Tuesday 24 June 2014

Putting your characters through the mill

The Global Short Story Competition had an entry yesterday that reminded me of a recent conversation with a writer who said: “I do not like making horrible things happen to my characters.“

The story entry in question really put the character through the mill; like your characters or not, conflict is central in writing. Why? Because stories need things to happen and it is through seeing characters in conflict that we see them at their truest.

You can develop a character through conflict: the meek little parlour maid becomes the towering heroine of the story.

In addition, conflict can evoke a strong reaction in a reader and make for good drama - and if that is happening then writing is easier.

Still time to enter this month‘s Global Short Story Competition at www.inscribemedia.co.uk


John Dean

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