Ask Your Character Questions (Including Point-of-View) Here!

Psychosis, Bonding and Deception 
Question: Okay, so I am writing a book about a Psychiatrist and his patient who suffers from antisocial personality disorder and psychosis, but I don't …

How do I make plot device companion character feel alive? 
Question: okay ... so ... I am changing the plot of my novel to integrate a new plot. As a part of this, I'm realizing that I need a sort of friend/companion …

character development 
Question: How do I know when my character has been fully developed? How will I know when to stop adding detail before they become a mess of a character? …

Writing diversity as a white author 
Hi! I'm writing a story that focuses on a mother and her three daughters as the main characters. I've always seen these characters as Caucasian mostly …

What character trait cliches should I avoid? And what kind of problem solving styles are there? 
Question: Hi! I'm planning a story for NaNoWriMo, and I'm currently working on the character arcs for my protagonist and influence character. To make …

Too little consistency with the characters? 
Hello First of all, thank you very much for all the useful information and help you’re providing, your website has already helped me a lot. My question …

Character Death Reaction 
Question: One of my characters is at the brink of death. As much as it pains me, and as hard as I tried to keep her alive, she doesn't have much longer. …

Is it possible to have more than one main character? 
Question: I have a hypothetical idea for a novel. I say hypothetical because I don't know if I'll ever actually write it, but I'm enjoying planning the …

Co-Protagonists 
Question: The more I watch the new Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer, the more I feel (and hear, it seems) that Rey and Kylo Ren aren't protagonist and …

How to make your main characters unique? 
Question: Lately, I've noticed an issue in my writing. Whenever I get inspired to write something new, my main characters sound a bit alike. I realize …

I can't really discover who my antagonist is? 
Question: Well, so I am writing a novel (Genre: Fantasy/Magic) about an older Brother (Let's call him John) who wants to bring his little brother "back …

How to make a good villain 
Question: I have my story and know pretty much everything, I just feel like my villain is missing something. The villain has a connection to the other …

POV 
First question: How can you show the actions of multiple people without straying from one singular POV? I'm writing a TV show and planning on having …

Does your antagonist have to know they are the antagonist? 
Question: I'm very glad I found this website; it's very informative. I have a question but I'm not sure if it pertains more to character development …

Tips on keeping a character consistent? 
Hi Glen, Do you have any tips or insights as to how to make it easier to, I guess, know your characters to the point that you don't have to think about …

Tips for writing a large cast of characters 
Question: I'm writing a story with a LOT of characters in it, 18 to be exact. It's kind of like the Danganronpa series in the way that it wouldn't work …

Reviving Characters 
Hello, At the end of my book, the twist is that the main character gives into her selfishness/hate/pride and sacrifices her best friend to a demon …

When should a character get over another character's death? 
Hi, I'm not actually stuck, but I don't want my whole book to be stupid dark and somber and I don't know where to stop the character's melancholic reflections. …

Questions and Answers About Impact Characters 
Hi! So glad I found your website. This might be the perfect place to turn to now and in the future. I am writing a trilogy in the Dramatica software …

Trouble connecting with main character 
Question: A friend of mine read the first few chapters of my novel and helped me pinpoint a major problem: my introverted main character is becoming …

Love interest and internal conflict 
Question: The main characters of my novel have feelings for each other and I know that I want internal conflict to play a big role, but is a love interest …

Dialogue for characters 
Hello there, I'm Danny and I'm working on a novel at the moment that is a historical fiction set in ancient Greece aimed at teenagers. I …

How to make characters less like people you know 
Question: I'm writing a novel and it's based on people and things that have actually happened to me but I don't want people to know its real and I want …

Character Development 
Question: My story is fairly simple, Sun and Moon Guardians (which are the souls of the Sun and Moon) are on Earth because the Darkness the Sun had 'fought …

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Transliterating Accents (If that's the right word) 
Hey Glen me again. I'm struggling with the dialogue of one of my characters in a story. Most of the characters, and the setting, are English and …

How do I avoid a cliché goal for my antagonist? 
Question: I love good villains, but I usually don't love them because of what they stand for. I like them because of what they look like, because of …

archetypal characters 
Hey, Thank you for this site. It's amazing. I created several characters, some of which are archetypal: mad-genius, flighty philosopher and so on. …

Too many characters? 
Question: My novel revolves around one first person POV protagonist, and has 5 major secondary characters, 3 friends of the protagonist, one love interest, …

Can the main character and the antagonist be the same person in third person POV?  
Hello I'm writing a psychological thriller from a third person point of view (from the main character's view not the protagonist) My main characters …

This is too predictable, isn't it? 
Question: In my novel-in-progress, I have two characters who are friends. I like them as a couple and want them to fall for each other. The boy is immortal …

