It can be tough to write a character falling asleep. Falling asleep isn’t something that you can be very aware of as it is happening, so it can be difficult to really capture the feeling. Because of this, writers have devised all sorts of techniques to avoid writing it, but that’s thinking about it the[…]
Category: Writing Advice
How to Write a Creepy Character Realistically
Sometimes, a story just needs a creep. Whether you need to creep out your characters for a brief moment, or foreshadow the development of a major antagonist with creepy behaviors, you need to be able to effectively write a creepy character. However, that isn’t always as easy as it sounds. How can you create a[…]
Creating a Fictional Culture: Step by Step
Creating a fictional culture is something that almost all fiction and fantasy writers will have to do at some point. Whether you need a culture for a society of humans in an alternate world or the future, or you need to bring your fictional species to life with a vibrant culture of their own, you’re[…]
The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Fictional Species
So you want to make a fictional species. Maybe you want something unique to spice up your fantasy world. Maybe you don’t want to play by the books in Dungeons and Dragons. Or maybe, you just thought it would be fun to create a species to draw or share with your friends. Whatever your reasons[…]
How to Create Complex Flaws for Characters
When you’ve put a lot of time and care into crafting the perfect character for your story, it can be difficult to give them any trait that could be classified as a “flaw.” After all, you want people to like them, and giving them a morally dubious, gross, or selfish quirk could damage readers’ perceptions[…]
Simple Tips for Writing Genius Characters
Writing genius characters might seem like a daunting task, and it isn’t one to be taken lightly. If you can’t realistically convey the character’s genius, then your readers might not take your story seriously. A character that is impossibly smart isn’t interesting or practical, while a character that doesn’t properly convey how intelligent they are[…]
Writing About Dreams and Nightmares
Dreams and nightmares can play a large part in people’s lives, but because of their unstructured and confusing nature, it can be difficult to include them in a story. To make it even more difficult, the majority of a dream is forgotten within the first few minutes after waking up! How are you supposed to[…]
Boo! Writing Surprised Characters
You’ve reached the most important part of your story, where the main character learns something that could change the fate of the world forever. This is a huge moment—but when you try to write the character’s reaction, it comes off as stale and unremarkable. Many writers struggle with conveying strong emotions, but conveying surprise well[…]
When and How to Write a Character Waking Up
Writing about a character waking up can be a challenge, especially since waking up is something we do in a semiconscious state. It can be tough to pinpoint exactly how it feels, and that makes it difficult to write convincingly. In addition to that, writers seem split on when to start a scene with a[…]
Writing a Character with Anger Issues
Characters that struggle with anger management issues are some of the most fun to write, because they tend to be the most complex and tragic. Most often, people include this as a villainous trait to spice up their antagonists, but there are several reasons to be careful with this. Not only is it easy to[…]
