by Marg McAlister | Characters, Writing Fiction
My librarian and I share a passion for mysteries and thrillers. She knows my tastes so well now that she puts new books on reserve for me as soon as they are in the system. But when I think about our conversations about the latest story that we both loved, I...
by Marg McAlister | Characters, Writing Fiction
Let’s make it clear from the start that I’m not saying that ALL your characters should be likeable. Of course not. We all need characters that we love to hate! But when it comes to the main character – think carefully before you present this person...
by Marg McAlister | Characters, Writing Fiction
We all like to make our characters as three-dimensional as possible, so that the reader sees them as real people. We strive to show what they look like, how they feel, and how they react. We try to get right into their skin and use a variety of strategies to let the...
by Marg McAlister | Characters, Plotting, Writing Fiction
How do you actually begin a novel – by working out the plot, or starting with a character? And which is best? The answer is probably pretty much what you expected: no one method is “best”. In fact, many authors have begun their first novel by working...
by Marg McAlister | Characters, Writing Fiction
These 8 tips on using characters in your stories will help you make sure that readers are involved with your story people right from the start. Tip 1: Make sure that the reader knows as early as possible who the viewpoint character is in any scene. Do this by tapping...
by Marg McAlister | Characters, Writing Fiction
Long ago, movie directors mastered the technique of creating a convincing fight scene. Bodies crash to the floor.. chairs are upended… viewers are treated to closeups of terrified or furious faces… and the punches thrown are enough to make us wince and...