Antagonist... who is not really an antagonist 
Question: Ok, after this rather confusing title, let me explain to you: My main character's objective is to defeat a terrible man, a dictator that rules …

POV 
Question: I've created a character which feels real. I know what he wants, why he wants it, I know all his little secrets. I pretty much know everything …

If writing in 1st Person of main character, how do you write in other characters if POV character can't see them, or hear them? 
Question: If writing in 1st Person of main character, how do you write in other characters if the POV character can't see them, or hear them? Answer: …

What Are The Rules (if any) When Writing About Real World Political Figures 
Hello Glen! It has been a good while since I have asked a question on the site! I wanted to know if there were any hard and fast rules regarding …

Multiple personalities  
Hello. I'm working on a story right now and I have a character who has multiple personality disorder and has hallucinations. Is it possible for her to …

How to make them human 
Hi. I've been writing a book for quite a while now and the big struggle I face is how to make my characters act like normal humans. Every human has flaws, …

Too many ideas for the same character 
Question: Hey! I've been having this problem for a good few years now... I have a set of characters I would like to make a book for, but I don't know …

Focusing on different characters at the same time 
Question: I've been writing a story, and I've made a lot of characters. Each character has to be someone the reader knows- even if it's not a very important …

Developing a detailed Character Arc (WANT GOAL MOTIVATION & NEED) 
Hi Glen. I love the website, all the information I've read has been very helpful. But I need help. For endless days and weeks, I have been trying to figure …

Deciding between two character types 
Hey, so I have a question regarding my main character. The story is that his kingdom of nords was once a powerful and great nation until a huge dragon …

Emotions  
Question: Can I write about emotions that I have turned into characters I seem to be able to tell the story better this way. Answer: Using characters …

Monster "lesser" antagonist problems. 
Hi! I am attempting to write a fantasy series, but I wanted to have a main villain like Harry Potter's Voldemort, who doesn't exactly show himself until …

anti-hero 
Question: I really enjoy writing anti-hero characters. ones that are so cynical and evil you cant help but love them but I'm not sure I'm doing it right. …

Coward Character Turned Brave 
Hello, Glen. First of all, I'd like to thank you for the simple but fantastic advice you give on this website, it's amazing! Second, I have a question …

who's my protagonist 
Question: I have a character who I really like and I've always thought of her as the main character or one of the main characters. But she isn't actually …

A Convincing heavy well built Character  
Hello there, I'm having a trouble with specific characters that should be really 'heavy' in the story, by heavy I mean effective, major, and convincing, …

Genderless character  
Hi! So long story short, my main character is basically genderless and I can't figure out how to convey that through POV and pronoun usage. any help would …

Writing Fantasy: Scene Transitions 
Question: I have a fantasy novel that I've been working on for a while now, and though I've got most of the story plot, characters, and world planned …

Can I reach a male audience with a female protagonist?  
Hello! I've read that authors should write with a target audience in mind. I've just started giving thought to what age range and gender I'm targeting. …

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An Abstract Villain (and making them believable) 
Question: How does one make an abstract villain believable? By abstract, I mean that my main villain is a parasite that doesn't use a physical form …

Switching point of view?? 
Question: I was wondering if it was okay to change the point of view every once in a while. I am only writing this story for two reasons: for myself …

Different POVs for Part 1 and Part 2 
Hi, I'd like to have two parts to my book: Part 1 would be from one character's point of view, and Part 2 would pick up the story some time later from …

How do I make a magic-wielder not seem like a super hero when working with others with other magical talents? 
Hi Glen, thank you for answering my other question about emotional moments in a story, that helped out a ton! Wall of text incoming. I am sorry in advance. …

'Fleshing Out' Otherwise Two Dimensional Characters 
Question: I will admit, I am usually a 'pantser'. However, as experience has shown how flimsy that can be, for my latest piece I actually started planning. …

Love Interest?  
Hi! I am a huge fan of your site and I have a question... (I am sixteen, by the way.)(Sorry for the terrible grammar ^^;) I am currently making …

Motivation for Antagonist?? 
Hello. I need for a story I am creating.(Which is still a work in progress) The story is basically about a girl named Zena and her brother named Jack. …

Character devopment without POV 
Question: I have been writing a story about 2 female characters that met in special circumstances and they each have a love story. Either one or the …

antagonist not related to the main plot being too good/bad 
Question: So in the story I am writing I have a minor antagonist that has little to no connection with the main plot, who is there to spark emotional …

Having trouble with my story line/ plot. 
My story is about a sixteen-year-old girl, Roxanne. Her father, John, was a werewolf, but her mother is human and Roxanne did not become a werewolf. My …

can't figure out who the villian is 
Question: In my story I have a princess that was transported with her mother to earth because her father decided to keep on with an arranged marriage …

