Kathryn explains an exercise in pre-writing she has been using to deepen her character arcs and relationships within her novel. We explore how it would affect sub-plots, character relationships, and arcs. What problems could this help you avoid? And how could you use it to develop your antagonist as well? We talk about how Kathryn got into this kind of development, and whether or not it would work for every kind of story!

What is a scene stealing adorable character? And how do we create them? Are they deliberate or accidental? And what do you do with those who don’t speak English? Are these characters three dimensional? And when have they earned their own spin-off?

Have you ever struggled with your antagonist or supporting characters motivation? Or wonder what kind of work you need to put in before you start writing? We even get into what we do for character sketches and how our journals will lead to posthumous fame!

How do you develop supporting characters? What goes into them versus your protagonist? How do you move them from plot device to fully fleshed being? And what role should they play? Above all how do you keep them from all sounding the same?

Is your protagonist up to all the challenges your plot is throwing at her? Or is everything a little too easy?
How do you create a character who’s tough enough to survive, but not so darn competent at everything that she becomes unbelievable and unsympathetic? This week on the Story Works Round Table writing podcast, we delve into creating sufficient challenges commensurate with your character’s abilities and more!

What do we mean by “do bad”? And when should you let your characters make these morally reprehensible decisions? We talk about how to use the emotional bank account, and the motivation of your character to keep readers from losing their sympathy for the protagonist. And what about those snapped moments? Or when your character is acting out of character? Ultimately we decide it’s a powerful tool, so use it wisely!

How often do you find unlikeable characters? Is there a difference between an unlikeable personality and moral or ethical flaws? What about morally repugnant characters? What kind of arcs do unlikeable characters have? And how do you craft them?

What are stakes? And how does your characters agency interact with them? How do you make your stakes personal and individual for your character? And how can you use your stakes to evaluate your plot structure? How should the stakes change through the story? And how do the stakes affect your characters actions? Remember, your characters agency must be the thing that drives your story forward!

What is agency? How does it work in your story? And what does it look like? When is your plot driving your character, rather than your character driving the plot? How can you diagnose agency issues? And how can you maintain that agency all the way through your climax, even with a cast of characters?

This week on Story Works Round Table, Alida, Kathryn, & Robert talk character. What to do when your supporting characters resist the roles you’ve given them? Do you really need them all? What about developing new skills over the course of an arc? 
Could your characters benefit from a writing lesson? Story Works has creative writing workshops available today on character traits, a master class in character development, story structure, plot, and more. Live workshops for Spring 2022 are coming soon! Details at www.storyworksfiction.com