| character questions for writers: After the Plague T.C. Boyle, 2002-12-31 Few authors in America write with such sheer love of story, language, and imagination as T.C. Boyle, and nowhere is that passion more evident than in his inventive, wickedly funny, and widely praised short stories. In After the Plague, Boyle speaks of contemporary social issues in a range of emotional keys. The sixteen stories gathered here address everything from air rage to abortion doctors to first love and its consequences. The collection ends with the brilliant title story, a whimsical and imaginative vision of a disease-ravaged Earth. Presented with characteristic wit and intelligence, these stories will delight readers in search of the latest news of the chaotic, disturbing, and achingly beautiful world in which we live. Boyle's imagination and zeal for storytelling are in top form here.—Publishers Weekly |
| character questions for writers: Advice to Writers Jon Winokur, 2000-05-09 In Advice to Writers, Jon Winokur, author of the bestselling The Portable Curmudgeon, gathers the counsel of more than four hundred celebrated authors in a treasury on the world of writing. Here are literary lions on everything from the passive voice to promotion and publicity: James Baldwin on the practiced illusion of effortless prose, Isaac Asimov on the despotic tendencies of editors, John Cheever on the perils of drink, Ivan Turgenev on matrimony and the Muse. Here, too, are the secrets behind the sleight-of-hand practiced by artists from Aristotle to Rita Mae Brown. Sagacious, inspiring, and entertaining, Advice to Writers is an essential volume for the writer in every reader. |
| character questions for writers: Get to the Point! Joel Schwartzberg, 2017-10-16 In this indispensable guide for anyone who must communicate in speech or writing, Schwartzberg shows that most of us fail to convince because we don't have a point-a concrete contention that we can argue, defend, illustrate, and prove. He lays out, step-by-step, how to develop one. In Joel's Schwartzberg's ten-plus years as a strategic communications trainer, the biggest obstacle he's come across-one that connects directly to nervousness, stammering, rambling, and epic fail-is that most speakers and writers don't have a point. They typically have just a title, a theme, a topic, an idea, an assertion, a catchphrase, or even something much less. A point is something more. It's a contention you can propose, argue, defend, illustrate, and prove. A point offers a position of potential value. Global warming is real is not a point. Scientific evidence shows that global warming is a real, human-generated problem that will have a devastating environmental and financial impact is a point. When we have a point, our influence snaps into place. We communicate belief, conviction, and urgency. This book shows you how to identify your point, leverage it, stick to it, and sell it and how to train others to identify and successfully make their own points. |
| character questions for writers: Writing Irresistible Kidlit Mary Kole, 2012-12-04 Captivate the hearts and minds of young adult readers! Writing for young adult (YA) and middle grade (MG) audiences isn't just kid's stuff anymore--it's kidlit! The YA and MG book markets are healthier and more robust than ever, and that means the competition is fiercer, too. In Writing Irresistible Kidlit, literary agent Mary Kole shares her expertise on writing novels for young adult and middle grade readers and teaches you how to: • Recognize the differences between middle grade and young adult audiences and how it impacts your writing. • Tailor your manuscript's tone, length, and content to your readership. • Avoid common mistakes and cliches that are prevalent in YA and MG fiction, in respect to characters, story ideas, plot structure and more. • Develop themes and ideas in your novel that will strike emotional chords. Mary Kole's candid commentary and insightful observations, as well as a collection of book excerpts and personal insights from bestselling authors and editors who specialize in the children's book market, are invaluable tools for your kidlit career. If you want the skills, techniques, and know-how you need to craft memorable stories for teens and tweens, Writing Irresistible Kidlit can give them to you. |
| character questions for writers: Radium Girls D. W. Gregory, 2003 In 1926, radium was a miracle cure, Madame Curie an international celebrity, and luminous watches the latest rage- until the girls who painted them began to fall ill with a mysterious disease. Inspired by a true story, Radium Girls traces the efforts of Grace Fryer, a dial painter, as she fights for her day in court. Her chief adversary is her former employer, Arthur Roeder, an idealistic man who cannot bring himself to believe that the same element that shrinks tumors could have anything to do with the terrifying rash of illnesses among his employees. As the case goes on, however, Grace finds herself battling not only with the U.S. Radium Corporation, but also with her own family and friends, who fear that her campaign for justice will backfire. |
| character questions for writers: Love and Hydrogen Jim Shepard, 2007-12-18 I’ve been a problem baby, a lousy son, a distant brother, an off-putting neighbor, a piss-poor student, a worrisome seatmate, an unreliable employee, a bewildering lover, a frustrating confidante and a crappy husband. Among the things I do pretty well at this point I’d have to list darts, re-closing Stay-Fresh boxes, and staying out of the way. This is the self-eulogy offered early on by the unwilling hero of the opening story in this collection, a dazzling array of work in short fiction from a master of the form. The stories in Love and Hydrogen—familiar to readers from publications ranging from McSweeney’s to The New Yorker to Harper’s to Tin House—encompass in theme and compassion what an ordinary writer would seem to need several lifetimes to imagine. A frustrated wife makes use of an enterprising illegal-gun salesman to hold her husband hostage; two hapless adult-education students botch their attempts at rudimentary piano but succeed in a halting, awkward romance; a fascinated and murderous Creature welcomes the first human visitors to his Black Lagoon; and in the title story, the stupefyingly huge airship Hindenburg flies to its doom, representing in 1937 mankind's greatest yearning as well as its titanic failure. Generous in scope and astonishing in ambition, Shepard’s voice never falters; the virtuosity of Love and Hydrogen cements his reputation as, in the words of Rick Bass, “a passionate writer with a razor-sharp wit and an elephantine heart”—in short, one of the most powerful talents at work today. |