Sweet dreams or terrified nightmares 
Question: Sorry, but I do have a few to ask. 1) Four years ago, I wrote a book as part of a series. Now I want to add more to the story. Is there any …

Best way to write a gender neutral charcter?  
Question: I know this may be an odd question but, do you think you can give tips on the best way to write a character who keeps their gender hidden? …

How can I show my main character's inner struggles 
Hello! I am currently writing a story about a character whose best friend commits suicide. The character begins to party and drink a lot to hide from …

Do I have to have a Male Protagonist? 
Question: I am writing a fiction novel about two girls. The story revolves around these two girls and its definitely not a love-theme plot. Its more …

Dark Character 
Hello. I'm writing a fantasy novel that takes place in this world and I have a character that's a dark spirit, who's very hard to understand, and want …

Too many characters 
Question: My story started with four main characters (a family) but soon became seven I am worried that there are too many. I don't want my characters …

How do you write good character development without making it seem forced? 
Question: I want to make my character go from a shy, quiet girl, who has trouble communicating into a strong, friendly girl, who will stand up for herself …

Identifying an Antagonist  
Question: I've recently come across Dramatica theory and it has helped me a lot. I am writing the first book in a three book series. One issue I'm still …

different pov from different characters within a chapter 
Question: How am I going to divide the chapter when there are different pov of different characters, four the most Answer: The rule of thumb is …

Does a mindless antagonist have a personality? 
Question: The Main Antagonist is an undead creature known as a Lich. He is a mindless entity that has only one goal: to destroy every soul in the world. …

Is it okay to have an immoral character as the protagonist? 
Hi! First of all I'd like to thank you for creating this awesome website and answering questions from beginners like me. Currently, I'm working on a …

How to avoid 'brooding vengeful outcast' characters. 
Question: Ok so, for my story, my main character is living his life, trying to stay away from the troubles of the world. However, because of an unresolved …

Character development.  
Question: The story I am writing is to be a catharsis. Already the story (basically) has already been set. The main characters 4 of my principle characters …

Who should be my protagonist? 
Question: I am writing a screen play that takes place in modern day New York City with two established characters. One of them is Evelyn Plaitning, the …

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Calling sibling "Brother" instead of by his name 
Question: My story takes place in an underground clan society. My main character has a brother that he is very close too. He almost always calls his …

How to write good gay characters 
Question: One of my supporting male characters is revealed to be gay more near the end of my story. Him being gay is an essential part of his motives …

Limited characters in a scene or even in the story 
Question: My question concerns the situation where you have a (main) character off by him or herself for an extended period. Perhaps the character falls …

How To Make a "Good" Character  
Hi! I'm between the ages of 10-15, and my passion is book writing. I was writing a novel about a character who overcomes most problems with lots of …

How to make a character passionate about the new 'world' he is in. 
Question: So I've been trying to tackle this problem of making my main character a passionate person. You know, so he actually cares about the well-being …

Killing off characters 
Question: I am writing my plot outline and listing all of the characters I am planning on putting in my story, but I realized, after figuring out simple …

Help/Hinder, Support/Oppose 
Question: What are the key differences between these two pairs? They seem very similar to me. Any examples would also be greatly appreciated. Thanks! …

A military character  
Question: How would you write a story that is based on a character that just came home from the war, especially when you know next to nothing about someone …

Is characterization and character growth part of the same thing or are they separated?  
Question: I am not an expert so forgive me for asking this question but I really do want to know if characterization and character growth the same thing …

Protagonist's Personality 
Question: What kind of personality should my protagonist have? Answer: Some writers would say this question puts the cart before the horse, that …

Leaving a mystery unsolved? 
Hello, I'm outlining the plot of my first novel. The story is about a couple that is accused of murdering a child and their lawyer who has just graduated …

How to choose a main character? 
Question: My novel has two characters (both female)that are best friends, and out of all the characters I've created, they were the two I spent the most …

Several people speaking in a conversation at once help 
Question: I would like some advice on how to incorporate more than two people speaking in the same conversation without saying "He said" and "She said" …

tips on writing an autobiography 
Question: Writing a novel is like writing an autobiography because stories are being told on every page. What differs is the characters. They already …

turning point 
Question: I've written many published non-fiction narratives with a character turning point but I'm having trouble figuring out the t.pt. for my protagonist. …

keeping my protagonist interesting 
Question: I've starting working on a story that I want to write in my spare time, and I've come across a problem that has had me stumped. The premise …

How to Develop a Character 
Question: First of all, thanks for all the help this site has been giving me, it's the best one I've seen! I'm having a small problem in my book. As …

Protagonist, Antagonist, and Internal Conflict 
Hi, I'm trying to plan out my novel, which very closely follows my life from the past few years, and I'm having difficulty knowing whether I'm going in …

