Tag Archive for ‘character’
Writing Tip #3: Use a Monkey Wrench
When I’m developing a new character I often throw a monkey wrench into the works to create internal tension. I give this person a trait (an obsession, a habit, a fixation, a physical peculiarity or mannerism) that seems to cut against the grain of his or her personality. I find that these contradictions usually add depth and dimension, and stimulate me to think about my character in new ways.
Writing Tip #2: Four Basic Elements
A novelist friend has an index card with these four words on it taped to the wall above the computer in his study: CHARACTER CONFLICT CHOICES CONSEQUENCES Sometimes it helps to remember: it’s that simple.
