Some characters are so dynamic, we feel immediately close to them. Everything they say, do, and think is consistent with who they are, they have a past and present, and as we share their experiences, we never have to guess at what they feel, want, or need.

This authenticity happens when the author does the deep work to understand the character inside and out. And, I’m betting they did something else, too: created a reference file about the character, a.k.a., a Character Bible. This is a great way to avoid unintentional inconsistencies and mistakes.

And mistakes do happen, because we forget things —Does Emma fear lizards or birds?—or we change our mind mid-book, and the love interest, Liam, goes from being a skateboarder to the king of parkour. Oh, and name changes? Don’t even get me started!

The point is that nothing pulls readers out of the story faster than when details shift, so implementing a way to keep each character straight in our minds is key.

The Character Bible: A Writer’s Best Friend

A character bible document will contain important details about a character, everything from their appearance, personality, and preferences to their backstory wounds, goals, needs, and secrets. It has a trio of benefits:

1. It pushes you to explore a character’s inner layers to figure out who they really are and what’s driving them in the story
2. Once complete, the bible serves as a reference tool for you to ensure everything about the character is consistent
3. Writing is easier because how the character thinks, acts, and behaves will be second nature to you.

How detailed your bible is depends on how important the character is. Some things you may wish to capture:

Appearance

What does your character look like? Do they have any interesting features that act as clues to readers as to the type of person they are? For example, hair: is their go-to a messy bun, is it chronically unwashed, or is every curl carefully tamed? Or do their clothes suggest a style preference or level of wealth? Do they have scars, marks, or defects that hint at an experience or trauma? Chosen well, specific details do a lot more than just help readers imagine what they look like.

Backstory

Your character’s past affects the present, in good ways and bad. So, who has influenced them to date, either supporting them or limiting them? What personal challenges have they worked through? What negative experiences (emotional wounds) are unresolved, leaving behind fear, biases, and false beliefs about themselves and the world?

Answering these questions will give you a good sense of what their past was like, and the most likely things they will carry forward, like emotional baggage, a sense of duty, a compulsion to fix people, etc.

Personality Traits

Every character will have a unique personality made of positive traits (strengths & identity markers) and negative traits (flaws that keep people and situations at a distance so the character can avoid being hurt by them). Think about both halves – this character’s defining positive qualities, and those that create friction with others.

Moral & Spiritual Beliefs

All characters, even the baddies, will have a moral code. Do you know what beliefs your character hold to so strongly they make decisions and are willing to sacrifice other things to stay true to them? Where is their line in the sand, and what ideas are important enough to them to protect?

Emotional Range & Behaviors

Each person expresses themselves in their own way, and characters will too. Think about your character’s individuality – are they open and communicative about feelings, or keep them inside? Are they demonstrative, or more reserved, extroverted or introverted, or somewhere in the middle? What are their quirks and comfort zones? Understanding a character’s typical emotional range helps you choose emotional responses that feel authentic.

Fears and Misbeliefs

Every character has fears that result from negative experiences, because that dark seed is planted that the same sort of hurt could happen again. So, what fear is making your character a prisioner in some way, shaping their view of the world, themselves, and holding them back from being truly happy? Do they believe they are unworthy or incapable because of this fear, and this destructive lie is one they must cast aside to achieve their story goal?

Talents, Skills, and Abilities

A character should have a few things they are good at, or an ability that make them unique. Giving your character a talent or skill that aids them when it comes to their goal (even in an unexpected way!) will create a sense of synchronicity for readers.

Likes and Dislikes

What are some of your character’s preferences…and why? Will these preferences steer their behavior in the story in good ways and bad? (Yes, the answer is yes.)

Hobbies, Interests, and Passions

What does your character enjoy doing? For a character to be realistic, they should have a few personal interests that make life more enjoyable. These may not even tie into the bigger story, but they do humanize your character to readers.

Current Situation

Just like a character has a past, they have a present, too.  Note a few details about where they live, what their family situation is like, what job they do, the vehicle they use to get around, and any routines or habits that might show up in the story. Knowing your character’s life better will give you ideas on how you can poke their soft spots (people and places they are attached to) and choose conflict that will come with personal stakes attached.

What They Want Most

Every character wants something – a goal that will make their situation better and leave them happier or more complete. This is what your character is striving to do or achieve in your story.

This goal should be something tangible or quantifiable, so readers know the character has done what they set out to do.

What They Need

Sometimes what your character wants and what they need are a bit different. Maybe your character wants a new girlfriend to get past the pain of their latest breakup, but what they need is time to love themselves better and understand why they keep choosing toxic partners. Thinking about what makes them feel incomplete and why can set them on the path of a goal that will help them grow and make them feel more complete.

Secrets

Every character has a secret (maybe more than a few!) so think about what they hide from others. Is there something that could create big problems for them if it was revealed, or does it tie into their unresolved emotional wound? (Readers love secrets, and a hint of one will keep them flipping pages.)

Worldview

How do they view the world – do they believe most people are good, or untrustworthy? Do they put others first, or look out for number one? Do they have biases, avoid certain places and experiences because they have preconceived ideas about what will happen, or refuse to listen to certain opinions that go against their own? If so, try to understand how this might tie to their backstory experiences.

Insecurities & Sensitivities

Life is not always gentle, and experiences where your character’s ego was bruised, or their emotions upended may have left them feeling insecure or easily triggered. If there are emotions your character tries to avoid feeling, or situations they stay away from because they make them feel weak, inept, or emotionally volatile, make a note. These are pointing to past pain, and you might wish to use them in the story to push them to become more self-aware so they can start a journey to healing.

This may seem like a lot to know about someone, but think of how easy it will be to write this character’s thoughts, decisions, and actions. And by writing when you down these details, you’ll have a character bible to reference when you need it!

A Tool that Creates a Character Bible for You

It takes time to uncover a character’s inner layers, we know, so we built a tool to help with that: the Character Builder at One Stop for Writers. Using psychology, it asks you the question you need to know about a character and collects the details into a profile that can be saved to your computer or transferred into certain software programs like Scrivener.

The Character Builder makes brainstorming characters faster and easier because it pulls characterization options from a giant database and shows you how choosing one detail about a character (like their job, or a personality trait) can help you brainstorm other details that naturally connect to that first detail. For example, if you decide your character is a teacher, the Character builder will show you a list of positive traits and skills that a teacher will likely have. With a click, you can add these traits or skills to the profile.

One Stop for Writers’ Character Builder will help you plan your character’s backstory, behavior, skills, goals, personality, fears, and everything else you need to know about them.

This profile is easy to update if you want to tweak something about them, and you can even clone the character profile and adapt a second one if you are thinking about this character and how they change in a series, keeping core details in place like their backstory and personality, but changing their goal, motivation, and perhaps an unresolved wound of set of fears that will play a big part in this new book.

Here’s a Character Bible I created so you can get a feel for what all the Character Builder can help you brainstorm. If you’d like to try the tool for yourself, just start a free trial. Happy creating!

ANGELA ACKERMAN

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.

The post How to Create a Protagonist with True Depth appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

I’m talking about using archetypes and tropes — characters who play a specific role in a story or who have a blend of characteristics that make them instantly recognizable: the Rebel, the Bully, the Hot Billionaire, the Chosen One…you get the idea. Readers recognize these types of characters and may even expect to find them in certain stories.

So, our job is done, right? Pick an archetype or trope, put some clothes on them and shove them into the story. No, ‘fraid not. Character types and tropes can provide a skeleton, but to avoid a stock character or overdone cliché, they must stand on their own and mesmerize by being unique.

And that’s where this thesaurus comes in.

Characters need layers, full stop, so trope or not, we want to dig for what makes them an individual, give them a soul, and make adaptations that will challenge a reader’s expectations.

What this thesaurus will cover:

A Trope or Type Description and Fictional Examples. Before we can think about how to adapt a trope, we need to know more about who they are. This overview and examples will help you know if this baseline character is right for your story.

Common Strengths and Weaknesses. A character who aligns with a trope or type tends to have certain positive and negative traits, so we list those as a starting point. But don’t be afraid to branch out – personality is a great place to break the mold.

Associated Actions, Behaviors, and Tendencies. Because tropes have a mix of traits, qualities, and a worldview baked in, you’ll need to know how to write their actions, choices, priorities, and certain tendencies…so you can then decide how to break with tradition.

Situations that Will Challenge Them. Every character faces challenges in a story that are extra difficult because of who they are, what they believe, fear, and need. A trope or type character is no different. We’ll cue up ideas to get your brains whizzing on what this can look like in your story.

