Each blog contains 1 idea, 2 quotes, and 3 questions to ponder.

1 WRITING IDEA

Ever thought about a character’s first line? 

It’s their initial handshake… firm and confident. Or soft and fishy.

A few reasons to give red-carpet treatment to debut lines:

• Impressions Matter
  Just like a first date or job interview, opening words set the tone. 

• Hook ‘Em Fast
  A great line can be the difference between a reader thinking, “Meh” or “More, please!” 

• Show, Don’t Tell (The Golden Rule)
  Instead of saying “Jane was sarcastic,” have her early dialogue drip with delicious sarcasm.

• Reflect Their World
  Sneak in a hint at the character’s background, social status, or setting.

Fun Exercise: Try writing five different first lines for your main characters. Which one makes you go, “Yep, that’s them!”? 

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2 WRITING QUOTES

“Well-crafted dialogue will indicate if a character is smart or dumb, honest or dishonest, amusing or an old sobersides. ”

— Stephen King

“Diction in dialogue is about so much more than the ideas your characters communicate. It’s a tool for revealing who they are, what they want, and how they feel.”

— Abi Wurdeman

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3 Writing Questions

1. Can you think of examples from books or movies where the first line left a strong impression on you?

2. How can the first line of a character contribute to their overall development throughout the story?

3. What makes a first line memorable?

A teen flees her secluded town, only to stumble into shocking events unfolding across the mountains.

About Me

Hey, I’m Brian. Born a Tar Heel but now a Virginian, I’m a father of five and the husband of one amazing lady. My family has a thing for Golden Retrievers. Given the right circumstances, I can do a smooth moonwalk on a slick kitchen floor. And by the way, my newest book is called Color The Sky With Song.

Each blog contains 1 idea, 2 quotes, and 3 questions to ponder.

1 WRITING IDEA

Here’s a quick trick for developing a character. Ask yourself: if they were to carry a purse or a bag, what would be inside?

Maybe it’s lipstick. Or credit cards. But push it deeper….

What about?

A miniature harmonica
A pair of antique opera glasses
A book of poetry
A set of lock-picking tools
An opened condom pack
A set of foreign coins
A foldable boomerang
A spy pen with invisible ink
A fossilized shark tooth
A tiny brass telescope

You get the idea.

Throw one of those bad boys in there and suddenly you’ve got an interesting character.

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2 WRITING QUOTES

“Respect your characters, even the minor ones. In art, as in life, everyone is the hero of their own particular story.
”

— Sarah Waters

“It’s the characters. That’s what I spend most of my time with. Once I’ve done that, character will speak to plot and story.
”

— Craig Borten

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3 Writing Questions

1. What do your characters want in the story? What are they searching for? 

2. What is standing in their way, and what are they willing to do to remove the obstacles?

3. How do your characters respond to failure, stress, and other emotional situations?

What if a trip to the Amazon resulted in an amazing discovery?

WATCH THE BOOK TRAILER:

About Me

Hey, I’m Brian. Born a Tar Heel but now a Virginian, I’m a father of five and the husband of one amazing lady. My family has a thing for Golden Retrievers. Given the right circumstances, I can do a smooth moonwalk on a slick kitchen floor. I’ve also written a book called The Jungle Within.

Photo courtesy of Brad Neathery @bradneathery

Each blog contains 1 idea, 2 quotes, and 3 questions to ponder.

1 WRITING IDEA

As a kid, I devoured all the Encyclopedia Brown books, numerous times.

But… I can’t remember one single plot point. They faded quickly with time.

However, I do recall how Encyclopedia, the boy detective, was so smart and how Bugs Meany, the villain, was so mean. I’ve carried those memories for decades.

Same thing goes for Gilligan’s Island, the Brady Bunch, and the Jack Reacher books. The stories escape me, but man, I love the characters.

I’m guessing most people, like me, remember characters more than plot lines. That’s why, when you’re writing your story, wrestle this question to the ground: What Makes My Protagonist Special?

Is he/she/it… Smart? Sarcastic? Using magic powers? Artistic? Able to leap tall buildings? Good with a whip and a gun?

Writing jump-off-the-page characters starts with knowing their unique personality. Maybe they’re extroverted. Or introverted. Perhaps they’re an Enneagram #3. Or #8. Maybe they’re a Myers Briggs ENFJ.

Once you nail that down, take your beloved cast and then put ‘em through hell. That's right, conflict forges great characters.

Which brings up another question you should answer: Why Does Your Villain Hate Your Antagonist? Oh, that’s a good one.

Writing unforgettable characters is the engine that drives your story, even more than clever plot devices.

Looking at you, Marcia Brady.

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2 WRITING QUOTES

“When I’m creating characters, I definitely think of theme songs. Writing for me is very visual, so I sometimes think of it in terms of a movie with a soundtrack, and try to transfer that to words.”

— Marisha Pessl

“In truth, the secret to all characterization for me is expressible in two maxims: Every character is the hero of his own story, and You don’t write characters, you write relationships.”

— Orson Scott Card

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3 Writing Questions

1. How do you create characters that don’t all sound exactly like you?

2. What are your strategies for creating sympathy for certain characters?

3. What process do you use in developing the personality of your characters?

What if a trip to the Amazon resulted in an amazing discovery?

WATCH THE BOOK TRAILER:

About Me

Hey, I’m Brian. Born a Tar Heel but now a Virginian, I’m a father of five and the husband of one amazing lady. My family has a thing for Golden Retrievers. Given the right circumstances, I can do a smooth moonwalk on a slick kitchen floor. I’ve also written a book called The Jungle Within.