Hi Reader!
What a month February was! At the beginning of the month, I was recovering from the flu, and then we had a horrific ice storm that knocked out our power for 4 days. (Our governor even issued a state of emergency for our county alone because it was so bad.) Then I got a terrible sinus infection and my husband tore a muscle in his calf. Phew! ๐ฅฑ I'm exhausted! I hope your February was calmer!
๐ก This Month's Writing Tip
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How to Create Realistic Characters for Your Story
Similar to real people, fictional characters have pets, hobbies, personal histories, obsessions, and thoughts. These characteristics play a crucial role in shaping how a character responds to and emotionally processes the event in their life. To improve your fiction novel, itโs important to understand all sides of your characters so that you can carefully describe how they might react when faced with the pressures of the events unfolding in the story.
Readers can't physically see your characters, so it's your job to show them as much as you can about the characters to make them seem real. Here are some ways to bring characters to life:
โ๏ธ Physical features: face (eye color, hair color/length, nose shape, mouth shape, etc), body (short, tall, thin, overweight, birthmarks, tattoos, etc.), the way they normally dress (shorts, jeans, skirts, dresses, baggy or tight-fitting clothes, etc.)
โ๏ธ Movement and gestures: posture, the way they walk and stand, expressions
โ๏ธ Voice: vocal pitch and tone, accent, dialect, how formally/informally they speak
โ๏ธ Actions: actions describe personality because they expose personality traits (being loyal or manipulating other characters to get ahead)
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To find out more, read my blog post on how to create realistic characters. ๐
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New Posts on the Blog
I didn't have time to write a new post last month because of...well...life! However, feel free to click the link below to scroll through some older posts for some refreshers.
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โ๏ธ Tool of the Month
Milanote
Milanote is great for organizing all of your creative writing elements in one place, such as brainstorming, characters, research, general ideas, an outline, and more!
It's free to use but also has paid plans for more options. My favorite feature is that you can create "index cards" with parts of your story and then drag and drop them to rearrange your story easily.
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โ๏ธ This Month's Writing Prompt
Spring is a season of renewal, but not everything blooms at the same time. Write a scene where a character is waiting for somethingโor someoneโto return, only to realize that change has already begun in an unexpected way.
This could be a long-lost friend, a long-awaited breakthrough, or even the first bud on a stubborn winter tree. How does this shift in perspective shape their next steps?
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Need help with your manuscript?
Are you a self-publishing author? Don't overlook the importance of a final set of eyes!
To learn more about what proofreading involves, check out my services page. When you're ready for a proofreader, I would love to chat!
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See you next month!
Michelle
"God has given each of you a gift. Use it to help each other. This will show Godโs loving-favor." 1 Peter 4:10
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