| character questions for writers: Big Red Tequila Rick Riordan, 2013-01-08 From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series Everything in Texas is bigger . . . even murder. Meet Tres Navarre—tequila drinker, Tai Chi master, and unlicensed P.I., with a penchant for Texas-size trouble. Jackson “Tres” Navarre and his enchilada-eating cat, Robert Johnson, pull into San Antonio and find nothing waiting but trouble. Ten years ago Navarre left town and the memory of his father’s murder behind him. Now he’s back, looking for answers. Yet the more Tres digs, trying to put his suspicions to rest, the fresher the decade-old crime looks: Mafia connections, construction site payoffs, and slick politicians’ games all conspire to ruin his homecoming. It’s obvious Tres has stirred up a hornet’s nest of trouble. He gets attacked, shot at, run over by a big blue Thunderbird—and his old girlfriend, the one he wants back, is missing. Tres has to rescue the woman, nail his father’s murderer, and get the hell out of Dodge before mob-style Texas justice catches up to him. The chances of staying alive looked better for the defenders of the Alamo. “Riordan writes so well about the people and topography of his Texas hometown that he quickly marks the territory as his own.”—Chicago Tribune Don’t miss any of these hotter-than-Texas-chili Tres Navarre novels: BIG RED TEQUILA • THE WIDOWER’S TWO-STEP • THE LAST KING OF TEXAS • THE DEVIL WENT DOWN TO AUSTIN • SOUTHTOWN • MISSION ROAD • REBEL ISLAND |
| character questions for writers: Salvation Road D. W. Gregory, 2017 |
| character questions for writers: 100 Days of Sunlight Abbie Emmons, 2019-08-07 When 16-year-old poetry blogger Tessa Dickinson is involved in a car accident and loses her eyesight for 100 days, she feels like her whole world has been turned upside-down. Terrified that her vision might never return, Tessa feels like she has nothing left to be happy about. But when her grandparents place an ad in the local newspaper looking for a typist to help Tessa continue writing and blogging, an unlikely answer knocks at their door: Weston Ludovico, a boy her age with bright eyes, an optimistic smile...and no legs. Knowing how angry and afraid Tessa is feeling, Weston thinks he can help her. But he has one condition -- no one can tell Tessa about his disability. And because she can't see him, she treats him with contempt: screaming at him to get out of her house and never come back. But for Weston, it's the most amazing feeling: to be treated like a normal person, not just a sob story. So he comes back. Again and again and again. Tessa spurns Weston's obnoxious optimism, convinced that he has no idea what she's going through. But Weston knows exactly how she feels and reaches into her darkness to show her that there is more than one way to experience the world. As Tessa grows closer to Weston, she finds it harder and harder to imagine life without him -- and Weston can't imagine life without her. But he still hasn't told her the truth, and when Tessa's sight returns he'll have to make the hardest decision of his life: vanish from Tessa's world...or overcome his fear of being seen. 100 Days of Sunlight is a poignant and heartfelt novel by author Abbie Emmons. If you like sweet contemporary romance and strong family themes then you'll love this touching story of hope, healing, and getting back up when life knocks you down. |
| character questions for writers: Queen of the Owls Barbara Linn Probst, 2020-04-07 A chance meeting with a charismatic photographer will forever change Elizabeth’s life. Until she met Richard, Elizabeth's relationship with Georgia O’Keeffe and her little-known Hawaii paintings was purely academic. Now it’s personal. Richard tells Elizabeth that the only way she can truly understand O’Keeffe isn’t with her mind—it’s by getting into O’Keeffe’s skin and reenacting her famous nude photos. In the intimacy of Richard’s studio, Elizabeth experiences a new, intoxicating abandon and fullness. It never occurs to her that the photographs might be made public, especially without her consent. Desperate to avoid exposure—she’s a rising star in the academic world and the mother of young children—Elizabeth demands that Richard dismantle the exhibit. But he refuses. The pictures are his art. His property, not hers. As word of the photos spreads, Elizabeth unwittingly becomes a feminist heroine to her students, who misunderstand her motives in posing. To the university, however, her actions are a public scandal. To her husband, they’re a public humiliation. Yet Richard has reawakened an awareness that’s haunted Elizabeth since she was a child—the truth that cerebral knowledge will never be enough. Now she must face the question: How much is she willing to risk to be truly seen and known? |
| character questions for writers: Writers & Lovers Lily King, 2020-03-03 #ReadWithJenna Book Club Pick as Featured on Today Emma Roberts Belletrist Book Club Pick A New York Times Book Review’s Group Text Selection I loved this book not just from the first chapter or the first page but from the first paragraph... The voice is just so honest and riveting and insightful about creativity and life. —Curtis Sittenfeld An extraordinary new novel of art, love, and ambition from Lily King, the New York Times bestselling author of Euphoria Following the breakout success of her critically acclaimed and award-winning novel Euphoria, Lily King returns with another instant New York Times bestseller: an unforgettable portrait of an artist as a young woman. Blindsided by her mother’s sudden death, and wrecked by a recent love affair, Casey Peabody has arrived in Massachusetts in the summer of 1997 without a plan. Her mail consists of wedding invitations and final notices from debt collectors. A former child golf prodigy, she now waits tables in Harvard Square and rents a tiny, moldy room at the side of a garage where she works on the novel she’s been writing for six years. At thirty-one, Casey is still clutching onto something nearly all her old friends have let go of: the determination to live a creative life. When she falls for two very different men at the same time, her world fractures even more. Casey’s fight to fulfill her creative ambitions and balance the conflicting demands of art and life is challenged in ways that push her to the brink. Writers & Lovers follows Casey—a smart and achingly vulnerable protagonist—in the last days of a long youth, a time when every element of her life comes to a crisis. Written with King’s trademark humor, heart, and intelligence, Writers & Lovers is a transfixing novel that explores the terrifying and exhilarating leap between the end of one phase of life and the beginning of another. |