Changing roles for a subplot 
Question: Would it make a character seem shifty if in the overall plot they were the emotion player, but in a subplot they were the voice of reason? …

Character Devolopment 
I am having a problem developing a Character in the current novel I am writing. Seeing as how this character is the main one in the story, I …

Can I make my main character an antagonist? 
Question: I'm trying to write a story about a psycho killer who thinks himself a vampire. He's the main character. My story goal is to let him kill …

Objective Story throughline plot 
Question: Firstly, thank you for such a useful site. I have filled in the plot progression chart in dramatica. I have put antagonist actions in OS, …

What is the villain's hidden agenda? 
Question: My villain is being quite secretive and won't let me in on his diabolical scheme, so I was wondering if you could help shed some light on it. …

smarter than a super genius 
Question: Okay, so I am writing a story where my main character is a holmesian-style detective, who often relies on his cunning wit and superior intelligence …

How to keep my villian's status as the main antagonist clear? 
Ok, so, here is the premise for my story... Young man (yes, man, not boy) who is training to become a great warrior, is suddenly orphaned after his family …

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How do I get readers to care about my character? 
Hi, its me, Natasha again. I just recently changed my plot the last time I submitted a question. I know what my plot is now. My question now is, how do …

Should I have each main character have their own book? 
Question: I'm working on this saga I came up with a few months ago. Once I started writing, I noticed immediately that some events had to be postponed, …

Impact character and other questions. 
Hello there! I'm here for another question (or questions), if you don't mind. In the middle of my story, the protagonist (the one in pursue of the …

Can a Main Character also be the Sidekick of the Protagonist? 
Question: Since in the story that I'm thinking separated the Protagonist and the Main Character, is it possible to give my main character the role of …

Inter-Relationship between Story Goal, Protagonist and Antagonist 
Glen, first off, I would like to tell you that your help is invaluable for all of us struggling with story theory and Dramatica. I am struggling with …

Points of view 
Question: Are character points of view like the way a character "sees" another. For example, in snow white, the evil queen views snow white as someone …

Antagonist Relationships 
Question: My antagonist is cunning, manipulative, and won't hesitate to resort to murdering innocents to achieve his way. But he has a granddaughter …

Protagonist Question 
Question: Is it alright for my Protagonist to disappear for a while in the story, leaving a lot of room for the MC to develop and grow? However, this …

Personality Typing Characters 
Question: I've been using the Myers Briggs personality test (in reverse as with fictional characters) to type the high ranking characters in my book. …

Cunning Antagonist 
Question: I've always had difficulty making the villain truly clever, intelligent, and crafty. I know this depends on aspects such as history, mentality, …

Public Domain characters 
Question: Is there anyway I can find out about Public Domain characters? I'd be interested to use some and am not sure where to look nor do I want to …

"Anyone Can Die" -Is that really true? Or can a character's death spell doom for the success of my book 
So there are a lot of books, films, and tv shows that have the logic that "Anyone Can Die - At any moment" But at what point does that not work for a story? …

point of view 
Question: I started with my main character in my book how do I start a chapter with a different characters point of view? Answer: The short answer …

Antagonist Backstory 
Question: I've had such a problem coming up with backstories, mainly for antagonists. I realize that a villain can't just be a villain, and even the …

I Lost my Antagonist: Is this Okay? 
Hi there. I am yet to get any further than writing the prologue and first chapter in my novel but I have been thinking about the plot and characters. …

Most compelling point-of-view 
Hello! I'm currently fleshing out ideas for a story that I really feel something with. So, I've always been a sucker for pure-heart noble-spirit protagonists …

Antagonist Descrption Problems 
In the book that I am writing the antagonist is medieval public official who is trying to take the throne because he thinks that the current king is to …

From the Antagonist's viewpoint 
Question: In my story the Protagonist becomes the leader of one group while the Antagonist becomes the leader of an opposing group. With this in mind, …

Pros and Cons of first and third person 
Question: I am pretty much 100% sure that my book is going to be in first person because it seems to work the best that way and I'm not exactly sure …

Can the antagonist be a character from a daydream? 
I am just beginning to consider writing a story where the protagonist has a disorder that involves excessive daydreaming. In the story,she spends much …

Multiple main characters 
Question: In my book I have like 5 or main characters depending on how you look at it because there's always at least 5 but for one book I'll introduce …

Action and Page-time question 
Question: My novel consists of many characters, how can I make it so that everyone has a good amount of page-time? Also my novel has a lot of action …

Antagonist Necessary?  
I'm writing a story about a 21 year old girl, who meets her grandmother on a plane back from Paris and learns about her late mother and more about her …

