The Intentional Writer
Common Writer Questions: How to Convey Accents
“How do I write dialogue to show an accent or dialect?” I’ve often heard this question discussed at writing…
May 24, 2022-
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Guest PostsWays to Create Emotionally Intelligent Characters
As much fun building characters in a fiction story is, the process is equally challenging. Trying to create memorable…
July 26, 2021 -
Guest PostsReader, I…? Writing in the First Person
In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird (1960), the character Atticus Finch says, “You never really understand a person…
September 24, 2020 -
Mastering Middle GradeWrite Like a Kid
When your critique partners tell you (more than once) your middle grade fiction sounds too adult, how do you…
August 16, 2020 -
Becoming an AuthorActing Techniques to Deepen Your Writing – Part 2
As I mentioned in the previous post, there is much we can learn on the writing craft by studying…
July 9, 2020 -
Becoming an Author
Acting Techniques to Deepen Your Writing – Part 1: Characterization
Over the years, I’ve studied the craft of both writing and acting, and I’ve been amazed at how the…
June 18, 2020 -
Romancing Your StoryHow Do You Write Characters of the Opposite Gender Realistically?
This was a question I saw in the Twitter writing community and realized it is a challenge, especially in…
March 23, 2020 -
History in the MakingInanimate Objects as Characters
Using inanimate objects as characters can add a powerful, interesting element to your story. I cried when Wilson, a…
March 20, 2020 -
Fantasy-Sci-FiThe Beginner’s Guide to Props – Using Them to Show Character
You know the phrase, all an actor needs is an empty room and a script? I’ve heard that idea…
August 7, 2019 -
Fantasy-Sci-Fi
Fantasy Heroes? This Is How You Make Them Relatable.
One of my friends recently gifted me a book. She’d loved it so much she literally went out and…
April 7, 2019 -
Mystery/Thriller/SuspenseCreating Believeable Villains
What are the trademarks of a villain? Do they have dark, piercing eyes, a snarly grin, crooked-yellowed teeth, knobby…
February 17, 2019 -
Writers ChatWriters Chat Recap for November, Part 1
Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Bethany Jett, is the show where we talk about all…
November 15, 2018 -
Talking CharacterKeeping a Character File
Do you have a method for capturing the bits and pieces you use to create memorable, complex characters? If…
May 20, 2018 -
Child's CraftRevealing Your Character’s Character
In her book The Art of Characterization Fay Lamb proposes that writers “use the other elements of storytelling to…
April 21, 2018 -
Talking Character
Use Setting to Define Character
You can learn a lot about a person by visiting their house or office. A writer can use that…
April 17, 2018 -
Talking Character
Writing Historical Characters
Sometimes fiction authors write about real people. Especially those who write historical fiction. Real historical characters can add a…
February 20, 2018 -
Talking Character
How to Create Great Character Bios by Lisa Betz
A character bio is a collection of information that delineates and describes a fictional character. It is a tool…
December 20, 2017 -
Genre, Romancing Your StoryWriting Romance 101––Crafting the Heroine
The heroine is the key to any romance. Yes, we women also want a great guy for her to…
November 23, 2017 -
Talking CharacterFive Questions for Portraying Anger
Anger comes in many shades, from miffed to murderous. Each shade looks and feels different. When a person is…
November 20, 2017 -
Talking Character
Developing Your Character’s Voice
I was once in a bus full of high school students when I heard a boy behind me read…
July 19, 2017 -
The Writer's PenCaseCreating Extraordinary Characters –– Part III
Characters with personality make your readers identify and care about them. There are several ways to determine what your…
June 22, 2017 -
Talking Character
Dos and Don’ts for Describing Characters
A writer must find the perfect balance when describing characters, especially when introducing them to a reader for the…
June 19, 2017 -
The Writer's PenCaseCreating Extraordinary Characters –– Part II
In the beginning…in creating characters, we must begin at the beginning. We’ve talked about a three-word description, and basic…
May 22, 2017 -
Craft, The Writer's PenCase
Creating Extraordinary Characters –– Part I
Why is it that some characters stick in our minds? What is it about them that causes us identify…
April 22, 2017 -
Dear Young ScribesJournaling Prompt Questions to Ask Your Protagonist
Sometimes, we writers can become so focused on writing an enticing, hard-to-put-down plot that we neglect one of the…
November 8, 2016
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