To develop realistic characters that engage readers, I use an inside-out character development model. Here is how it works.
My Inside-Out Character Development Model
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Storytelling Articles
It doesn’t matter if you are writing biographies, literary fiction or science fiction. You need to share your stories in a way that captivates and engages readers. These articles will help you improve your storytelling skills.
Capturing the Essence of a Character
Before writers can describe the essence of a character to our readers, they must first conjure it in our imagination. Here is one of my techniques for developing a catalog of character traits for later use.
Plot Planning for Novels
After abandoning my third rewrite of my novel, I decided the time had come for some serious plot planning. Here’s what worked for me.
Writing Assistance? Even the FBI Will Help!
Being a newbie author, I needed all types of special assistance. To my surprise, I found nearly everyone I asked willing to help, even the FBI.
My Plot Development Tool: Scenes in Swimlanes
I experimented with a number of plot development tools and techniques, but none of them worked well for me. So I created my own using a spreadsheet. I call it Scenes in Swimlanes.
Taglines Make Characters Memorable
Taglines or catch phrases make it easy for readers to remember a character. When they are done right, even years later, we recall the character with clarity.
How to Create Suspense: Leave ‘Em Hanging
In order to compose a page-turner, you’ve got to leave the reader hanging. Here are some tips for doing it well.
Start By Writing the Final Chapter First
My pantser ways led to insurmountable plot holes, which led to writer’s block, which I resolved by writing the final chapter first.
Pantser to Plotter
My brother wrote, “I’m a pantser. My guess is that you’re a plotter.” He was only partly right. Things aren’t always black or white.