Describing body types 
Question: I've been struggling with this for a while I don't know how describe my character's body type. I can picture it in my head and then I find …

building bonds 
Hi. In a romantic novel, what are some of the techniques to let readers see and feel the tight bond/love between a couple at the start of the story? …

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Rounding out characters 
Question: I have more than one main character because it's like a group of friends but I can only seem to think of things to happen to one character. …

Introducing the main character 
Question: I have an idea for a series with like 7 books and the first book introduces the villain, the world the story takes place in, main characters, …

Rounding out characters 
Question: I keep coming up with things for my main character like what happened to her and what she's going through but I have like 4 or 5 other characters …

Perfect character for a drama series 
Question: I'm making a drama series of a scientist who has a girlfriend and they are sent to study an artifact in space which ends up destroying the …

Personalities 
Question: I have like five different ideas for books and in all of them my main character is a girl and their personalities are a little different but …

Can Impact character be the main character that influences everyone else to his way of thinking? 
Hi, I watch a lot of anime. A common thread that I noticed is that the Main character had a mentor like character influence him at the beginning of …

Character Developement 
Question: How do I develop a character quickly without giving anything away or tell their whole life story. I need to be able to give enough insight …

Characters 
Question: I am a great fan of the Hunger Games and know every character. Could you tell me if who of them is the impact character and those 16 character …

Characters & Experience 
Question: I feel like I have a lot of cool ideas and concepts for a novel, but they are way too big for me. I wouldn't be able to empathize with what …

how to write a holistic character with my linear brain 
Question: Matching a linear MC with a holistic IC (or vice versa) sounds like a great idea. Problem is, it appears I have a linear brain and can't figure …

first person to third person  
Question: How can I smoothly transition between these two points of view, or how can I switch to another person's point of view? Answer: The problem …

Creating my reason, emotion, sidekick and Skeptic archetype 
Hello how are you..I have a hard time creating my reason and emotion archetypes. My protagonist is a warrior human who pursues freeing people from the …

Relationship between two characters and one powerful item in between them. 
Question: I love your site! It is exactly what I needed to get started on a book I have always put on the "someday" shelf. And it's been going pretty …

Gay/bi supporting character 
Question: So, I have a supporting (important) male character who is, it is revealed, in love with the MC, who is also a man. The way I have written said …

Should I write in first or third person? 
Question: I've been having a lot of trouble with this lately I'm trying to write a book and I wanted it to be in first person but then I think about …

How to Make two characters interact in a realistic manner? 
Hello some 14 year old kid here, I'm writing a novel about some guy that after slipping into a coma from severe gunshot wounds, He dreams of a medieval …

Archetypes and a Rich, Balanced Story 
Question: Does Dramatica recommend that every story have all of the archetypes to be a balanced, rich, fulfilling story? It seems like I've read it somewhere, …

main character resolve 
Question: What exactly does the Main Character Resolve mean? Can you give examples? Answer: Main Characte Resolve refers to how the main character …

Introducing the villain 
Hey I've been trying to figure this out. I am 16 and completely new to writing but I have an outstanding imagination that I feel is going to waste so i …

Motivation for a character story goal 
Hello, I've been pondering why I cannot seem to get my story moving like I want too. I realized I had characters designed and personalities made but I …

To Kill OR Not To Kill 
Question: Is it okay to kill one of your main characters if you have more than one main character? Answer: You can kill a main character if he/she …

Who is my protagonist? 
Question: I'm writing a story with multiple POVs and an alternating timeline. Essentially the story is a romance that takes place between people who …

Adult Coming of Age Novel 
Question: I have been debating the genre breakdown of my historical fiction novel and have come to the conclusion that it may fall into the category …

GIve my main characters equal point of view. 
Question: I have a main character. Let's call him M1. I have another main character, who's M2. They are each other's love interests. My third main character …

Twist Ending 
Hello, I'm a college student who is taking Fundamentals of Creative Writing. Our main assignment of the year is to write a polished piece of fiction to …

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I can't seem to choose my main characters, please help. 
Question: My novel is based around several gods and goddesses who are the main focus of the story. However upon picking the heroes I seem to want to …

Character change 
Question: I'm writing a story about Robin Hood. Some characters have vast changes in their personalities than it is generally known about them. would …

How to know if the MC is the protagonist or not 
Question: I have a main character, who is the brother of the antagonist, who is the leader of the city. The story is about the rebellion leader, who …

what should be included in a main character outline? 
Question: What should be included in a main character outline? Answer: The short answer is everything you think you might need to know about the …

How Much Development of Characters Who Die? 
Question: I've been experimenting with ways to heighten the tension in my plot while tying it in with the world I created. In my story, I want to …

How to select between treating players as Antagonist, Impact or Proxy Protagonist Characters 
Question: I purchased the "Dramatica Special Tenth Anniversary Edition" book and the StoryWeaver software. My main character is also the protagonist, …

