Good news! Your Secret Santa (Godzilla) has dropped another writerly gift into your stocking.
(And, if you missed the first gift he left for you, no problem. Just click through to this link to find Gift #1.)
We hope you enjoy it!
Ready to see what he’s left in your stocking?
Click the image below to collect your gift:
Also, I have to warn you:
Godzilla’s been reading again.
You know what this means–another book review. Lord help us. Here it is . . .
Godzilla Reviews The Occupation Thesaurus
As the all-powerful Godzilla, I have a unique perspective on occupations—after all, “Kaiju” isn’t your typical 9-to-5. But I tell you, as a reader, nothing causes me to incinerate a book faster than a character with a job that seems ‘slapped on.’
Like my relentless obliteration of enemies who threaten the natural balance, any true-to-life character is gonna spend a lot of time working, so of course their chosen job should fit their identity and circumstances. A well-thought-out choice gives a character depth, so steer clear of jobs that feel cliche, act as a plot device, or come across as a character quirk.
The Occupation Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Jobs, Vocations, and Careers has helpful breakdowns of different job types, making it easy to find matches for the character’s skills, personality, moral code, or even a passion–like my passion for using atomic breath and destruction to keep puny humans and inferior titans in line.
A big problem with this book? While it covers an impressive range of possible occupations and shows how this characterizing detail can generate radioactive story conflict and mess up even the strongest relationship, WHERE was the entry on Kaiju? What, a city-stomping behemoth isn’t GOOD ENOUGH to profile as a career in this guide? Sure, there is only one Godzilla. But you ask me, laying waste to buildings, destroying battleships with a fist, and body-slamming monsters into oblivion should be the dream job of every character!
~Godzilla
Well, there you have it. Godzilla’s review of The Occupation Thesaurus. Um…thanks, I guess?
If you’re looking for a Christmas Gift…
The Occupation Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Jobs, Vocations, and Careers dives into the type of work your character does…and how this important choice will give your story depth and meaning.
A character’s job is powerful, allowing you to convey a lot of characterization about them in a single punch: traits, skills, priorities, and more. Yet, many writers don’t think much about their character’s occupation—or worse, they pick something randomly, and miss out on what that job can reveal.
Researching specific careers takes time, so we’ve done the work for you. Part how-to, part brainstorming tool, this guide showcases over 120 jobs and breaks each down so you can find the perfect match and write about it with authority.
More about this book
View the list of job profiles
Buy the book
Read Amazon reviews (4.8/5 Stars)
We hope you find gift #2 helpful, and wishing you a lovely holiday season!
Angela, Becca, & Mindy
Happy writing, everyone!
Stocking Stuffer #1 can be found here.
Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.