Twist This Type With a Character Who… is where we give you ideas on how to break expectations, so you deliver someone who has fresh angles, and isn’t a typical stand-in.

Clichés to Avoid is where we alert you to some of the overdone versions of a type or trope so you’re aware of them as you develop your characters and plot your story.

Readers are hardwired to look for patterns and familiarity

Which is why we see tropes used so often, but good storytellers know that in 99% of cases, using one is the starting point only. We want rounded and dynamic characters, not flat ones. So, unless you require a stock character to fill a background role, any character who starts as a trope should be as carefully developed as those who did not. Readers want–and deserve!–fresh characters, so dig into those inner layers and bring forth someone unique.

Join us each Saturday for a new entry, and if there’s a character type or trope you’d like us to cover, add it in the comments here, and we’ll add it to the list of potentials!

Here are all the types and tropes we’ve covered so far.

ANGELA ACKERMAN

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.

The post Introducing…The Character Type & Trope Thesaurus! appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

For this reason, we’re running a series of posts on avoiding stereotypes in fiction. Written by a diverse cast of talented authors, each post highlights a different people group—the common stereotypes to avoid and how to write those characters realistically. We hope this series arms you with the knowledge and tools to write characters you may have been reluctant to write before—ones that will take your story to the next level.

By: Hyacinthe M. Miller

Where to begin a conversation about stereotypes of People of Color (POC)? This is a fraught topic. For clarity, let’s start with a definition for this term:

People of Color: Applying to non-White racial or ethnic groups; generally used as an alternative to the term ‘visible minority.’

Be aware, though, that some members of ethnic and racial groups take issue with being lumped together as POCs rather than being treated as unique. Others, however, embrace Racialized or POC as terms of solidarity and empowerment.

As writers, we have a role to play in ensuring that the worlds we create are representative of the broad spectrum of personalities, identities, traits, cultures and races in our communities. Whether we’re talking protagonists, villains, or supporting characters, let’s keep them entertaining, fully formed and authentic. What do I mean by ‘authentic’? Believable, realistic, genuine individuals. Mind you, that’s a best practice for any character you create, isn’t it?

Let’s talk about some of the common stereotypes that have been used in portrayals of Racialized People.

Angry/Hysterical/Powerless Women

There are numerous examples in print and visual media, where women are portrayed as aggressive, outspoken, shrill, helpless or downright cranky. In real life, we experience a variety of emotions – let your characters show them as well.

Angry Men

These male counterparts careen through life ignoring social norms, raging at ‘the Man’ or unspecified targets, taking personal risks, committing crimes, or abusing those who get in their way. Male and female stereotypes use similar gestures and language to convey a limited range of emotions – the steely-eyed stare, a swaggering insolence, or a know-it-all attitude that invariably lands them in trouble.

Silent Sufferers

The opposite is the submissive, ‘seen but not heard’ person of color of any gender who invariably is struggling against adversity but who is a noble role model because they carry on. Maids, doormen, taxi drivers, teachers, nurses and restaurant workers are common occupations.

Sex Objects

Portraying racialized women as attractive but tough (using their wiles and weaponry to fight injustice) devalues them. A male protagonist like Black private detective John Shaft, described as a ‘sex machine’, harks back to the trope of Black men being randy and predatory.

The Phoenix from the Ashes

Performers, athletes, or professionals are often portrayed as rising up from poverty to fame or as promiscuous, hard-edged rule-breakers. This ignores the reality that most people of color are also soccer moms, bankers, and emergency service providers working hard and living ordinary lives.

Straw Character Caricatures

These cartoonish depictions of gangbangers, career criminals, barbers and hairdressers who always have the last word, the whore with the heart of gold, the struggling single mom, the sharp-tongued taxi driver, the weary, hard-working racialized father or the deadbeat dad, the wise-cracking sidekick, flamboyant roommate, spunky girlfriend, or plucky survivor are stale tropes. The common denominator of each is lack of nuance.

What To Do

Rest assured, it is acceptable to write about racialized characters. Wouldn’t your fictional world be monochromatic and boring if you didn’t? Yes, complexion, ethnicity, physique and hairdo help define an individual, but if you take away those external identifiers and still have a realistic human being, you’ve done your job. Applying your skills to build worlds that include a range of well-crafted characters enriches the final product. We’re unique individuals trying to live our best lives.

What about, ‘write what you know’? Research and learn about the diversity of cultures, religions, and races. Leave assumptions at the curb. Join inclusive organizations. Ask respectful questions. Read the works of authors of color. Dig beyond the obvious to show your character’s true identity.

What Not to Do

Don’t avoid describing someone’s race, but make sure you’re accurate, e.g., a broad nose, small ears and full lips could describe a person of Asian or African heritage. Say, ‘Amir, a young man from Bangalore’, or ‘Tasha, a tall Black woman from Manchester’. Use names that identify their ethnic origin. Keep in mind, though, that with the globalization of relationships, someone called Sue-Lin Mackenzie could be a mixed-race woman of Korean/Scottish descent.

Don’t describe us using food terms. Instead of chocolate, almond or coffee, say, ‘light brown’ or ‘dark brown complexion’. Be aware that the word ‘Brown’ is often used by people of Southeast Asian heritage (Russell Peters).

Don’t focus on externals Iike hair styles, complexion, or physical appearance. As with any other character, include descriptors that are relevant.

Don’t be patronizing.  Unless it’s relevant, describing a Black person or person of color as ‘articulate’ implies there was no expectation that they had mastered the English language.  

Remember…

• Everyone has biases, whether about cars, food, or music.
• Words can wound. They have history and power. Choose carefully.
• Clothing as costume, artifacts and symbols can contribute to a rich, scenic world or they can stigmatize, e.g., tattoos and piercings, head coverings, jewelry, behavior, and speech.
• Competent sensitivity readers serve a role but remember, you are getting a single perspective that may not align with the lived experiences of all your diverse characters.
• Writing multi-dimensional characters requires an open mind, accuracy, and kindness. Diverse cultural perspectives can literally bring color to your writing via family events or celebrations. Whether your characters are funny or sad, strong or weak, forgettable or memorable, your readers will resonate with their authenticity.

Resources

Writing With Color: Posts on Describing People of Color
Ten Tips on Writing Race in Novels
The Do’s of Writing People of Color: Describe Your Characters
Writing Characters of Different Races and Ethnicities

Other posts in this series:

Avoiding Female Character Stereotypes
Avoiding LGBTQ+ Character Stereotypes
Avoiding Religious Character Stereotypes
Avoiding Mental Health Character Stereotypes

Discussion is encouraged, but please keep it courteous. Let’s not call out authors for past mistakes, and let’s do keep an open mind. By listening to and respecting each person’s experiences and perspectives, we can better write the stories and characters readers want to see.

Hyacinthe M. Miller is an award-winning author of short stories, contemporary women’s fiction and non-fiction. She’s been published in Borealis magazine, Herotica 7, Whispered Words, and Allucinor, The Elements of Romance anthologies. Her debut novel, Kenora Reinvented, (Investigations, Mystery and Seasoned Romance) was published in 2019. Current WIPs include The Fifth Man, book two of the Kenora & Jake series, and a literary memoir.

Hyacinthe is Chair of Crime Writers of Canada, a member of Toronto Sisters in Crime and The Writers Union of Canada and is a founding member and Past President of the Writers Community of York Region. Check out Hyacinthe’s blog, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook page.

Guest Contributor

Interested in posting at Writers Helping Writers? Review our content guidelines to see what we’re looking for and how to pitch us your ideas.

The post Avoiding Stereotypes in Fiction: People of Color appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

For this reason, we’re running a series of posts on avoiding stereotypes in fiction. Written by a diverse cast of talented authors, each post highlights a different people group—the common stereotypes to avoid and how to write those characters realistically. We hope this series arms you with the knowledge and tools to write characters you may have been reluctant to write before—ones that will take your story to the next level.

By: Cheryl Rainfield

Books, movies, and TV shows can shape how we think about folks living with mental health issues. Yet popular media often stereotypes or sensationalizes mental health, which can harm people living with those issues while deepening the stereotypes, stigmatization, and misinformation. It helps to be aware of those stereotypes so you can avoid them in your work and make your characters more complex and realistic.

Here are some common stereotypes to avoid when writing about mental health.

Your Character Lives in a Mental Health Issue Vacuum

Your character likely knows many people living with mental health issues, even if they don’t know it. One in five US adults deal with mental health issues, one in 6 youth have experienced major depression, and one in twenty adults live with severe mental health issues. Because of harmful stereotypes, a lack of understanding, and societal shaming, many folks with mental health issues choose not to talk about them. But mental health issues are common.