My impact character turned into a 2nd main character 
Hi, so I'm writing a YA fantasy and I already went through the first 6 parts quite smoothly until it was time to choose my MC and her essential counter …

Have characters but no plot 
Question: I have these three characters that I really like and really want to use but I have no plot ideas for any of them. I've tried to come up with …

Main vs. Impact Thematic Issue 
Question: I am stuck at this point in Dramatica. It is asking me about the passionate struggle between my main character and his lady friend, my impact …

Main Character and Resolution? 
Question My main character is a seven-year-old girl. Throughout the story she solves most of her problems unaided, although at times someone helps her …

Troubled characters 
Question: How can you write a troubled protagonist, who's actions may be rude and offensive at the beginning of the book, in a way that doesn't completely …

Contrasting Personality Traits 
Questio: I'm a student who will be a freshman in college this year, I'm hoping to eventually major in creative writing. Seeing as how we freshman rarely …

Describing a Character's Appearance 
Question: I've often been told that the most cliché way to describe a character's appearance is opening the story with him or her looking into a mirror …

Relatability 
Question: I've been wondering whether or not a main character/POV character has to be relatable to the reader. Is it enough that the reader can sympathize …

characters POV in a creative nonfiction book 
Question: Is there a way to change the point of view in a creative nonfiction book, so that story is told by protagonist, but occasionally we get the …

Multiple perspectives  
Question: So ... I've been working on a story for quite some time now. I crafted a plot that satisfied me, made the characters as interesting as possible, …

Batman Series 
Hey Glen, in your opinion, assuming you have seen all three of the recent Batman movies with Christopher Nolan as director. Who would you say is the impact …

Creating a believable charactor 
Question: I'm currently trying to describe one of my main characters and I'm having a hard time because it's a guy and I'm a girl so I'm not sure how …

Characterizing...dead characters 
Hello again, We all know that a great: plot,setting, structure, and theme makes up great stories. However, one of the most important, in my opinion, is …

Shape Shifter and Sidekicks 
Question: I have three quick questions to ask in this helpful website. Number one is can a dog-a none talking dog be a sidekick? Two is what character …

Character motivation? 
Question: I actually have two questions: So the two main characters of my book were best friends until one of them had an accident that almost killed …

Character Change/Growth throughout series 
Hello my question is focused on my protagonist in the fact on how I want him/her to change into a villain/bad guy/anti-hero like role. So my question …

ARCHETYPALS COMBINING  
Question: 1st thank you for your help in my last question and would really love for you to help me in this one when you have time. I was just wondering …

Antagonist vs someone else 
Question: This may be a weird question; but is there any chance that an antagonist, though is against the protagonist and overall story goal, to have …

Guardians/Contagonist/Support/Skeptic 
Hey quick question: can Guardians and Support-typed characters be on the dark or bad side? Also, can a Contagonist and a Skeptic be on the good side in …

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Characters and Vulnerability 
Question: I have a habit of writing strong female leads or just 'normal' women with 'normal' confidence levels, but I've recently stumbled across a bit …

Trouble with POV and multiple lead characters. 
Question: I'm writing a YA novel series told from 1st person POV. Two characters (the main characters) are being told from this POV at the moment. I …

Creating a Memorable Character that Readers will become attached to  
Question: What are some good things to keep in mind when trying to create characters that are both unique and memorable? Are there any steps an author …

And Now, a Question on Varying Protaganists  
Question: Thank you for answering my previous question about plotting out a story framed around two time frames, but now I have a new question for you. …

Balance AND Archetypals!  
Question: I have long since wanted to write a series of novels but the questions that have prevented me from doing so and almost taken my passion away …

Character Introduction Order 
Question: I've been having trouble with the order in which I introduce the main characters in my story. I know that typically you want to introduce …

Rounding out my main characters 
Question: I have been having issues with some people feeling that my main characters are flat. What I wonder is if I'm just not getting the info out …

How do I describe the physical appearance of my main character? 
Question: The point of view is through my main character's eyes. How do I describe what he looks like without doing something as simple as the character …

Can I have 2 protagonists? 
Question: I've been toying with the idea of writing a story(not sure I can call it a book yet:) for years, but have only lately begun to view "story" …

Sudden Changes 
Question: I'm a high school student who's interested in creative writing and have been trying to write a short story for practice. I have a trio of characters …

Subtle Character Flaws 
Question: I want my main character to sort of be partially faking an air of always knowing what to do and putting up a smile despite the fact that his …

Protagonist as Antagonist 
Question: In my fantasy novel, I've got three main characters. One is a classical good guy: young, inexperienced, always trying to do the right thing. …