| character questions for writers: Lethal White Robert Galbraith, 2018-09-18 An unsettling cold case investigation ensnares Cormoran Strike and his partner in a web of dangerous secrets in this #1 New York Times bestseller, the inspiration for HBO Max's acclaimed series C.B. Strike. When a troubled young man named Billy asks Cormoran Strike to help him investigate a crime he witnessed as a child, the private eye is left deeply troubled. While Billy is obviously mentally distressed and cannot remember many concrete details, there is something sincere about him and his story. But before Strike can question him further, Billy bolts from his office in a panic. Trying to get to the bottom of Billy's story, Strike and Robin Ellacott -- once his assistant, now a partner in the agency -- set off on a twisting trail that leads them through the backstreets of London, into a secretive inner sanctum within Parliament, and to a beautiful but sinister manor house deep in the countryside. And during this labyrinthine investigation, Strike's own life is far from straightforward. His newfound fame as a private eye means he can no longer operate behind the scenes as he once did. Plus, his relationship with his former assistant is more fraught than it ever has been; Robin is now invaluable to Strike in the business, but their personal relationship is much, much trickier than that. The most epic Robert Galbraith novel yet, Lethal White is addictive, murderous fun for British mystery lovers and crime fiction fans alike (Vox). |
| character questions for writers: Creating Characters Writer's Digest Books, 2014-11-01 Create characters that leap off the page--and into readers' hearts! Populating your fiction with authentic, vivid characters is a surefire way to captivate your readers from the first sentence to the last. Whether you're writing a series, novel, short story, or flash fiction, Creating Characters is an invaluable guide to bringing your fictional cast to life. This book is a comprehensive reference to every stage of character development. You'll find timely advice and helpful instruction from best-selling authors like Nancy Kress, Elizabeth Sims, Orson Scott Card, Chuck Wendig, Hallie Ephron, Donald Maass, and James Scott Bell. They'll show you how to: • Effectively introduce your characters • Build a believable protagonist • Develop strong anti-heroes and compelling villains • Juggle multiple points of view without missing a beat • Craft authentic dialogue that propels the story forward • Motivate your characters with powerful objectives and a believable conflict • Show dynamic character development over the course of a story No matter what your genre, Creating Characters gives you the tools necessary to create realistic, fascinating characters that your readers will root for and remember long after they've finished the story. |
| character questions for writers: GMC: Goal, Motivation, and Conflict Debra Dixon, 2013-07-15 This book belongs on every fiction writer's bookshelf. Anyone who has ever had a story to tell and is dying to get it down on paper will find guidance and inspiration in GMC. The presentation is clear, immediate, and relevant to all writers--from novices to seasoned professionals. Experienced author Debra Dixon has done a magnificent job of demystifying the toughest aspect of fiction writing: that of a giving a story shape, form and urgency. -- Susan Wiggs, New York Times bestselling and RITA® Award winning author of over 40 novels and novellas One of the best in her craft. -- Toronto Star Goal, Motivation & Conflict is one of my all time favorites. -- Jane Porter (Flirting With Forty), award winning and bestselling author with 10 million books in print, in twenty languages and 25 countries Goal, motivation, and conflict are the foundation of everything that happens in the story world. Using charts, examples, and movies, the author breaks these key elements down into understandable components and walks the reader through the process of laying this foundation in his or her own work. Learn what causes sagging middles and how to fix them, which goals are important, which aren't and why, how to get your characters to do what they need for your plot in a believable manner, and how to use conflict to create a good story. GMC can be used not only in plotting, but in character development, sharpening scenes, pitching ideas to an editor, and evaluating whether an idea will work. Be confident your ideas will work before you write 200 pages. Plan a road map to keep your story on track. Discover why your scenes aren't working and what to do about it. Create characters that editors and readers will care about. |
| character questions for writers: Outlining Your Novel Workbook K. M. Weiland, 2014-11-12 Learn How to Make Your First Draft Easy!Award-winning author K.M. Weiland's previous book, the bestselling Outlining Your Novel, showed writers how to embrace outlines in a way that makes the writing process fun, inspiring, and easy.Now it's time to put those lessons to use! Building upon the principles you've already learned, the Outlining Your Novel Workbook presents a guided approach to getting the bones of your story down on paper, identifying plot holes, and brainstorming exciting new possibilities.Containing hundreds of incisive questions and imagination-revving exercises, this valuable resource will show you how to:Create your own personalized outlining processBrainstorm premise and plot ideasDiscover your charactersChoose and create the right settingsOrganize your scenesAnd so much more!This accessible and streamlined workbook will empower you to create a powerful outline--and an outstanding novel.Start writing your best book today! |
| character questions for writers: Story Genius Lisa Cron, 2016-08-09 Following on the heels of Lisa Cron's breakout first book, Wired for Story, this writing guide reveals how to use cognitive storytelling strategies to build a scene-by-scene blueprint for a riveting story. It’s every novelist’s greatest fear: pouring their blood, sweat, and tears into writing hundreds of pages only to realize that their story has no sense of urgency, no internal logic, and so is a page one rewrite. The prevailing wisdom in the writing community is that there are just two ways around this problem: pantsing (winging it) and plotting (focusing on the external plot). Story coach Lisa Cron has spent her career discovering why these methods don’t work and coming up with a powerful alternative, based on the science behind what our brains are wired to crave in every story we read (and it’s not what you think). In Story Genius Cron takes you, step-by-step, through the creation of a novel from the first glimmer of an idea, to a complete multilayered blueprint—including fully realized scenes—that evolves into a first draft with the authority, richness, and command of a riveting sixth or seventh draft. |
