Making Villains Real

Making Villains Real

What makes a villain? Does someone like the mustache twirling character from cartoons come to mind? Or perhaps it’s Mr. Goldfinger (pictured here)? Is your villain a thoroughly evil character or just someone who wants to ensure your protagonist doesn’t get what they...
Do your characters have to grow?

Do your characters have to grow?

It’s an honest question. You might think that because I’m a romance writer and one who is always talking about goal, motivation, and conflict that I would be standing here screaming “Yes! Characters must always grow. They must always learn something and develop as a...
Archetypes

Archetypes

Archetypes. They’re not stereotypes! I’m delving into creating characters for my next Zodiac novel and fooling with archetypes. Definitions Stereotypes are an oversimplification of a type of person—the evil, mustache twirling villain who does bad things for the pure...
Five Tips to Adding Depth with Setting

Five Tips to Adding Depth with Setting

“It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents – except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the...
Your Character Bible

Your Character Bible

If you are a serious author, please don’t do what I did—your future self will thank you. Keep a book bible! For every book you write you need a list of all of the characters mentioned. You may not think that it’s so important. You know who your characters are. Why is...