Trouble Deciding  
Question: My characters aren't fully developed, and I'm already having trouble with them. I want my story to be original, something not many are writing …

talking to animals 
Question: So in this piece I'm writing, the main character is turned into a wolf by magic. He still has conscious human thought that I would like to …

Choosing a Character's Physical Traits 
Question: I have all the personality (major) decided on for my characters but when I go to choose their out words appearance I can't decide. I'm a very …

The Right Way To Do Flashbacks? 
Question: All right, so, I'm about to start writing my latest novel. To introduce character building and development, as well as to gain insight into …

Main Character Sexuality - Do's and Don'ts? 
Question: The story that I am currently writing has a main character that starts 18, and gay. What advice can be given on how best to write a gay …

character profiles 
Question: Do you have an example of a complete character profile? In summery what are the most important parts of a character profile and what are the …

emotions 
Question: I'm not a very emotional person and it's showing in my stories, my characters rarely ever have emotions, what do i do? Answer: It is absolutely …

Contradictory Personality  
Question: So my main character is very contradictory, or at least to me. She's very ditzy at times and unfocused, and when she tries to be serious she …

Designing (and explaining) this character based on their persona 
Question: So I have trouble settling on the characters physical appearance. I have no issue with them when I get to their mentality. Take my main character, …

Need your input 
Question: In the novel I'm writing, there isn't a single main antagonist exactly, but an organization that takes up the whole antagonist role. The organization …

"Unpleasant" main characters 
Question: The character in question is, to put it bluntly, a self-centered, self-entitled snob. Doesn't think about others and only cares about his …

Lack of Indepth Insight.  
Question: I have self-published my first novel and I have some good reviews and some not so good. This one was fairly complementary until the following …

Trickster out of control 
Question: OK, it's not quite as urgent as the title sounds, but it is still a problem. In my novel, one of my favorite characters is an androgynous shape-shifter …

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Too random a personality? 
Question: My novel is a high fantasy that takes place in a desert empire that is mostly based on Ancient Egypt (with some Japanese influence too), and …

Villain or hero? 
Question: I've come up with a character I really love for my novel, but I can't see where he would fit in, at least in terms of hero, villain, or whatever. …

Could be a BIG problem... 
Question: I am a really firm believer in being true to the characters in one's story, and writing the characters as you think they would act as opposed …

Ok, so now should I make the main character be forced to change right after I explain his situation? 
Question: Thanks you so much for the feedback on my last question Glen! But on the note of characters: The main character in my story is a new leader, …

True antagonist 
Question: It doesn't seem like a it wouldn't work out, but I wanted to ask just in case. My main question - Is it okay to have more than one antagonist. …

Sympathetic Villains 
Question: I'm writing a story with a friend of mine for fun, but I'm feeling uneasy about the villain I made myself. She's supposed to be the character …

Worse than the Antagonist 
Question: Suppose that the protagonist starts out as the good guy pursuing a moral goal and the antagonist is the villain that is in the reconsider role. …

Distance 
Question: How far can you move away in POV yet still be able to stick to one individual character's thoughts? This is kind of in reference to the …

Making Characters Likable and Unlikable Characters 
Question: My protagonist in my current story is a teenage girl. The story is told in first person from her point of view. In a nutshell, she has low …

Basing your protagonist off yourself 
Question: I know it's usually considered bad to base your protagonist off yourself. It's said to be lazy and a sign of limited skill. But if your character …

Character's voice 
Hi, so I am trying to figure out how to describe my evil character's voice. I know her intentions, who she is, and how she sounds, but my problem is that …

Will the readers relate to my main character? 
Question: I'm writing my first novel, I have absolutely no experience and the worse part is that I am not a native English speaker. But I am learning …

Protagonist and Antagonist Assignment 
Question: This website is the best thing too happen to me as a writer in quite a while. I love, love, LOVE the information and ideas shared on this website. …

Angel character ID to stay a mystery till the end? 
Question: My secondary character is a male angel sent to aid main character throughout her life. How do I maintain his angel identification through out …

Parallel Stories 
Question: What I want to write, is a story of two separate characters (a daughter and her father). They are both crucial to the story of both plots. …

Introducing a protagonists with no love 
Question: I'm writing about a young woman who is recovering from an ordeal that has made her mentally ill and unstable for years. She also struggles …

Playing Two Roles 
Question: Can your protagonist also serve as another type of character, for example, the skeptic or guardian? Or are these types of characters supposed …

antihero 
Hi I want my main character to be an antihero. It is more difficult than I presumed. He will be a powerful king, but he will not hesitate to kill, rage …

The Skeptic 
Question: In your article about character archetypes, the skeptic seems to take on a negative role as a character that the others will constantly have …