| character questions for writers: The Palace Thief Ethan Canin, 2002-11-23 A collection of four short fiction stories by Ethan Canin in which people find themselves struggling to understand the strange, surprising turns their lives have taken. |
| character questions for writers: Down Comes the Night Allison Saft, 2021-03-02 A YA fantasy classic in the making. - Christine Lynn Herman, author of The Devouring Gray Fans of Leigh Bardugo’s “Grisha Trilogy” and Marie Rutkoski’s “Winner’s Trilogy” have been waiting for this Darkling-esque romance... - School Library Journal (Starred Review) New York Times bestselling author Allison Saft’s Down Comes the Night is a snow-drenched romantic fantasy that keeps you racing through the pages long into the night. He saw the darkness in her magic. She saw the magic in his darkness. Wren Southerland’s reckless use of magic has cost her everything: she's been dismissed from the Queen’s Guard and separated from her best friend—the girl she loves. So when a letter arrives from a reclusive lord, asking Wren to come to his estate, Colwick Hall, to cure his servant from a mysterious illness, she seizes her chance to redeem herself. The mansion is crumbling, icy winds haunt the caved-in halls, and her eccentric host forbids her from leaving her room after dark. Worse, Wren’s patient isn’t a servant at all but Hal Cavendish, the infamous Reaper of Vesria and her kingdom’s sworn enemy. Hal also came to Colwick Hall for redemption, but the secrets in the estate may lead to both of their deaths. With sinister forces at work, Wren and Hal realize they’ll have to join together if they have any hope of saving their kingdoms. But as Wren circles closer to the nefarious truth behind Hal’s illness, they realize they have no escape from the monsters within the mansion. All they have is each other, and a startling desire that could be their downfall. Love makes monsters of us all |
| character questions for writers: Scot on the Rocks Brenda Janowitz, 2007 Brooke concocts an outrageous plan to survive her ex-boyfriend's wedding to a Hollywood bimbo. |
| character questions for writers: The Eleventh Trade Alyssa Hollingsworth, 2018-09-18 From debut author Alyssa Hollingsworth comes a story about living with fear, being a friend, and finding a new place to call home. They say you can't get something for nothing, but nothing is all Sami has. When his grandfather’s most-prized possession—a traditional Afghan instrument called a rebab—is stolen, Sami resolves to get it back. He finds it at a music store, but it costs $700, and Sami doesn’t have even one penny. What he does have is a keychain that has caught the eye of his classmate. If he trades the keychain for something more valuable, could he keep trading until he has $700? Sami is about to find out. The Eleventh Trade is both a classic middle school story and a story about being a refugee. Alyssa Hollingsworth tackles a big issue with a light touch. 2020 UKLA Award Winner |
| character questions for writers: One Hundred Years of Solitude Gabriel García Márquez, 2022-10-11 Netflix’s series adaptation of One Hundred Years of Solitude premieres December 11, 2024! One of the twentieth century’s enduring works, One Hundred Years of Solitude is a widely beloved and acclaimed novel known throughout the world and the ultimate achievement in a Nobel Prize–winning career. The novel tells the story of the rise and fall of the mythical town of Macondo through the history of the Buendía family. Rich and brilliant, it is a chronicle of life, death, and the tragicomedy of humankind. In the beautiful, ridiculous, and tawdry story of the Buendía family, one sees all of humanity, just as in the history, myths, growth, and decay of Macondo, one sees all of Latin America. Love and lust, war and revolution, riches and poverty, youth and senility, the variety of life, the endlessness of death, the search for peace and truth—these universal themes dominate the novel. Alternately reverential and comical, One Hundred Years of Solitude weaves the political, personal, and spiritual to bring a new consciousness to storytelling. Translated into dozens of languages, this stunning work is no less than an account of the history of the human race. |
| character questions for writers: Count All Her Bones April Henry, 2017-05-02 April Henry masterminds another edge-of-your-seat thriller in this much-anticipated sequel to Girl, Stolen. Six months ago, Griffin Sawyer meant to steal a car, but he never meant to steal the girl asleep in the backseat. Panicked, he took her home. His father, Roy, decided to hold Cheyenne—who is blind—for ransom. Griffin helped her escape, and now Roy is awaiting trial. As they prepare to testify, Griffin and Cheyenne reconnect and make plans to meet. But the plan goes wrong and Cheyenne gets captured by Roy’s henchmen—this time for the kill. Can Cheyenne free herself? And is Griffin a pawn or a player in this deadly chase? April Henry masterminds another edge-of-your-seat thriller in Count All Her Bones. This title has Common Core connections. A Christy Ottaviano Book |
| character questions for writers: Outline Rachel Cusk, 2015-01-13 A Finalist for the Folio Prize, the Goldsmiths Prize, the Scotiabank Giller Prize, and the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction. One of The New York Times' Top Ten Books of the Year. Named a A New York Times Book Review Notable Book and a Best Book of the Year by The New Yorker, Vogue, NPR, The Guardian, The Independent, Glamour, and The Globe and Mail A luminous, powerful novel that establishes Rachel Cusk as one of the finest writers in the English language A man and a woman are seated next to each other on a plane. They get to talking—about their destination, their careers, their families. Grievances are aired, family tragedies discussed, marriages and divorces analyzed. An intimacy is established as two strangers contrast their own fictions about their lives. Rachel Cusk's Outline is a novel in ten conversations. Spare and stark, it follows a novelist teaching a course in creative writing during one oppressively hot summer in Athens. She leads her students in storytelling exercises. She meets other visiting writers for dinner and discourse. She goes swimming in the Ionian Sea with her neighbor from the plane. The people she encounters speak volubly about themselves: their fantasies, anxieties, pet theories, regrets, and longings. And through these disclosures, a portrait of the narrator is drawn by contrast, a portrait of a woman learning to face a great loss. Outline takes a hard look at the things that are hardest to speak about. It brilliantly captures conversations, investigates people's motivations for storytelling, and questions their ability to ever do so honestly or unselfishly. In doing so it bares the deepest impulses behind the craft of fiction writing. This is Rachel Cusk's finest work yet, and one of the most startling, brilliant, original novels of recent years. |