Fix: Show your character knowing at least one person they care about with a mental health issue—a friend, parent, co-worker, lover—besides just themselves. If your character starts off with a void in this area, create opportunities for others to open up to them about what they’re dealing with.

Your Character is Violent Because of Mental Health Issues

The media tends to pin violence, murder, even evil on folks living with mental health issues—especially schizophrenia, Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), and psychosis. But the majority of people with mental health issues are not violent. Only 3%–5% of violent acts are made by people with a serious mental illness, and people with mental health issues are over 10 times more likely to be victims of violent crime than the general population. A study in Sweden found that 19 out of every 20 violent crime convictions in Sweden were committed by someone who did not have a mental illness.

Movies that depict this stereotype: Moon Knight, Split, Identity (DID), Fatal Attraction (BPD), Psycho, Spider (schizophrenia), Psycho, American Psycho, Joker (psychosis).

Violent acts are more likely to be caused by other or combined factors such as alcohol and drug abuse, being male, living in a low socio-economic household, experiencing or witnessing abuse and not working on healing, and social isolation. Major life stressors (such as losing one’s job, going through a divorce, the death of a loved one, etc.) and a lack of support during these events can also play a part.

Fix: Instead of blaming a character’s violence on a mental health issue, dig deeper into their background and current situation. Make sure they have the right combination of factors that could result in them using violence.

Love Cures Mental Health Issues

Romantic love, good parenting, support, and compassion can make dealing with a mental health issue easier, but they can’t cure these issues. The idea that love can fix these issues is dangerous because it may result in a loved one getting angry at or blaming the person living with depression, anxiety, or schizophrenia. They may even blame themselves for not being the cure.

Movies that depict this stereotype: Silver Linings Playbook, Don’t Say A Word. etc.

Fix: A character dealing with a mental health issue who is loved and supported will likely be able to cope better, but they still will live with their symptoms. Pair the love of others with additional proven strategies, such as the character improving their viewpoint about their mental health, incorporating helpful coping strategies, and/or getting support from a therapist.

A Character Being Defined by Their Mental Health Issue

A character whose life revolves around their mental health issue and doesn’t include much else is very one-dimensional. Folks can be incredibly impacted by their symptoms, but they are more than their mental health issue.

Fix: Work to make your character a full character. Consider all the past events that make them who they are and have shaped how they see their world. Show their interests, people and animals they love, viewpoints, work and/or hobbies, and other things that help them get through each day. Figure out what motivates them, what their desires and needs are, and the obstacles that cause them trouble aside from their mental health issues.

Characters with Mental Health Issues Being Crazy or Insane

Referring to or depicting a character with mental health issues as crazy or insane is not only offensive, it also spreads the misinformation that aggression, violence, and/or criminal behavior are linked to mental health issues. The character may have challenging symptoms that affect their mood, thoughts, and behavior, but that doesn’t make them crazy. And someone with mental health issues can still function well and have good mental health.

Fix: Be specific in the words you use to describe your character and their symptoms. Research their mental health issue, giving extra attention to sources who live with it. Show your character living a full life, dealing with their issues but in touch with reality and the world around them.

Characters with Mental Health Issues Are Visually Different

Anyone can be affected by mental health issues and most function well in society. They dress well in public, work at a job or as a parent, have good or good-enough hygiene, and you wouldn’t know by looking at them what issues they’re facing. While some folks with severe depression, PTSD, anxiety, etc. may struggle with hygiene, others can be on the opposite end of the spectrum.

Fix: You shouldn’t be able to tell that most folks have mental health issues just by looking at them. Talk to some people who deal with the mental health issue you’re writing about. Try to show the whole character and a spectrum of behavior and symptoms. If your character does struggle with hygiene, show them using hacks to keep clean.

The best way to avoid stereotypes is to research the mental health issue you’re writing about. Talk to therapists and consult folks who live with those issues. Read first-person accounts, credible articles, the DSM-5, etc. And remember that characters aren’t defined by their mental health, though it can affect their life and viewpoint.

More Resources:

How to Treat Mentally Ill Characters When Writing a Novel by Sonja Yoerg, Writer’s Digest

10 Best Tips For Writing Mental Illness In Fiction, YouTube video by Jenna Moreci and Iona Wayland

Writing About Mental Health In Fiction by Mary Fletcher

Myths and stereotypes about people with mental health issues

Ways Mental Illness Is Commonly Misrepresented in the Media

Other posts in this series:

Avoiding Female Character Stereotypes
Avoiding LGBTQ+ Character Stereotypes
Avoiding Religious Character Stereotypes
Avoiding People of Color Stereotypes

Discussion is encouraged, but please keep it courteous. Let’s not call out authors for past mistakes, and let’s do keep an open mind. By listening to and respecting each person’s experiences and perspectives, we can better write the stories and characters readers want to see.

Award-winning author Cheryl Rainfield (they/she pronouns) writes gripping YA fiction with heart and realism, writing books they wished they had when they were a teen. Hundreds of readers have messaged her about how her novels about queer and abused teens helped them feel less alone. Cheryl draws on their own trauma and healing experience to write; Cheryl’s scarred arm is on the cover of SCARS. They are the author of six books including SCARS, STAINED, and HUNTED. Cheryl Rainfield is an incest and torture survivor, nonbinary lesbian, and an avid reader and writer. Find them on: CherylRainfield.com; TikTok; Twitter; FaceBook fan page and author page; Instagram; YouTube; plus BookBub for book recommendations.

Cheryl Rainfield has been said to write with “great empathy and compassion” (VOYA) and to write stories that “can, perhaps, save a life.” (CM Magazine)  SLJ said of her work: “[readers] will be on the edge of their seats.”

Guest Contributor

Interested in posting at Writers Helping Writers? Review our content guidelines to see what we’re looking for and how to pitch us your ideas.

The post Avoiding Stereotypes in Fiction: Characters with Mental Health Issues appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

For this reason, we’re running a series of posts on avoiding stereotypes in fiction. Written by a diverse cast of talented authors, each post highlights a different people group—the common stereotypes to avoid and how to write those characters realistically. We hope this series arms you with the knowledge and tools to write characters you may have been reluctant to write before—ones that will take your story to the next level.

By: Becca Puglisi

One of the ways human beings are incredibly diverse is in their religious practices. There are over 4,000 organized religions across our planet, and each one has individual sects that espouse slightly (or vastly) different ideas. This makes writing religious characters a bit of a challenge.

Part of the difficulty is that religion means different things to different people. Some have a cursory religious affiliation; they embrace it on specific holy days and adopt some aspects of it, but it may not have much bearing on their day-to-day life. Writing these characters is easier because you can cherry-pick the ways in which their beliefs impact their life, and less consistency is needed.

For others, religion goes deeper, right down to the person’s foundation. It defines them, and as such, will dictate their values, morals, priorities, life choices, how they spend their money and their time—virtually every aspect of their lives. These characters will need significantly more research to identify what they believe and how it will affect their path in the story.

Despite the different religions and vast disparity within these groups, I tend to see the same stereotypes constantly being portrayed. It’s frustrating, because I know from personal experience that most stereotypes are often based in reality; many of us have run into people who fit the cliché. But those stereotypes typically represent a small subset of that people group, and when they become the normal way of portraying those people, we do everyone a disservice.

To that end, I’d like to discuss the tired and over-exposed caricatures I’ve seen so we can avoid them and represent religious folks better. Because of the variety of beliefs and ideals even within the “major” religions, I’ve decided to focus this post on stereotypes that touch on many belief systems (while occasionally referencing Christianity specifically, since that’s the one I’m intimately acquainted with).

The Compensating Zealot

This is the devout character whose religious zeal exists because of a secret they’re trying to hide. Their over-the-top religiosity is used to either distract people from their secret or tip the heavenly scales in their favor. This is a frustrating stereotype because spirituality for many believers is heartfelt, not a smokescreen.

Solution:

If you’re looking for the genesis behind your character’s devotion, consider one of the many positive reasons people turn to religion. Maybe their beliefs helped them overcome an addiction or survive a difficult stage of life. Possibly, they experienced a miracle and are passionate now about who they’re worshipping. Or perhaps the tenets of their religion encourage them to love and serve others, so they’re doing it—not out of a need to compensate, but because they believe it’s the right thing to do.

The Rabid Proselytizer

This one doesn’t require too much explanation, and if you’ve lived long enough in Western culture, you’ve probably seen it in action. For Christians, it’s the Bible-thumping, fire-and-brimstone-preaching, bully-you-into-the-arms-of-Jesus evangelist. I’m sure there are varying versions of these characters in other religions whose desire to “save” as many people as possible trumps everything else–including love, respect, and basic courtesy.