Character's future 
Question: I made a character, and how he was supposed to act, but now that I'm writing, he's turning out completely different than I wanted. Should I …

main character motivation 
Question: I am torn between two maybe different motivations for my main character. Revenge for things that were done to him in childhood. Second is saving …

Main character//POV//Impact Character confusion *sadface* 
Question: I am writing a simple quest story. the POV character (Paul, for ease) is an emotionally challenged, hermit-style chap who has sought solitary …

The Same Main Characters 
Hi, I've written 10 books or so but the weird thing is that the main characters are almost the same all the time. They have the same names, almost the …

Background/Group characters used as an obstacle. 
Question: I am currently writing a sci-fi novel. When using large quantities of enemy forces as obstacles, how do you keep things from getting boring? …

Villain's Motives 
Question: I've thought about my protagonist's main goal and I've tried to keep in mind that the villain will want to prevent the main character from …

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Wanting to show a character's thoughts and still giving them a mysterious quality 
Question: Okay. I know I have asked a few questions on here that are along the same lines, but I have to make this clear to myself. I want to write …

Realistically portraying relationship between male and female protagonists 
Hi again, My general question is: How do you make characters that are very likeable and idealistic in a Romance but at the same time not too predictable …

Finding Plot Roles for Archetypal Characters 
Question: My story idea is this: Protagonist has lived entire life passively through to retirement (shown by examples) and then has something stolen …

How can I make an omniscient narrator emotionally engage the reader? 
Question: I'm having a little trouble. See, I'm writing a book with quite a lot of characters, all of them are equally important and I've decided to …

Describing Men. 
Question Yes, as silly as it sounds to me, I can't describe them. Every time I do I feel I make them too feminine sounding. Especially with their hair …

Character Outfits. 
Question: I can write what my characters look like, sound like, and even talk like. But no matter how hard I try I can not find the correct way to describe …

Western Romance 
Hi my name is Cortney and I'm 15. I've been trying to write a book for a while now and i can never get through with one before i get a different idea …

Animal Main Characters  
Question: I have been working on a five series for awhile, and have been wondering is it too cheesy to have the main characters be dogs (huskies). It …

Do characters need flaws? 
Question: In the book I'm currently planning I have some angel characters. I would like to know if I have to create minor or major flaws or any at all. …

Character Clothing 
Question: I have tried to write for most of my life, but I've only recently started to get the hang of it. I write mostly fantasy, which means I need …

So many characters! 
Question: In my story, my main character is traveling the land on a quest. On the way, in different places, he meets several others (four others to be …

Multiple simultaneous POVs  
Question: Ok, I've already understood what's behind the choice of having multiple Main Characters and the possibility to switch POV from one Character …

My characters are just warped versions of myself 
Question: My characters are cheesy and unrealistic. How do I make them believable and unique. I'm not very good at observing people and describing their …

My character needs to make a love choice but i don't know which character she should pick??? 
Question: Okay she is a mild-mannered surgeon and there are two choices of guys she could be with. There is Caleb the bad boy with a horrible rep. But …

Archetypal Characters: their 8 functions 
Question: Archetypal Characters: their 8 functions. Can you clarify how I could make the characters have all of these function in a different way? …

How do I get people to care for my characters in the first chapter? 
Question: Hi, this is Natalie Danyus again. I'm going to write a story where an angel is a narrator of the story. He is narrating about the little …

Character Narrators 
Question: If I'm writing a story in which the narrator is actually not the protagonist, just a close friend/flatmate/love interest/etc (think Sherlock …

Careers/Jobs for your characters 
Question: How do you find and decide on a good career and/or job for your character to have? I have my characters set up, and am halfway through my …

Antagonist 
Question: I have come up with a motive for why my antagonist does what he does but I can't seem to come up with a unique personality. Answer: Inventing …

Point of View Inconsistency  
Question: I'm not sure exactly what point of view I'm writing in. I give parts of my story to others and they say, "You need to keep your point of view …

Effective Techniques for Getting the Reader's Sympathy 
Question: What are the most effective techniques to naturally make the reader feel the emotion that the author intentionally planned for them? For example, …

Characters? 
Question: I have my characters formed but just their names and birthdays and some aspects of their personalities but I want to know them more. How can …

Choosing Good Names for Book Characters 
Question: When trying to write a novel, the thing that gives me the most trouble is picking names. Names of people, names of places, names of ANYTHING. …

Introducing The Protagonist 
Question: Does the Protagonist have to be introduced before any other character? Answer: The short answer is no, though it is often an effective …

Main Character and Impact Character Query 
Question: Is it possible to have two main characters that are also the impact character to each other? Answer: Yes. In effect, you would have two …

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Multiple Lead Characters 
Question: Is there anywhere I can turn to learn how to write a novel that features an ensemble of three friends as lead characters? Or do I just have …