| character questions for writers: The Lonely Hearts Club Brenda Janowitz, 2014-05-06 Jo Waldman lives life to her own soundtrack—working for her father by day while pursuing her music career in NYC’s downtown clubs at night. Music is her passion, along with her boyfriend, Jesse, who shares her dreams of making it big. Jo's old band, The Lonely Hearts Club, came thisclose to getting a huge recording contract, and she’s just biding her time, waiting for lightning to strike twice. The music business is tough, but so is Jo. So when Jo's father fires her and Jesse breaks up with her, Jo doesn’t get upset—she just wants to rage. Dusting off her computer, Jo writes a blog entry, pouring her heart out about the shortcomings of love. Except that no sooner does Jo hit “upload” than the site sends a mass e-mail to the entire Lonely Hearts mailing list, alerting everybody Joe has ever met that she's been brutally dumped. All Jo wants to do is hide under the covers, but to her surprise, supportive e-mails start flowing in—many of them from complete strangers. Apparently, her anti-love rant has struck a chord. The Lonely Hearts Club Blog develops a huge following, even capturing the eye of Jo’s sworn nemesis, bubble gum pop princess Amber Fairchild. Jo soon becomes an icon for all things “anti-love,” and at her fans' request, she begins to plan The Lonely Hearts Club Ball—a massive anti-love Valentine's Day party to end all parties. Jo quickly becomes the poster girl for lonely hearts, and it inspires her to start writing music again. There's only one problem: the web programmer helping Jo with her site is simply dreamy. Jo's never been very good at depriving herself of anything, but if this budding romance is exposed, she'll be revealed as an 'anti-love' fraud and risk losing all the people who have grown trust her voice. So is it time to start singing love songs, or time to pick up the guitar and return to the hard rock that almost got The Lonely Hearts signed in the first place? Either way, Jo's got some big decisions to make, and it looks like she's going to have to take one step closer to doing something she never thought she'd do—becoming a grownup. From Brenda Janowitz, author of the beloved Brooke Miller novels SCOT ON THE ROCKS and JACK WITH A TWIST comes another uproariously funny and heartfelt story that will ring true to anyone who's dug themselves into a hole only to find that getting out is where you least expect it. |
| character questions for writers: The Painter Peter Heller, 2014-05-06 NATIONAL BESTSELLER • From the national bestselling author of The River and The Dog Stars comes a carefully composed story about one man’s downward turning life in the American West” (The Boston Globe). After having shot a man in a Santa Fe bar, the famous artist Jim Stegner served his time and has since struggled to manage the dark impulses that sometimes overtake him. Now he lives a quiet life ... until the day that he comes across a hunting guide beating a small horse, and a brutal act of new violence rips his quiet life right open. Pursued by men dead set on retribution, Jim is left with no choice but to return to New Mexico and the high-profile life he left behind, where he’ll reckon with past deeds and the dark shadows in his own heart. Look for Peter Heller's new novel, The Last Ranger, coming soon! |
| character questions for writers: Story Trumps Structure Steven James, 2014-05-27 Don't limit your fiction - LIBERATE IT All too often, following the rules of writing can constrict rather than inspire you. With Story Trumps Structure, you can shed those rules - about three-act structure, rising action, outlining, and more - to craft your most powerful, emotional, and gripping stories. Award-winning novelist Steven James explains how to trust the narrative process to make your story believable, compelling, and engaging, and debunks the common myths that hold writers back from creating their best work. • Ditch your outline and learn to write organically. • Set up promises for readers - and deliver on them. • Discover how to craft a satisfying climax. • Master the subtleties of characterization. • Add mind-blowing twists to your fiction. When you focus on what lies at the heart of story - tension, desire, crisis, escalation, struggle, discovery - rather than plot templates and formulas, you'll begin to break out of the box and write fiction that resonates with your readers. Story Trumps Structure will transform the way you think about stories and the way you write them, forever. |
| character questions for writers: The Art of War for Writers James Scott Bell, 2009-12-09 Strategies and Tactics for the Master Novelist Successfully starting and finishing a publishable novel is often like fighting a series of battles. You not only have to work hard to shape memorable characters, develop gripping plots, and craft dazzling dialogue, but you also have to fight against self-doubts and fears. And then there's the challenge of learning to navigate the ever-changing publishing industry. That's why best-selling novelist James Scott Bell, author of the Write Great Fiction staples Plot & Structure and Revision & Self-Editing, came up with the ultimate novel-writing battle plan: The Art of War for Writers. You'll find tactics and strategies for idea generation and development, character building, plotting, drafting, querying and submitting, dealing with rejection, coping with unrealistic expectations, and much more. With timeless, innovative, and concise writing reflections and techniques, The Art of War for Writers is your roadmap to victory. |
| character questions for writers: Nineteen eighty-four George Orwell, 2022-11-22 This is a dystopian social science fiction novel and morality tale. The novel is set in the year 1984, a fictional future in which most of the world has been destroyed by unending war, constant government monitoring, historical revisionism, and propaganda. The totalitarian superstate Oceania, ruled by the Party and known as Airstrip One, now includes Great Britain as a province. The Party uses the Thought Police to repress individuality and critical thought. Big Brother, the tyrannical ruler of Oceania, enjoys a strong personality cult that was created by the party's overzealous brainwashing methods. Winston Smith, the main character, is a hard-working and skilled member of the Ministry of Truth's Outer Party who secretly despises the Party and harbors rebellious fantasies. |
