Q&A: How Do I Keep Clever Quips From Hurting the Story?
Submitted by Nobody,
answered
Characters: Page 2
Who Wins: Antz, A Bug’s Life, or Ant-Man?
Uh-oh, there are ants all over this post.
Episode 376: Character Strengths
What if a character was just nice and dependable?
The Best Characters Eat Their Spinach — and Their Candy
This silly-sounding spectrum has a huge impact on how we respond to characters.
Q&A: Does My Protagonist Have to Solve the Problem?
Submitted by Evan,
answered
Five Mediocre White Men From Big-Budget Stories
Why root for a heroic protagonist when you can root for a mediocre white dude instead?
Episode 371: Character Arcs
Have you heard the Klingon proverb that revenge is a dish best served cold?
Six Types of Downward Turning Points
Downward turning points make failure feel satisfying.
Q&A: How Do I Write a Character That’s Smart but Lacks Common Sense?
Submitted by Atlas,
answered
Q&A: How Can My Angry Character Be Likable?
Submitted by Murphie,
answered
How to Write Three Types of Friendship Arcs
A great friendship can add meaning and emotional depth to your story.
Q&A: How Do I Craft Assistive Devices for a Blind Character?
Submitted by Leota,
answered
Q&A: How Should My Hero Recruit a Crew?
Submitted by Frank,
answered
Episode 366: Large Casts
How many is too many?
Nine Personality Clashes for Character Conflicts
How to put good people at odds without making them look mean or unreasonable.
Episode 362: Meta Mysteries
Our main advice on meta mysteries is: don’t.
Five Ways Arcane Could Be Better
Even a show that blows us out of the water has room to improve.
How to Keep Your Favorite Character From Ruining Your Story
The first step to fixing a candied character is recognizing them.
Way of Kings Shows Us the Damage Meta Mysteries Can Do
Don't make readers puzzle out what the protagonist already knows.
Episode 360: Backstory
How much backstory should your story have?
Oren Ashkenazi