recommend posting your story in the comments here (and I talk more about why not, here). Best practice: Leave us a comment about how it went, or share your favorite line from your story.

Here’s your next Game Piece. save the image and share on social media with #storyaday

Prefer paper crafts? Here’s the cut & paste version

 

Day 28 | Dressing The Set by Gabrielle Johansen

The Prompt

Pick one of these photos.

Use the scene in the picture as the setting for your tale.

It can be where the story starts or where it ends.

It can be for a portion of it or for the entire story, but make sure to feature the setting significantly.

Give the reader a defined view of the place using all the senses.

Tell us what your characters hear, smell, touch/feel, taste, as well as see in this locale.

Lastly, avoid the info dump! Weave your setting in as you go.

Gabrielle Johansen

Gabrielle writes fantasy and super soft sci fi from her NC home. She has been published in Haven Speculative and Across the Margin. As a regular at StoryADay, this is her fifth time participating in the challenge.

Join the discussion: what will you do with today’s prompt OR how did it go? Need support? Post here!

Remember: I don’t recommend posting your story in the comments here (and I talk more about why not, here). Best practice: Leave us a comment about how it went, or share your favorite line from your story.

Here’s your next Game Piece. save the image and share on social media with #storyaday

Prefer paper crafts? Here’s the cut & paste version

 

Day 27 | An Old Haunt by Julie Duffy

The Prompt

Your character goes back to an old haunt.

They don’t want to be there, but they have to go (brainstorm the reasons they might have to be there, but don’t over-explain it in the story).

What does your character want? What’s stopping them from getting it?

While they battle to get what they want (and out of the story), pay particular attention to the things they notice, about the old familiar place.

What does it smell like? What’s still there? What’s missing?How does what they notice inform the reader about their state of mind? Does one sensory detail change how they decide to act?

Use some of these details as you write the story today.

Julie Duffy

Julie Duffy is a writer and the host of StoryADay May. She loves to poke around places she used to live, for stories. You’ll read some of them in the weekly lessons in the StoryAWeek Newsletter: 52 Writing Lessons & Prompts to Keep You Writing All Year

Join the discussion: what will you do with today’s prompt OR how did it go? Need support? Post here!

Remember: I don’t recommend posting your story in the comments here (and I talk more about why not, here). Best practice: Leave us a comment about how it went, or share your favorite line from your story.

Here’s your next Game Piece. save the image and share on social media with #storyaday

Prefer paper crafts? Here’s the cut & paste version