| character questions for writers: The Anatomy of Story John Truby, 2008-10-14 John Truby is one of the most respected and sought-after story consultants in the film industry, and his students have gone on to pen some of Hollywood's most successful films, including Sleepless in Seattle, Scream, and Shrek. The Anatomy of Story is his long-awaited first book, and it shares all of his secrets for writing a compelling script. Based on the lessons in his award-winning class, Great Screenwriting, The Anatomy of Story draws on a broad range of philosophy and mythology, offering fresh techniques and insightful anecdotes alongside Truby's own unique approach for how to build an effective, multifaceted narrative. Truby's method for constructing a story is at once insightful and practical, focusing on the hero's moral and emotional growth. As a result, writers will dig deep within and explore their own values and worldviews in order to create an effective story. Writers will come away with an extremely precise set of tools to work with—specific, useful techniques to make the audience care about their characters, and that make their characters grow in meaningful ways. They will construct a surprising plot that is unique to their particular concept, and they will learn how to express a moral vision that can genuinely move an audience. The foundations of story that Truby lays out are so fundamental they are applicable—and essential—to all writers, from novelists and short-story writers to journalists, memoirists, and writers of narrative non-fiction. |
| character questions for writers: Million Dollar Outlines David Farland, 2013-01-31 Discover the secrets to crafting a successful novel in this guide by a master writer & instructor and New York Times–bestselling author. Bestselling author David Farland taught dozens of writers who went on to staggering literary success, including such #1 New York Times Bestsellers as Brandon Mull (Fablehaven), Brandon Sanderson (Wheel of Time), James Dashner (The Maze Runner) and Stephenie Mayer (Twilight). In this book, Dave teaches how to analyze an audience and outline a novel to appeal to a wide readership. The secrets found in his unconventional approach will help you understand why so many of his authors went on to prominence. Hailed as “the wizard of storytelling,” Dave was an award-winning, international best-selling author with more than fifty novels in print, and a tireless mentor and instructor of new writers. His book Million Dollar Outlines is a seminal work teaching authors how to create a blueprint for a novel that can lead to bestseller success. |
| character questions for writers: Writing the Novella Sharon Oard Warner, 2021-03-01 “A novella compresses the world with a short story’s focus, but it explores that smaller space with a novel’s generosity.”—Josh Weil, author of The New Valley: Novellas While the novella has existed as a distinct literary form for over four hundred years, Writing the Novella is the first craft book dedicated to creating this intermediate-length fiction. Innovative, integrated journal prompts inspire and sustain the creative process, and classic novellas serve as examples throughout. Part 1 defines the novella form and steers early decision-making on situation, character, plot, and point of view. Part 2 provides detailed directions for writing the scenic plot points that support a strong but flexible narrative arc. Appendix materials include a list of recommended novellas, publishing opportunities, and blank templates for the story map, graphs, and charts used throughout the book. By turns instructive and inspirational, Writing the Novella will be a welcome resource for new and experienced writers alike. |
| character questions for writers: Kudos Rachel Cusk, 2018-06-05 New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2018 • Amazon Editors' Top 100 of 2018 Rachel Cusk, the award-winning and critically acclaimed author of Outline and Transit, completes the transcendent literary trilogy with Kudos, a novel of unsettling power. A woman writer visits a Europe in flux, where questions of personal and political identity are rising to the surface and the trauma of change is opening up new possibilities of loss and renewal. Within the rituals of literary culture, Faye finds the human story in disarray amid differing attitudes toward the public performance of the creative persona. She begins to identify among the people she meets a tension between truth and representation, a fissure that accrues great dramatic force as Kudos reaches a profound and beautiful climax. In this conclusion to her groundbreaking trilogy, Cusk unflinchingly explores the nature of family and art, justice and love, and the ultimate value of suffering. She is without question one of our most important living writers. |
| character questions for writers: The Federalist Papers Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, James Madison, 2018-08-20 Classic Books Library presents this brand new edition of “The Federalist Papers”, a collection of separate essays and articles compiled in 1788 by Alexander Hamilton. Following the United States Declaration of Independence in 1776, the governing doctrines and policies of the States lacked cohesion. “The Federalist”, as it was previously known, was constructed by American statesman Alexander Hamilton, and was intended to catalyse the ratification of the United States Constitution. Hamilton recruited fellow statesmen James Madison Jr., and John Jay to write papers for the compendium, and the three are known as some of the Founding Fathers of the United States. Alexander Hamilton (c. 1755–1804) was an American lawyer, journalist and highly influential government official. He also served as a Senior Officer in the Army between 1799-1800 and founded the Federalist Party, the system that governed the nation’s finances. His contributions to the Constitution and leadership made a significant and lasting impact on the early development of the nation of the United States. |
| character questions for writers: Creating Unforgettable Characters Linda Seger, 1990-07-15 From a longtime script consultant, “a vital aid to all writers, novelists, and screenwriters . . . invaluable” (Gale Anne Hurd, producer, The Walking Dead and Aliens). In this book, Linda Seger, author of Making a Good Script Great, shows how to create strong, multidimensional characters in fiction, covering everything from research to character block. She introduces concepts designed to stimulate the creative process, combining them with practical techniques and exercises. She also offers specific advice on creating nonfiction and fantasy characters, and case studies of such classics as Ordinary People and the sitcom Cheers. Addressing topics from backstory development to character psychology to avoiding stereotypes, Creating Unforgettable Characters is an excellent resource for writers in any genre or creative field. Interviews with successful professional writers complete this essential volume. |