This stereotype, like many stereotypes in general, is based in reality. There are people like this. There used to be a lot more. It’s easy to fall back on this cliché because these characters make easy antagonists and scapegoats. But this fringe subset of many religions is just that: the fringe. They’re either the loudest, the most unusual, or the most confrontational, so they get the most attention. But this isn’t the vast majority of religious people.

Solution:

Research your character’s religion to get a feel for the whole range. Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, Taoism…every religion has fundamentalists, progressives, and everything in between, and each subset’s beliefs and practices will differ. As is true for most groups, the people on the fringes don’t typically represent the majority. Carefully research the range of beliefs for your character’s religion, then aim for the middle, and you’re more likely to write the character realistically.

The Culturally Irrelevant Weirdo

Another fringe representation, these are the people who are so entrenched in their religion they have a hard time relating to the rest of the world. They don’t drink, dance, or watch TV. Their clothing looks like it belongs to another century. They might live off the grid, homeschool their kids, and only marry within their religion. They’re so far removed from the real world and the people in it that they have a hard time integrating, and no one takes them seriously.

I don’t know enough about other religions in this regard, so I’ll speak for Christians on this one and say that there is a TON of personal leeway in the Christian life. The Bible doesn’t mention R-rated movies, secular music, slot machines, or martinis, so it’s up to each individual to determine which activities they can partake of while still honoring God. This means that while some Christians won’t participate in some culturally acceptable practices, others will. And even when they do refrain from (or adopt) certain practices, that doesn’t usually make them irrelevant and unrelatable.

The majority of Christians (and other religious people I know) are different in some ways than their non-religious counterparts, but they’re the same in other ways. Drawing them as irrelevant, kooky, or visibly off-kilter just doesn’t reflect most of them in reality.

Solution:

Get to know people who are part of the religion you’re writing. As you build a relationship with them, ask yourself this question: how are they different? You might find some ways (you believe what?), but chances are, you’ll share a lot of the same interests, character traits, worries and fears, desires, and goals. They believe different things than you and live their lives a little bit differently, but for the most part, they’re people you can talk to, laugh with, and walk through life with. Keep this in mind and fashion your characters after real-life religious people.

An Exception: Some cults and fringe religious movements purposely strive to keep their people insulated and separated from the real world. If you’re writing a character in one of these groups, some of the stereotypes here will be correct.

Judgey McJudgerson

Lordy, lordy. This one.

Most religions espouse some beliefs that are counter-cultural. In fiction, this translates somehow to a religious character pushing those ideas onto everyone else. The truth is, most religious people have certain dos and don’ts that are part of their life practices that they follow as a way of honoring God and others. It’s personal, so they don’t typically judge people outside of their religion for not adopting those tenets—much like military personnel don’t expect civilians to salute, and someone on a diet doesn’t expect others to eat like they do. It’s simply the way that person is choosing to live their life.

Solution:

Figure out what your character believes and how it will impact their life, and let them embrace those ideals without expecting everyone else to do the same. They shouldn’t force their choices onto others or try to guilt people into living the way they do. If someone asks why they do or believe certain things, the character should be able to engage in a respectful conversation without judging or minimizing the other person.

In Conclusion…

The answer to avoiding stereotypes with religious characters is fairly straightforward:

1. Talk to real people who share your character’s beliefs. If you don’t know any, put out a call on social media to see if any are willing to talk to you. Find a local place of worship and call them up. Most of them will be happy to answer your questions about their beliefs and clear the air. Then you’ll be armed with facts about your character’s religion rather than just hearsay or what you’ve seen in other fictional accounts.
2. Make your religious character well-rounded. Give them a variety of positive attributes and flaws. They’re going to be religious, yes, but they’re going to have other hobbies, talents, and areas of interests that are unrelated. Don’t neglect those other personality aspects, and you’ll save them from slipping into caricatures.
3. Know their backstory. Were they always religious? When did it start? What got them into it? Why this religion and not another one? Knowing their history and their reasons in this area will give you a better understanding of who they are at their core. It will also guide you in how big a part of their lives the religion will play.

Other posts in this series:

Avoiding Female Character Stereotypes
Avoiding LGBTQ+ Character Stereotypes
Avoiding Mental Health Character Stereotypes
Avoiding People of Color Stereotypes

Discussion is encouraged, but please keep it courteous. Let’s not call out authors for past mistakes, and let’s do keep an open mind. By listening to and respecting each person’s experiences and perspectives, we can better write the stories and characters readers want to see.

BECCA PUGLISI

Becca Puglisi is an international speaker, writing coach, and bestselling author of The Emotion Thesaurus and its sequels. Her books are available in five languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. She is passionate about learning and sharing her knowledge with others through her Writers Helping Writers blog and via One Stop For Writers—a powerhouse online library created to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post Avoiding Stereotypes in Fiction: Religious Characters appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

Almost every character should have their own voice—their distinctive way of communicating their worldview.

To illustrate, here are three lines from Harry Potter that reveal Hermione’s, Ron’s, and Harry’s individual voices, respectively.

“Don’t go picking a row with Malfoy, don’t forget, he’s a prefect now, he could make life difficult for you…”

“Can I have a look at Uranus too, Lavender?”

“I don’t go looking for trouble. Trouble usually finds me.”

Because Hermione believes in following rules, she regularly tells Ron and Harry to do likewise, and she’s often very logical about it. Ron, however, tends to be a little coarser than the other two and usually says comical one-liners. Finally, Harry, who is always associated with trouble, often has to defend and explain himself.

When boiled down to its most basic parts, voice is made up of two things:

What the Character Talks (or Thinks) about + How She Says it = Voice

What Your Character Talks About

What someone chooses to talk about (and not talk about) reveals character. It reveals worldview, personality, and priorities. For this reason, it’s often helpful to work from the inside out. Knowing your character’s wants, needs, flaws, fears, and layers, will make crafting their voice easier. With that said, it’s also okay to work from the outside in, especially for side characters. You may craft a pleasing voice that then indicates who the character is.

In The Lord of the Rings, the Hobbits often talk about food. They eat a lot more than other characters so food is a higher priority for them. Because they bring up food a lot, we know it’s what they are thinking about a lot. They don’t casually strike up conversations about advanced battle tactics; they don’t have a war-based background. And any conversation they do have about battle tactics wouldn’t be on the same level as a warrior.

So, their culture, interests, and experiences influence their voices. And because they come from similar places, they talk about similar things. However, each Hobbit still has his own voice (because each Hobbit has his own personality). While Pippin would ask about second breakfast without a second thought, Frodo wouldn’t say anything.

How Your Character Talks

Just as the character’s background and personality influence what she talks about, they also influence how she talks. Education, age, and social circles will factor in as well. You will want to consider word choice and speech patterns, and when appropriate, slang and dialect. The character’s dominating emotions can also play into their voice’s tone.

Listen to how Samwise Gamgee talks:

“It’s like the great stories, Mr. Frodo . . . Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think I do, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. . . . . Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going.”

Notice words like “Mr. Frodo,” and “folk,” help establish Sam’s voice. Pretend, instead, Gandalf said this. The word choices and speech patterns would be different. Instead of “lots of chances” he might say “many opportunities.” He might pause in different places and use different sentence structures. He’s far more educated and experienced than Sam, so he’d say those same thoughts in a different way.

Character Voice in Viewpoint

Whether in first person or third person, most stories today are written from the point of view of a character (usually the protagonist). This means that character’s voice will influence the narration. However, actually getting that on the page can be a little tricky. Here are three quick tips.

Regularly Write in Deep POV

“Point of view penetration” refers to how deep the writer gets into the character’s perspective. At the deepest level, the prose takes on the thoughts and attitudes of the character. This is the most effective place to be to get voice on the page (learn more).

Utilize Similes and Metaphors

What your viewpoint character chooses to compare something to will tell us a lot about him. If he compares the color of the sky to the white static on the television, we know he spends more time around or thinking about t.v. than he does nature.

Add Lines that Speak to Worldview

Watch for opportunities to slide in a worldview your character has about something that comes up. Maybe someone your viewpoint character is listening to references the police. Assuming it suits the passage, go ahead and slide in a brief line that clues us into what that character thinks about the police. To them, are they “pigs”? People to avoid? Or protectors?

Here are some more dos and don’ts of getting your viewpoint character’s voice on the page.

SEPTEMBER C FAWKES - Resident Writing Coach

September C. Fawkes is a freelance editor, writing instructor, and award-winning writing tip blogger. She has edited for award-winning and best-selling authors as well as beginning writers. Her blog won the Writer’s Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers Award, Query Letter’s Top Writing Blog Award and has over 500 writing tips. She offers a live online writing course, “The Triarchy Method,” where she personally guides 10 students through developing their best books by focusing on the “bones” of story.

