How and why to use incidental characters in your novel

Posted on 04/06/2020 at 12:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

C.S. Lakin has one more type of character that she wants authors to make effective use of in their novels....

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: C.S. Lakin / Live Write Thrive, Characters

Add antagonists to your cast of supporting characters

Posted on 04/01/2020 at 03:51 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

C.S. Lakin has already discussed why and how to add secondary characters to your novel. The focus of her earlier...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: C.S. Lakin / Live Write Thrive, Characters

How secondary characters can support your novel's plot

Posted on 03/23/2020 at 12:36 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Secondary characters don’t receive the bulk of the “screen time,” so to speak, but that doesn’t make them unnecessary or...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: C.S. Lakin / Live Write Thrive, Characters

How to write an unlikeable character that readers root for

Posted on 03/17/2020 at 10:07 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

The question of whether you can make an unlikeable character, well, likable seems at first to be a bit of...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Characters, Jane Friedman

C.S. Lakin: Give all your characters a job

Posted on 03/12/2020 at 02:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Among the aspects of filmmaking that apply well to writing a book is the use of characters. Specifically, says C.S....

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: C.S. Lakin / Live Write Thrive, Characters, Plot / narrative

C.S. Lakin: Your story can't stand on a character alone

Posted on 03/08/2020 at 12:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

C.S. Lakin and many other novelists have seen their writing process begin with the image of one particular character. As...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: C.S. Lakin / Live Write Thrive, Characters, Plot / narrative

All the character advice Writer’s Digest has to offer

Posted on 03/07/2020 at 12:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Well, okay, this isn’t every single article that Writer’s Digest has ever compiled on writing characters, but it is a...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Characters, Writer's Digest

Louise Harnby: Watch out for head-hopping

Posted on 03/06/2020 at 10:30 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

So many misunderstandings could possibly be averted if, in real life, we were able to hop into other people’s heads....

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Characters, Editing, Louise Harnby

Ways to inspire empathy for your protagonist

Posted on 03/04/2020 at 10:23 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Most of the time (we won’t say “always”), authors want their readers to care about their protagonists. That is, as...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Characters, Joanna Penn

How to plant clues about your mystery's villain

Posted on 02/21/2020 at 10:41 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

The villain or culprit in your mystery should make sense once his or her guilt is revealed. But how do...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Characters, Mystery, Writing advice