| character questions for writers: Saul and Patsy Charles Baxter, 2007-12-18 From the winner of the PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence and “one of our most gifted writers” (Chicago Tribune), Saul and Patsy is stunning, never predictable, glimmering fiction, full of mischief and insight (The Los Angeles Times). Five Oaks, Michigan is not exactly where Saul and Patsy meant to end up. Both from the East Coast, they met in college, fell in love, and settled down to married life in the Midwest. Saul is Jewish and a compulsively inventive worrier; Patsy is gentile and cheerfully pragmatic. On Saul’s initiative (and to his continual dismay) they have moved to this small town–a place so devoid of irony as to be virtually “a museum of earlier American feelings”–where he has taken a job teaching high school. Soon this brainy and guiltily happy couple will find children have become a part of their lives, first their own baby daughter and then an unloved, unlovable boy named Gordy Himmelman. It is Gordy who will throw Saul and Patsy’s lives into disarray with an inscrutable act of violence. As timely as a news flash yet informed by an immemorial understanding of human character, Saul and Patsy is a genuine miracle. |
| character questions for writers: Where Is Here Joyce Carol Oates, 1993-09-21 In dramatic, tightly focused narratives charges with tension, menace, and the shock of the unexpected, Where Is Here? examines a world in which ordinary life is electrified by the potential for sudden change. Domestic violence, fear and abandonment and betrayal, and the obsession with loss shadow the characters that inhabit these startling, intriguing stories. With the precision and intensity that are the hallmarks of her remarkable talent, Joyce Carol Oates explores the unexpected turns of events that leave people vulnerable and struggling to puzzle out the consequences of their abrupt reversals of fortune. As in the title story, in which a married couple find their controlled life irrevocably altered by a stranger's visit, the fiction in this new collection is punctuated again and again by mysterious, perhaps unanswerable, questions: Out of what does our life arise? Out of what does our consciousness arise? Why are we here? Where is here? Like the questions they pose, these tales -- at once elusive and direct -- unfold with the enigmatic twists of riddles and, often, the blunt shock of tragedy. Where is Here? is the work of a master practitioner of the short story. |
| character questions for writers: Jack with a Twist Brenda Janowitz, 2008 In this sequel to Scot on the Rocks, things go awry for Manhattan attorney Brooke Miller when her family doesn't get along with the family of her fianc Jack. Even worse--the litigator against her in the big court case on which she's the lead attorney is Jack. Original. |
| character questions for writers: The Magic of Fiction Beth Hill, 2016-03 Writing a novel can seem daunting, but it doesn't have to be. No matter where you are with your writing project--beginning the first draft, rewriting the fifth draft, or editing the final draft--help is available. The Magic of Fiction is a comprehensive guide for crafting fiction. It's the perfect resource for writers planning to self-publish, authors looking for an edge for manuscript submissions, and editors looking for a handbook on craft. Students and educators will also benefit, with details about the crafts of writing and editing available in a single book.Whether you intend to self-publish or submit your manuscript to agents or publishers, use The Magic of Fiction to master the ins and outs of writing and revision, create stronger early drafts, and edit your own stories.This guide addresses all aspects of editing and writing, from the mechanics to story issues to style concerns. In it you'll find--~ A comprehensive editing checklist~ Fixes for common writing mistakes~ Specifics for punctuation in dialogue~ Tips for putting setting to work for your fiction~ Suggestions for editing for the reader~ Help for writing to genre conventions~ Tips for word choices~ A guide for editing approaches and much more.Every fiction writer should be equipped to not only write well, but to rewrite and edit. There are books designed to help you write a novel, books to help you revise, and books to help you with the nitty-gritty of punctuation and grammar. The Magic of Fiction brings all those elements together in a single easy-to-digest resource for the writer looking for an edge in today's literary marketplace.The format of The Magic of Fiction helps you focus on what you need when you need it. Chapters provide detailed discussions of topics and end with quick lists to help you get straight to work on your own stories.Written by freelance fiction editor Beth Hill, The Magic of Fiction will help you produce high-quality fiction that will earn attention for all the right reasons. |
| character questions for writers: "Where are You Going, where Have You Been?" Joyce Carol Oates, 1994 . |
| character questions for writers: Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury, 1968 A fireman in charge of burning books meets a revolutionary school teacher who dares to read. Depicts a future world in which all printed reading material is burned. |
The Ultimate Character Questionnaire - Novel Factory
• Start by browsing quickly over all of the questions to get a sense of the sections • Vary how you use the questionnaire depending on the character / the day / your mood • Pick out the …
365 CHHAARRAACCTTEERR QUUEESSTTIIOONNSS - Errant …
It can be difficult to come up with one original character after another, whether you're a writer or a roleplayer. To that end, it sometimes helps to answer one or more odd little questions about …
The Only Character Questionnaire You Need - Writers Write
Complete this questionnaire for your character even if you never use the information in your book. It will help you to see them as three-dimensional, nuanced beings who leave marks on many …
101 Character Development Questions That Are Actually Fun
Here, you will find a list of character development questions, minus the boring stu f. ese questions work best with contemporary or near-contemporary characters. If your story is fantasy or set in …
Character Twenty Questions Worksheet - WordPress.com
Whether you're starting fresh or have been working on a story for a while, you'll be amazed at how many hidden dimensions these quick questions will reveal about your characters. WHAT YOU …
The Ultimate Character Questionnaire - Faber Academy
a Novel students look at is character. In this character checklist, you’ll go beyond the surface and into the kind of character detail that will enrich your story and keep a reader gripped.