To learn more, visit SeptemberCFawkes.com and grab her AMAZING free guide on Crafting Powerful Protagonists. Find out more about our RWC team here and connect with September below.

The post How to Showcase Your Character’s Unique Voice appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

It’s no secret that side characters can be amazing in their own right. Great side characters feel like real people–even if the focus isn’t on them. They have lives that exist beyond the scope of the protagonist. When they seem to exist only to help or exacerbate the protagonist, they lack authenticity.

With that said, untamed side characters can water down a strong story, or worse, steal the story. While we don’t want our characters to be exact copies of each other (unless, of course, you’re writing a story about characters being exact copies), it can be helpful to examine the main character and his or her journey to bring balance, depth, and meaning to your cast. After all, side characters are also called supporting characters, which means they are meant to support the protagonist’s journey, not take away from it. 

In her book, Story Genius, Lisa Cron explains that while we need to develop secondary characters that have their own driving agendas, realizations, and often, own arcs, we also need to create them with this purpose in mind: “to help facilitate the protagonist’s story.”

She writes, “This means that although each one of them could stand alone as a full-fledged human being . . . you’ll create them and their beliefs so they will naturally facilitate your protagonist’s story.”

Consider what role the character plays in the protagonist’s journey, and develop the character with that in mind. What kind of qualities and attitudes are going to challenge your protagonist? What does your protagonist need to learn from this person? Who would uncover a new side of your protagonist? It’s possible to fully brainstorm a side character who actually doesn’t interact well with your protagonist. But when you consider these questions and similar ones, you’re more likely to create a side character who offers meaningful exchanges. 

(Explore different types of character relationships here.)

If the character is an ally, some writers feel compelled to make him or her too similar to the protagonist. In reality, it’s often more interesting if the ally contrasts the protagonist. In Pixar’s Soul, the protagonist, Joe Gardner, has a thirst for life (jazz, specifically), but he is allied with 22, who has no desire to even be born. This contrast brings each character into sharper focus, balances out the story, and provides more opportunities for meaningful discussions. 

Likewise, if the character is an opponent, it’s often more effective to emphasize a likeness between that character and the protagonist. In Soul, Terry functions as the antagonist, trying to bring Joe to the Great Beyond. Like Joe, Terry is so obsessed with fulfilling his purpose (to count the dead), that he’s blind to the inspiring things happening around him: Joe helping 22 finally find her spark. Like Joe, Terry is also aspiring to a moment of recognition–he wants the Jerries to recognize him with an award for him doing his job. 

It may be helpful to consider much of the side characters as foils and mirrors of the protagonist and his situation. We can see how this balances out in Soul. Joe’s mom foils him by pressuring him to take a practical job. On the other hand, Dorothea Williams reflects what Joe wants to become. Dez foils Joe by letting go of his veterinarian dreams and becoming a barber. Connie reflects his passion for music. Paul foils by being someone who never went after his dreams. . . .

In a sense, each of these characters represents a different moment of or outcome to the journey Joe is on. In his book, The Structure of Story, Ross Hartmann refers to these characters as clones (a term that comes from award-winning screenwriter Brian McDonald). Hartmann writes, “a clone character . . . is a way for us to show what could, should, or might happen to a character if they take a particular path. . . . [We can] use a clone character to convey information about where the character is headed or might be headed either philosophically, emotionally, or physically.” 

The supporting cast is also more balanced when it contains different types of arcs, which tap into the protagonist’s journey. A character may change positively or negatively, or hold steadfast (remaining more or less the same) positively or negatively. In the film, Marley & Me, the protagonist, John, changes positively as he learns to embrace the adventures of domestic life. Marley, who already embraces the adventures of domestic life, remains the same, positively, throughout the film. John’s friend Sebastian dismisses domestic life to go on career-driven adventures instead, remaining the same negatively. Had the filmmakers wanted to, they could have added a fourth character who leaves the adventures of domestic life to fully focus on her career, which would have been a negative change character (within the context of the story). 

Because the protagonist’s journey also plays into a story’s theme, balancing out your cast with your protagonist in mind, can help keep your side characters thematically relevant. For more on that topic, I suggest reading “Use Theme to Determine Subplots, Supporting Characters, and Tension.” 

In any case, creating your supporting characters with your protagonist in mind, will likely lead to a more meaningful, balanced cast, and story.

SEPTEMBER C FAWKES - Resident Writing Coach

September C. Fawkes is a freelance editor, writing instructor, and award-winning writing tip blogger. She has edited for award-winning and best-selling authors as well as beginning writers. Her blog won the Writer’s Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers Award, Query Letter’s Top Writing Blog Award and has over 500 writing tips. She offers a live online writing course, “The Triarchy Method,” where she personally guides 10 students through developing their best books by focusing on the “bones” of story.

To learn more, visit SeptemberCFawkes.com and grab her AMAZING free guide on Crafting Powerful Protagonists. Find out more about our RWC team here and connect with September below.

The post Balancing Your Cast of Characters appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

OVERVIEW
A firefighter is a rescuer who extinguishes and prevents fires that threaten life, property, and the environment. They also respond to car accidents, chemical spills, natural disasters, and engage in water rescues. Many firefighters are certified EMTs, administering first aid until paramedics arrive. They complete inspections, educate the public on preventing fires, and conduct investigations, particularly if arson is suspected. When they’re not responding to an emergency, they work on call at a fire station, maintaining vehicles and tools, staying physically fit, conducting drills, and keeping up to date with industry changes. Because shifts can last 24-48 hours, they often eat and sleep at the station.

NECESSARY TRAINING
Firefighters need a high school diploma or equivalent. Some choose to complete a two-year degree in fire science, but it is not always a requirement. They receive training at a fire academy, where they must be interviewed and pass written, physical, and psychological tests.

USEFUL SKILLS, TALENTS, OR ABILITIES
Basic first aid, empathy, enhanced hearing, enhanced sense of smell, equanimity, high pain tolerance, knowledge of explosives, stamina, strength, strong breath control, swift-footedness

HELPFUL CHARACTER TRAITS
Adventurous, alert, analytical, bold, calm, cautious, compulsive, confident, confrontational, cooperative, courageous, decisive, disciplined, efficient, fanatical, focused, fussy, humorless, intelligent, objective, observant, persistent, protective, pushy, resourceful, responsible, sensible, unselfish

SOURCES OF FRICTION
Sustaining an injury due to someone’s incompetence (a firefighter, volunteer, reckless member of the public, etc.)
A fellow firefighter dying in a fire
Strained personal relationships due to the inherent danger of the work
A challenging fire investigation
An accusation of misconduct or poor decision-making by higher ups who were not on scene
Long and unusual working hours, including 24-hour shifts, holidays, and weekends
Living in the firehouse with people who have clashing personalities
Private firefighting companies competing with traditional firefighters for jobs
Showing fear in front of other firefighters
Managing post-traumatic stress
Repeated exposure to trauma
The physical demands of carrying heavy gear or working in extreme temperatures
The weight of responsibility as a rescuer
Having to fight for government funding year after year
Losing someone in a fire and feeling responsible

PEOPLE THEY MIGHT INTERACT WITH
The fire chief, other firefighters (paid and volunteer), members of the public, police officers, paramedics, fire inspectors, fire investigators, public servants, reporters, psychologists, search and rescue training specialists

HOW THIS OCCUPATION MIGHT IMPACT THE CHARACTER’S NEEDS
Self-Actualization: In high-intensity situations, firefighters might struggle to problem solve. They may be faced with difficult moral decisions, such as saving one person over another. The lack of control in some situations may be hard to square with, especially if a firefighter is highly empathetic, and leave them wondering if this is the career for them.
Esteem and Recognition: Lives may be lost while a firefighter is on the job, resulting in guilt, shame, and possibly post-traumatic stress, all of which may lower self-worth.
Safety and Security: Firefighters work near traffic accidents, buildings with compromised structures, swift-moving water, and active fires, making this is an extremely dangerous profession.
Physiological Needs: Firefighters place their lives on the line in many of the situations they face, so this is a need that is definitely threatened on the job.

TWISTING THE FICTIONAL STEREOTYPE
Firefighters do more than serve the federal or local municipalities; they also work at ports, airports, for the armed services, and for chemical, nuclear, and gas and oil industries. Why not switch up your character’s workplace to bring a fresh twist to the page?

Firefighting is an overwhelmingly male occupation. Consider crafting a female character who can meet the demanding physical, emotional, and mental requirements of the job.

