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Character vs. Self Conflict
Character vs. Self is the conflict that strips all else away. There’s no central villain, no evil plot, no natural disaster. This
June 5, 2026
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Character Development
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If you spend enough time with writers on social media, you’ll soon learn one thing — we enjoy writing memes....
Character vs. Self is the conflict that strips all else away. There’s no central villain, no evil plot, no natural...
A screenplay is a script specifically written for film, TV, video games, or any other visual medium. It is not...
“The most important part of a story is the piece of it you don’t know.”– Barbara Kingsolver In this article,...
On the topic of self‑publishing, conversations tend to involve the same handful of outcomes. You might have heard how Andy...
Blitzkrieg is not a word typically associated with the quiet, solitary act of writing. It conjures up images of brute...
Tragic heroes are like a falling star, burning, hurtling to their doom, but are a sight to behold all the...
Usually when you open a book and you’re embarking on a new adventure, you believe what the narrator tells you...
Stories that endure tend to tap into something deeply human. Philosophers, mythologists, psychologists, and more have theorized about different ways...
The characters we write in our stories play a central part in the audience’s engagement. Understanding your characters and why...
Do character arcs matter? Here’s an important lesson to remember: No matter how elaborate your plot is, if your reader...
“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it...
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Character vs. Nature Conflict
Character vs. Nature strips a story down to its most primal conflict. There’s no evil villain with a dark motive. No institution
May 30, 2026
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Redemption Arc
A redemption arc is where an immoral character atones for their wrongdoings and earns their forgiveness. When humans first began telling stories,
May 23, 2026
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Character Name Ideas
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”– William Shakespeare, Romeo and
May 1, 2026
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Internal Dialogue
Internal dialogue does more than let you know what a character is thinking. It shows you what that character cannot bring themselves
April 28, 2026
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Character vs. Society
While each type of narrative conflict serves a purpose, Character vs. Society can be particularly interesting. Instead of a protagonist clashing with
April 23, 2026
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Writing a Foil Character
Unlock your protagonist’s depth using foil characters. Learn how to use contrast and dilemmas to highlight key traits and drive your story forward.
April 6, 2026
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Your 6-Step Road to Character Profiles
Create a functional map of your character’s psychology and goals to make stories feel authentic and make their change deeper
March 26, 2026
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The Purpose of Flat Characters
Flat characters are consistent, one-dimensional tools that provide stability and support the narrative without distracting from the main plot. By serving specific roles like providing exposition or highlighting a protagonist’s growth, they prevent “character traffic jams” and keep the story’s focus where it belongs.
March 21, 2026
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Master Character Arcs for Compelling Storytelling
Do character arcs matter? Here’s an important lesson to remember: No matter how elaborate your plot is, if your reader doesn’t care
February 27, 2026
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Round Characters: Techniques to Create Depth in Character Arcs
If you’ve ever fallen in love with a character who jumped off the page and felt so alive that you missed them
February 5, 2026
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Fridging: When Trauma Replaces Character Development
The “fridging” trope was named after a specific incident in a Green Lantern comic (vol. 3 #54). The titular hero comes home
January 29, 2026
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Jungian Archetypes for Character Building
Stories that endure tend to tap into something deeply human. Philosophers, mythologists, psychologists, and more have theorized about different ways audiences resonate
January 21, 2026
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The Dark Night of the Soul: From Despair to Decision
The “dark night of the soul” is that moment in a story where all seems lost. It is the biggest challenge your
January 14, 2026
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The Tragic Hero Explained: Aristotle to Modern Fiction
Tragic heroes are like a falling star, burning, hurtling to their doom, but are a sight to behold all the same. They
January 10, 2026
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The Antihero’s Dilemma: Emphasizing Moral Conflict
Stories are not always about morally spotless heroes, nor should they be. Truly compelling protagonists have flaws that affect their choices and
January 8, 2026
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The Importance of Character Flaws
Without flaws, characters may be admirable, but they don’t feel real. Humans are complex and contradictory. We’re all naturally flawed in some
January 3, 2026
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Writing Effective Antagonists: Craft Conflict that Matters
It may sound dry, but at the heart of every story is an argument. The theme (or dramatic question) is played out
January 2, 2026
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Recent posts
Character vs. Self is the conflict that strips all else away. There’s no central villain, no evil plot, no natural...
Character vs. Nature strips a story down to its most primal conflict. There’s no evil villain with a dark motive....
A redemption arc is where an immoral character atones for their wrongdoings and earns their forgiveness. When humans first began...
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”– William Shakespeare,...
Internal dialogue does more than let you know what a character is thinking. It shows you what that character cannot...
While each type of narrative conflict serves a purpose, Character vs. Society can be particularly interesting. Instead of a protagonist...
Unlock your protagonist's depth using foil characters. Learn how to use contrast and dilemmas to highlight key traits and drive...
Create a functional map of your character's psychology and goals to make stories feel authentic and make their change deeper...
Flat characters are consistent, one-dimensional tools that provide stability and support the narrative without distracting from the main plot. By...
Do character arcs matter? Here’s an important lesson to remember: No matter how elaborate your plot is, if your reader...
If you’ve ever fallen in love with a character who jumped off the page and felt so alive that you...
The “fridging” trope was named after a specific incident in a Green Lantern comic (vol. 3 #54). The titular hero...
Stories that endure tend to tap into something deeply human. Philosophers, mythologists, psychologists, and more have theorized about different ways...
The “dark night of the soul” is that moment in a story where all seems lost. It is the biggest...
Tragic heroes are like a falling star, burning, hurtling to their doom, but are a sight to behold all the...
Stories are not always about morally spotless heroes, nor should they be. Truly compelling protagonists have flaws that affect their...
Without flaws, characters may be admirable, but they don’t feel real. Humans are complex and contradictory. We’re all naturally flawed...
It may sound dry, but at the heart of every story is an argument. The theme (or dramatic question) is...