Character Study Questions
What is something about your character that no one else knows? 2. What’s their favorite time of day, and why? 3. Who is their closest confidant? 4. Is there something they collect? If so, what …
Character Development Questions - thinkwritten.com
If your character's beliefs could be summed up in three words, what would they be? What would your character most like to change about the world? What causes is your character passionate …
Character Questionnaire 1 Writing Fiction
This questionnaire is found in Gotham Writers’ Workshop’s Writing Fiction. You might start with questions that address the basics about a character: • What is your character’s name? Does …
Character(Questionnaire - HomeschoolRecess
Complete this section for all your characters! 2. Age: 3. Height: 4. Eye color: 5. Physical appearance: 6. Unique physical attributes: 7. Hobbies/interests: 8. Where does he or she live? …
50 Questions to Ask your Character - Yale-NUS College
Below is a collection of questions to ask your characters. This can help you in the brainstorming process and is an excellent challenge to see how much you really know about them! It is also …
Story Brainstorming Questions - Jill Williamson
When you have a new story idea, these questions are meant to help you take it deeper. Who is my character? What is she named and why? If I had to describe her in one word, it would be: …
The Ultimate Character Checklist - Eschler Editing
For character sketches/bibles, you can find numerous lists of questions online and in writing how-to books. We’ve compiled some of the best questions and approaches below for starting your …
DEVELOPMENT CHARACTER - Writers.com
Character Development Question 1: What do you most want? Every human being wants somet hing. This is largely what it means to be human. To want, desire, crave, need, ch erish, c hase, …
Microsoft Word - CRAFT- CHARACTER BRAINSTORMING …
As you structure your story outline, think about your characters from as many different angles as possible. Work to understand them completely as human beings. Then mine all those …
Story Brainstorming Questions - Go Teen Writers
When you have a new story idea, these questions are meant to help you take it deeper. • Who is my character? • What is she named and why? • What’s her family like? • What does she value? …
Character Sketch - cjpress.org
The ultimate goal of a writer is to take these character sketches and use them to craft a wonderfully engrossing, character-driven work of fiction. Other questions to consider when …
Character Development Questions - thinkwritten.com
How well do you know the characters of your story? These character development questions will help you gain a deeper understanding of your characters. Character Name/Nickname: How …
100 Questions RPG Character - WordPress.com
100 Questions to Ask About Your Role-Playing Character Part 1: The Basics 1. What is your full name? 2. Where and when were you born? 3. Who are/were your parents? (Know their …
Character Developent Worksheet - Self Publishing School
Use this section to detail how your character behaves in a variety of situations, including their ”base” personality & what they show strangers they’ve never met before. Be thorough!
The Ultimate Character Questionnaire - Novel Factory
• Start by browsing quickly over all of the questions to get a sense of the sections • Vary how you use the questionnaire depending on the character / the day / your mood • Pick out the …
365 CHHAARRAACCTTEERR QUUEESSTTIIOONNSS
It can be difficult to come up with one original character after another, whether you're a writer or a roleplayer. To that end, it sometimes helps to answer one or more odd little questions about …
The Only Character Questionnaire You Need - Writers Write
Complete this questionnaire for your character even if you never use the information in your book. It will help you to see them as three-dimensional, nuanced beings who leave marks on many …
101 Character Development Questions That Are Actually Fun
Here, you will find a list of character development questions, minus the boring stu f. ese questions work best with contemporary or near-contemporary characters. If your story is fantasy or set in …
Character Twenty Questions Worksheet - WordPress.com
Whether you're starting fresh or have been working on a story for a while, you'll be amazed at how many hidden dimensions these quick questions will reveal about your characters. WHAT YOU …
The Ultimate Character Questionnaire - Faber Academy
a Novel students look at is character. In this character checklist, you’ll go beyond the surface and into the kind of character detail that will enrich your story and keep a reader gripped.
Character Study Questions
What is something about your character that no one else knows? 2. What’s their favorite time of day, and why? 3. Who is their closest confidant? 4. Is there something they collect? If so, what …
Character Development Questions - thinkwritten.com
If your character's beliefs could be summed up in three words, what would they be? What would your character most like to change about the world? What causes is your character passionate …
Character Questionnaire 1 Writing Fiction
This questionnaire is found in Gotham Writers’ Workshop’s Writing Fiction. You might start with questions that address the basics about a character: • What is your character’s name? Does …
Character(Questionnaire - HomeschoolRecess
Complete this section for all your characters! 2. Age: 3. Height: 4. Eye color: 5. Physical appearance: 6. Unique physical attributes: 7. Hobbies/interests: 8. Where does he or she live? …
50 Questions to Ask your Character - Yale-NUS College
Below is a collection of questions to ask your characters. This can help you in the brainstorming process and is an excellent challenge to see how much you really know about them! It is also …
Story Brainstorming Questions - Jill Williamson
When you have a new story idea, these questions are meant to help you take it deeper. Who is my character? What is she named and why? If I had to describe her in one word, it would be: …
The Ultimate Character Checklist - Eschler Editing
For character sketches/bibles, you can find numerous lists of questions online and in writing how-to books. We’ve compiled some of the best questions and approaches below for starting your …
DEVELOPMENT CHARACTER - Writers.com
Character Development Question 1: What do you most want? Every human being wants somet hing. This is largely what it means to be human. To want, desire, crave, need, ch erish, c hase, …
Microsoft Word - CRAFT- CHARACTER BRAINSTORMING …
As you structure your story outline, think about your characters from as many different angles as possible. Work to understand them completely as human beings. Then mine all those …
Story Brainstorming Questions - Go Teen Writers
When you have a new story idea, these questions are meant to help you take it deeper. • Who is my character? • What is she named and why? • What’s her family like? • What does she …
Character Sketch - cjpress.org
The ultimate goal of a writer is to take these character sketches and use them to craft a wonderfully engrossing, character-driven work of fiction. Other questions to consider when …
Character Development Questions - thinkwritten.com
How well do you know the characters of your story? These character development questions will help you gain a deeper understanding of your characters. Character Name/Nickname: How …
100 Questions RPG Character - WordPress.com
100 Questions to Ask About Your Role-Playing Character Part 1: The Basics 1. What is your full name? 2. Where and when were you born? 3. Who are/were your parents? (Know their …
Character Developent Worksheet - Self Publishing School
Use this section to detail how your character behaves in a variety of situations, including their ”base” personality & what they show strangers they’ve never met before. Be thorough!