The public inherently trusts firefighters. You could keep this in mind and craft a character that defies stereotypes and surprises the reader.

CHARACTERS MIGHT CHOOSE THIS PROFESSION BECAUSE THEY…
Grew up with a family member in the same profession
Want to make up for a perceived past mistake where they failed to rescue someone
Desire to serve the public in a meaningful way
View camaraderie with other firefighters as a substitute for family
Are drawn to exciting activities and want a job that keeps them active
Want to channel their adrenaline-junkie tendencies into a healthy outlet
Are fascinated with fire

The Occupation Thesaurus has 124 different job profiles like the one above, giving you a range of diverse, contemporary options for your characters along with a deep dive into this important (and yet often under-utilized) area of characterization. Get ready to unlock the storytelling power of occupations!

Reviews from Goodreads

“The Occupation Thesaurus is yet another priceless author resource released in this series…”

“[Angela & Becca’s books] have helped me throughout my successful children’s writing career and when I made the jump to Indie and Romance. This one, The Occupation Thesaurus has to be one of my faves…”

“I’m a retired therapist and I’ve never realized until I read this book that a person’s job, even an insignificant one, carried so much weight in a story and that readers subliminally pick up on it…”

“Angela and Becca go into great detail on the many, many professions presented in this book. Each entry is incredibly well thought out and well researched…”

Add this book to my Goodreads shelf
Find out more about this volume
See the full list of entries in this book
Buy the book in print and ebook or PDF versions

ANGELA ACKERMAN

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.

The post The Occupation Thesaurus: Firefighter appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

It’s a struggle for many, and unfortunately, there’s no single “right” answer. It really depends on the character’s importance in the story, their function or role, and the writer’s own process.

A rule of thumb might be to dig as deep as you need to in order to understand what is motivating them in the story. But honestly, what does that look like? And that might not help Pantsers who do most of their character building during the discovery draft.

Characters are the heart of a story, and to build one that readers won’t forget, you need to dig deep.

When we built the Character Builder at One Stop for Writers, we wanted to give writers a way to uncover their character’s deeper layers like never before, getting to the root causes of their personal pain, fears, insecurities, and unmet needs. These personal details don’t just humanize the character, they provide a road map of their motivation in the story. Their goal becomes their “missing piece,” and to gain it, they will have to move past the fears and flaws that hold them back. Or should you decide the character will fail, this tool’s Character Arc Blueprint can plot that out too.

The Character Builder helps you plan every detail step by step, prompting you with information as you go. But what if the character you’re brainstorming isn’t the protagonist? What if they have a supporting role and no arc in the story–how detailed do they need to be?  

Again it depends…but never fear! We created a Role Guide that looks at each character’s relationship with the protagonist, and based on that, provides guidelines on what sort of detailed planning may be needed.

Below is a shortened version of One Stop for Writers’ role guide to help you identify what information to brainstorm for each character type. (I’ll look at supporting characters now and tackle bigger ones like the Protagonist and Love Interest in another post.)

The Sidekick

A sidekick is a character who is pulling for the protagonist, helping them in some way, while also acting as a contrast of some kind (a foil) that highlights the protagonists’ own qualities. They may have different strengths, skills, education, ideas, or a worldview, but in some meaningful way the sidekick completely aligns with the main character, making them a natural companion.

This alignment is what you need to uncover. If the two have a shared history, that part of the backstory should be explored. If they have the same goal but want it for different reasons, or they have values that align, know what that looks like.

With the sidekick, spend time developing their personality and behavior. This character usually has something “extra special” about them that makes them memorable to readers. Also consider their function as a foil, and what makes them different than the hero or heroine. Do they challenge the protagonist’s beliefs in some way? Is there’s a lesson hidden in the sidekick’s attitude or traits that will help the protagonist grow? If so, know what this is. Of course you’ll also need to know their appearance, and if they have valuable skills, hobbies, or an occupation that will benefit the protagonist in some way, plan that too.

Sidekicks can have their own goals that exist as subplots and if so, a higher level of planning may be needed to fully understand their motivations in the story, as this is what gives them depth. In some cases they may be flat characters who don’t really change, but I urge you to give them substance rather than simply make them a vehicle for comic relief or someone for the protagonist to talk to during the journey. Characters close to the protagonist should never feel hollow.

The Friend

This character’s main function is friendship—to support the protagonist and be the voice of reason (or their conscience). They may lightly steer them regardless of whether the main character wants guidance or not. With a friend, the protagonist can be more open and vulnerable, so answer this question in the planning stage: Why is the protagonist this person’s friend?

A friend may not have a huge role in the story, but they will have commonalities with the protagonist (likes, dislikes, beliefs, worldviews, etc.), that explain why they are friends. If they have a shared history (perhaps they are school buddies, or met in Alcoholics Anonymous), focus on backstory that brought them together, and any shared experiences that explain why the friend looks out for the protagonist. For example, if the friend witnessed past train wreck relationships where the main character was with narcissistic women, he would try to steer the protagonist away from choosing another one as a love interest.

Personality is another area to plan, especially positive traits. Readers should be able to easily see why they are liked by the protagonist.

The Mentor

This character has a pivotal role: to teach or advise the character in a time of need or to offer periodic help over the course of the story. The biggest thing to uncover about this character is WHY. Why does the mentor care enough to help the protagonist? The answer to this question will dictate what sort of planning is necessary.

If they share history or have similar backgrounds, dig into that. If the protagonist’s goal aligns with the mentor’s in some way (a common enemy, righting a past wrong, fulfilling the mentor’s missing need, etc.), think about why this is. The mentor’s motivation needs to be credible, especially if they are enduring hardship or sticking their neck out to help the protagonist (and this is often the case).

While you should know their personality, it is their skills or knowledge that will be more important as this is what will help the protagonist.

Another question to answer is why the mentor disengages at some point and the protagonist forges ahead alone. Know the why: are they forced to step back (due to age, a handicap, responsibilities, or story circumstances)? Do they choose to because of a danger or threat? This will need to be revealed in the story, so know why.

The Minor Character

Minor characters require the least development of all. Focus on key personality points, behaviors, occupation, or skills that further the plot, and don’t worry about the rest. Often minor characters will have a quirk to make them more interesting. If you go this route, choose one that’s meaningful rather than random. Their appearance doesn’t need much planning; focus on a mannerism or how they can move or speak in a way that helps to characterize them so readers can imagine what they look like.

Other Story Players

Occasionally you will have a character who cannot be easily defined by the usual roles. This might be a supernatural force, a deity who has influence over the world, or even an unreliable narrator overseeing the story. Whatever this “other” is, think about their impact on the story, connection to any main cast members, and the motivation behind their actions. This information will help you narrow down what needs to be planned because your goal here is to fully understand these connections.

Uncovering how a character relates to the main cast members is the key.

Even if you don’t use the Character Builder, understanding roles better will help you unearth specific details that will give your secondary characters (and therefore their relationships with the protagonist or other main characters) greater depth.

If you’d like to check out the Character Builder for yourself, why not give the 2-week free trial a spin?

Here’s a character profile we built with this tool.

Watch some character-building magic below:

ANGELA ACKERMAN

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.

The post Character Building: How Much Planning Should I Do? (PART 1) appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

Did you know that before Becca became an author and writing coach, she was a teacher?

It’s true. And if you know her, you’re probably thinking, I can see that. It makes sense.

Why? Because when you think of a teacher, certain associations come to mind.

A teacher is someone who…
…is giving
…is patient and compassionate
…appreciates knowledge
…is an advocate for kids
…is detail-oriented

Sound like Becca? It sure does, especially the last one (she grammars the heck out of everything I write, let me tell you!).

*pauses as Becca screams that grammar isn’t a verb*

(Hey, I didn’t say I always LISTEN.)

Most individuals are drawn to a certain career because it is a match to their personality and interests. You don’t see many unfriendly, pessimistic, greedy, miserly people become teachers (and if you do, I’ll bet you a fat, sugary donut that’s trauma talking, not personality).

Personality traits, skills, interests, passions, abilities, personal history…all of these things influence the type of job we tend to seek out. Paying the bills is a necessity, sure, but if it is within our control, we want to find work we actually enjoy. And like so much else in fiction, what holds true for us in life holds true for our characters.

A character’s occupation isn’t window dressing. It’s a valuable opportunity to show, not tell important information in an economical way.

One of the big issues we run into when it comes to “showing” is that it can chew up a lot of word count. Showing takes more effort than telling, but when the details matter, it’s worth it. Still, we do have to be careful and not get carried away as too much description will slow down the story.

This is why using an occupation to do some heavy lifting when it comes to characterization is a boon: people make associations between people and careers. You can use this to help readers get a feel for who your character is more quickly, which is a necessary step toward encouraging bonds of empathy to form.

Now don’t mishear me – I’m not saying that using an occupation to characterize is all you need to do. But if you choose a job that aligns with their personality, passions, and other factors, your character will feel more authentic because the work they do reaffirms who they are.

So what can an occupation say about your character?

Well, a job can…

Reveal Personality Traits
Showcase Morals & Beliefs
Provide a window to their Interests and Passions
Demonstrate any notable Skills, Talents & Abilities
Indicate their Priorities
Hint at Emotional Wounds (ones they may be running from OR trying to face)
Uncover their Unmet Needs
Reveal Personal Struggles & Relationship Friction
Give you a source of possible Points of Conflict to use in the story
Demonstrate their Education Level
& more!

What about a character who hates their job?

It’s true. Choice isn’t always a factor and sometimes characters (like us), must do work they don’t enjoy: they need the money. It’s close to where they live. It fits their life circumstances. It’s all that’s available. In this case, there may not be a perfect alignment between work and who they are deep down. But valuable information can still be delivered through discrepancies. Consider…

A character who is skilled at killing yet is morally opposed to having to do it. This tells the readers the character feels forced into this work. The “why” is something you can use as a hook to prime readers for the reveal.

A character who is a chemist for a pharmaceutical company even though painting is his true passion. Again, the “why” becomes a question readers will feel compelled to unravel: was it parental pressure to choose a career in science (causing an emotional wound & resentment)? Did a mission to find a cure trump the desire to follow a dream (something personal is at stake)? Was it job security (because health benefits were critical…maybe someone in their family is sick)? The possibilities are endless.

A character who is a server even though she has a Master’s degree in finance. This begs a new question: why choose a job they are over-qualified for? Are they in a witness protection program after discovering the investment firm they worked for was laundering money for the mob? Was the stress of their previous career too much? Is this the only job they could find where hours flow around school times, an important factor to them as a single parent of a special needs child?

The source of a discrepancy reveals something deeper about your character. A reader’s “need to know” draws them in.

As you can see, a character’s job is a treasure trove of characterization. It can also supply your story with CONFLICT. Much time is swallowed up by work, and this can be a hotbed of trouble for characters, creating friction in their relationships, a disconnect between work responsibilities and family, duty vs. desire, and more.

This is why Becca and I built an Occupation Thesaurus – to help you wring every drop of potential from this valuable facet of your character’s life.

The Occupation Thesaurus is now at One Stop for Writers!

If you are interested in seeing all the ways an occupation can breathe life into your characters and the story, visit the Occupation Thesaurus at One Stop for Writers. We’ll be doubling this thesaurus in size in the coming months (and turning it into a book as well…watch for a NEWSLETTER update about that).

Plus, for those of you addicted to One Stop for Writers’ Character Builder, we’ve hardwired this thesaurus into the DAILY LIFE tab. You’ll also find it attached to the WOUND section in case your character chose a career to avoid situations that could lead to more painful trauma which they experienced in their past, or if they are trying to make up for a past mistake through their work.

We encourage you to think outside the box at all the ways your character’s job might impact the story, and have packed this thesaurus with ideas to help!

(Psst. If you haven’t yet used our Free Trial, now might be a great time to activate it.)

What does your character’s job say about who they are at their core? Does it shed light on backstory that will factor into the story? Let us know in the comments!

Lastly, if you’d prefer your resources in book form, The Occupation Thesaurus is now available for purchase! You can find more information on the book’s contents, view a free preview (including a sample entry), and find purchasing options here.

ANGELA ACKERMAN

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.

The post How a Career Can Reveal Your Character’s Deeper Layers appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

It’s official … Audiences have voted with their wallets and proved they WANT more diverse characters as standard. Novels lead the way, with breakout successes like Gone Girl and The Hate You Give making huge cultural impacts.

Now the screenwriting world has undergone a radical overhaul, too. Massive movie franchises like Disney’s, Marvel’s and DC’s through to streamed shows like Russian Doll, Good Girls and Dead to Me have followed suit. And this is just the start!

So, it’s a fact that audiences want a greater variety of characters in books, movies and television that feel both fresh AND authentic. Whether it’s protagonists and antagonists, supporting or peripheral, audiences and readers just don’t want the ‘same-old, same-old’.

Writers too are taking up the challenge. But as writers, we are also told to ‘write what we know’ …  And we can’t KNOW EVERYTHING. *Supersadface*

One of the reasons I wrote my book,  Writing Diverse Characters For Fiction, Film & TV (affiliate link) is because so many writers contacted me worried about this. They would say they’d LOVE to write more diverse stories and characters BUT …

… They ‘don’t know where to start’ and
… They’re ‘afraid of getting it wrong’

So now what?

Well, start here with this handy flow chart … And to avoid ‘getting it wrong’, pay close attentions to what it asks of you as a writer. LET’S GO!

Step One:

EMOTIONAL TRUTH

Emotional truth is the first stop on the flow chart. Authenticity is the antidote to samey tropes and stereotypes. True fact! Start with these questions, below.

1) Why this story?

This part asks the writer to consider WHY they feel the need to tell this particular story. It helps us connect with our own motivations and identify that element that really connects us to both the story and our target audience.

However, sometimes we have to face we are not the best writers for the job. For example, maybe it’s time now for disabled people to tell THEIR stories from their POVs, instead of able-bodied people doing it for them?

2) Why this character?

Note the character spotlight on the flow chart. Connection is key to a diverse character feeling authentic.

• Is this character like me? Why/why not?
• How can I make this character’s struggle or motivation meaningful to the most people possible in my target audience?
• Can I bring authenticity to this character? How can I access his/her world?
• What research do I need to do? What do I already know?

TOP TIP: Writers fall into the ‘same-old, same-old’ when they don’t SCRUTINISE their ideas and assumptions at foundation level. If you do the above however, you can find a fresh take.

Step Two:

WRITING CRAFT

STORY OVERVIEW

Next on the flow chart: check your initial logline/idea, with the following questions in mind.

 3) What is LIKE this story?

• What has gone before in this genre, style, tone in various mediums?
• How is yours the same … but DIFFERENT? What is your twist, or unique selling point?
• Who is your target audience? (It’s not ‘for everyone’!).
• How do you know they will like YOUR story, or at least are likely to pay $$ to watch it?
• What does your target audience want? What research do you need to do on this?

4) What type of diverse story do you want to write?

• Diversity as catalyst.  The most common type of diverse story. The main characters’ diversity serve as the REASON for the story occurs (ie. had they not had some kind of ‘difference’, they would not be part of the story). Examples: GET OUT, MAD MAX FURY ROAD, THE HANDMAID’S TALE.
• Diversity as backstory. In this story world, diversity is the standard. The lead characters and their secondaries are not the REASON for the story. Instead, characters live in a diverse world where their individual heritage may or may not be important eg. PITCH PERFECT, OCEAN’S 8, EMPIRE, THE 100 , GRAVITY, BROOKLYN 99 etc).

CHARACTER

Back to characterisation on the flow chart, with the following questions in mind:

 5) What is LIKE this character?

• Who is your protagonist? What does s/he want? Why?
• Who is your antagonist? Why does s/he get in your protagonist’s way?
• Who are your secondary characters? Are they ‘Team Protag’ or ‘Team Antag’ – Do they help or hinder your main characters? Why?
• Are your characters archetypal? Cross-reference with your story notes. Are your characters a fresh twist on those ‘usual’ archetypes we see in their story’s genre/type, or rehashes of what we have seen before?
• Where does your protagonist live? What is the status quo in his/her storyworld? Is this a world where diversity is typical … or untypical? Why?

6) Type of Protagonist You Are Writing

Next up on the flow chart … Protagonists are most often the character driving the story, making them vital to the success of your story.

• Protagonist as The Educated – the most common. This type leads to the protagonist changing his or her viewpoints via her actions in the narrative, thanks to the actions and teachings of other characters (usually secondaries, but also the antagonist. B2W calls this ‘The Transformative Arc’). ‘The Hero’s Journey’ is a classic example of the transformative arc, so most superheroes follow this route.
• Protagonist as The Educator – There are many ways to do this, but here are 3 of the most common ways to write a protagonist who does not undergo a transformative arc … (affiliate link)

1. ‘The Change Agent’ is when a protagonist does not change him or herself, but may inspire other characters to change, such as the antagonist or secondary characters, ie. Forrest Gump, Mary Poppins. MORE HERE.
2. The Voyager. This is a character who is already capable and doesn’t need to change so much, as solve a significant problem presented with skills and attributes they already possess, ie. John McClane, Ellen Ripley, Furiosa, John Wick. Secondary characters may have to decide to ‘fall in’ with the protagonist and see the mission his/her way … They must help the protagonist, or they are the enemy. You could say The Voyager’s motto is ‘join me or die’. MORE HERE.
3. The Passive Protagonist. A passive protagonist will resist all efforts to make him or her do ANYTHING … which is why a secondary character or antagonist MUST ‘take the reins’ FOR the passive protagonist and drive the story forwards. Usually, a passive protagonist will take some kind of last-minute action in the final moments of the story *for some reason*, often under sufferance (especially comedy), ie. THE BIG LEBOWSKI.

Step Three

7) Write A New Logline / short pitch for your book or screenplay

Now return to your notes/ original logline / outline and use what you have broken down here to INFORM your story in a NEW logline … with your diverse character at the heart of it!

Try the 3 Cs – clarity, character, conflict. The model reminds us a good logline makes it obvious what is at stake for a character by using clear language, such as active verbs and focusing on WHO does WHAT. This prevents us from describing ‘around’ the story and/or falling back on cliched language.

Another good model for loglines to use in conjunction with the above:

When (inciting incident occurs), a (specific  protagonist) must (objective) or (this happens –> stakes).

Download your free cheat sheet on How To Write A Logline.

Good Luck with your writing!

LUCY V. HAY - Resident Writing Coach

Lucy V. Hay is a script editor, author and blogger who helps writers. She’s been the script editor and advisor on numerous UK features and shorts & has also been a script reader for 20 years, providing coverage for indie prodcos, investors, screen agencies, producers, directors and individual writers. She’s also an author, publishing as both LV Hay and Lizzie Fry.  Lizzie’s latest, a serial killer thriller titled The Good Mother is out now with Joffe Books, with her sixth thriller out in 2024. Lucy’s site at www.bang2write.com has appeared in Top 100 round-ups for Writer’s Digest & The Write Life, as well as a UK Blog Awards Finalist and Feedspot’s #1 Screenwriting blog in the UK (ninth in the world.). She is also the author of the bestselling non-fiction book, Writing & Selling Thriller Screenplays: From TV Pilot To Feature Film (Creative Essentials), which she updated for the streaming age for its tenth anniversary in 2023.

The post 3 Steps To Writing Diverse Characters appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

In the last two years, diversity in fiction has become more and more prevalent. We’ve seen blockbuster film and TV hits from award winning books like The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas or Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi. The positive side to this is that marginalized authors are having their stories published in their own voices. This also goes some way to removing hurtful stereotypes from the past.

But what about authors writing diverse characters when they’re not part of that diverse group themselves. Is that okay? As with all things, it depends on how it’s handled, but we’ve all seen vitriolic social media reactions toward authors who’ve gotten something wrong when writing diverse characters. Even books vetted by sensitivity readers aren’t immune to scathing criticism and (sometimes) online bullying. This response has made many people wary of writing characters who are different from them.

So many writers edge back to the traditional safe ground of writing what they know. But all this does is create fear. And we know what fear does: it cripples and blinds, muting the voices that would tell the stories the world so desperately needs to hear.

It’s okay to write diverse characters as long as we do our homework and avoid hurtful stereotypes. Here are some tips for how to write a character who’s different from you.

Research

If you don’t know how to do something, the first thing you usually do is Google it. Diverse characters should be no different. Look for articles written by diverse voices. For example, the Huffington Post has a homepage series for Black Voices, Queer Voices and Latino Voices. 

If you prefer audio-visual formats, look for podcasts and YouTube channels like this one: Bisexual Real Talk. Remember, most of the big social media platforms have supercharged search functions. You can type whatever you want into YouTube and find a solution on how to fix the knob on your washing machine, which means you can also use it as a research platform for character development.

If you’re more into audio, try Listen Notes. It’s a thematic search function for podcasts. Want to find interviews with trans people? Type that in. Want to find information on the history of Native Americans? Type that in, too.

The important thing to note is that if you want to include a character from a specific people group, make sure you learn from people of that background rather than gathering second-hand information.

Reach Out to Advocacy Organizations

Most advocacy groups are only too keen to help spread the word about the people they work with. There are tons of organisations working with minority groups, from Stonewall for LGBTQIA people to Mind, a mental health charity. 

Better still, if there’s a local branch, you can pop in and ask whether you’d be able to speak to their service users. That way you get primary research and first-hand accounts, which bring a richness to your writing that you can’t get any other way.

Read Fiction AND Non-fiction

Writers are always told to read as much as they write. So why wouldn’t you do the same if you want to create a character from a different background than yours?

You can use information sites dedicated to diverse books like this one, which has lists of everything from queer stories to Asian author lists, middle eastern fiction, and much more. Or you can always use Goodreads’ huge book lists to find stories from every single genre and type of minority you could think of. 

But don’t forget, it’s not all about fiction. If you want ideas about personal experiences, read memoirs or nonfiction books about history and culture. Pop into your library and ask the librarian for recommendations or go to your local book store and do the same.

Speak to People

I know writers are often introverted, but it’s time to step outside of your comfort zone. Besides, it doesn’t matter what country, gender, or ethnicity people are from, it’s human nature to want to talk about yourself, and that’s what makes gathering primary research so easy. 

If you want to create an African American male character, speak to African American males. If you what to write a Latino character or a girl from Nigeria or maybe a transgender Chinese boy, guess what… go speak to them and ask questions.

Nine times out of ten, if you ask someone about their heritage, cultural practices, or their experiences of coming out, they’ll be only too keen to tell you. And if they aren’t, the worst they will do is say no. But the improvement and quality of your words if they say yes far outweighs the risk of a ‘no.’

Sensitivity Readers 

Once you’ve written your book, you can use a group of sensitivity readers to make sure you’ve not said anything that would cause harm or offense. 

A sensitivity reader is someone who is a prolific reader or who has a background in writing and editing and also has personal experiences of the topic you’re writing about. The aim is to highlight any misrepresentation, bias, unconscious or blatant racism, homophobia, or unintentional stereotyping.

Opinions vary widely about the topic of hiring sensitivity readers. Is it an imperative for accuracy? A form of censorship? Would not hiring sensitivity readers be a barrier to publication? This is something you’ll want to research yourself, to figure out what you believe and what’s best for your story. 

If you decide to hire sensitivity readers, I’d advise starting in author forums, be it on Facebook or otherwise. If you have a mailing list of readers, you can always do a call out in the same way you’d ask for advance readers or reviewers. And if, when researching, you speak to people from the desired background, you can always ask if they’d be willing to review your story once it’s finished.

Regardless, it’s important to have more than one person read your work. I, for example, am a woman of color with a mixed heritage. I’m also a lesbian woman. However, while I could read and give an opinion on a character like me, my experiences aren’t universal to all lesbian or mixed raced people. Therefore, it’s important to get a range of views and find the middle ground in them.

Universality of the Human Condition

You might be wondering why I haven’t talked about craft. There’s a reason for that: you need to treat your diverse characters in the same way you treat all of your other characters. They should still have character arcs and goals and motivations because realistically, under our skin and gender and sexuality, we’re all human. But there’s one thing all humans share: emotion. 

I could go into detail about how to write emotion, but Becca and Angela have that covered in spades. For more information, check out their compilation post, containing over a dozen links to posts on how to write character emotion. Or use the search function in the right-hand sidebar to find more.

Bottom line: it doesn’t matter who your character is or what ‘minority’ they come from. The way you make them real to a reader is by concentrating on their emotional journey. 

Be Fearless

This is really the message I want to leave you with. We’ll never normalize minority groups if we don’t bring them into the limelight. Be brave, talk about experiences, ask people from different backgrounds questions, and learn about cultural differences. If you’re unsure about whether you should be the one to write a particular experience or story, ask the people within that group. Then go forth and populate your books with characters that are different until different becomes what it should have been all along: normal.

SACHA BLACK

Sacha is the author of the #1 bestseller for writers, 13 Steps To Evil – How To Craft A Superbad Villain. Her blog for writers, www.sachablack.co.uk, is home to regular writing, marketing and publishing advice sprinkled with dark humour and the occasional bad word. In addition to craft books, she writes YA fantasy. The first two books in her Eden East Novel: Keepers and Victor, are out now. You can find her manning the helm at The Rebel Author Podcast, and on social media:

Twitter ǀ Facebook ǀ Instagram ǀ Pinterest

The post Diversity in Fiction: Writing the Character You’re Afraid to Write appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.