Watch this video on YouTube Forget wrangling the old “flawed character turned good” trope - there is a much easier way to develop a character arc that makes sense to your readers, and makes for much more likeable characters! In this video I share a tip for developing a key piece of the puzzle of your novel planning such that, if you find this piece and you place this piece first, the rest of the pieces will slot into place so easily and beautifully and you'll just love this. Set up your character’s Wants in opposition to their Needs. This allows for a beautiful plot integration where the character is trying to do something and the plot is working against them trying to force them to eventually work out what they need and how they have to actually let go of their wants. The character’s wants should be very understandable and relatable. Readers or viewers are going to root for that character to get what they want because it's sensible, it makes sense, and then gradually thro...

Are you torn between the possibility of writing a bestselling genre series and the desire to create something wholly original? On one hand, you could follow an established formula, giving readers exactly what they want, or you could take the risk of writing something you feel is new and exciting and trying to find an agent who’ll take it on, or realising you’ll have to self-publish it and find an audience for it after the fact.  Finding the perfect balance is a challenge many writers face. By visualizing plot points as a framework, you can create a story that resonates with readers, while drawing unique characters each with their own individual journey that keeps your work fresh and exciting. Need help?  Make planning (and writing) your novel easy.  Grab The Novel Approach Planning Worksheet  for just $9 (AU).  Or join my free Facebook group  The Novel Approach for Aspiring Authors . I’m also running a Novel Planning Intensive every Wednesday in May. You’...

© Ragne Kabanova Dreamstime Stock Photos Who wants to read a book where nothing happens, and everything is rosy? Well, maybe some readers prefer such an escape, but more often readers look for change. One way to achieve change and pique your readers' interest is by providing a character arc, and offering hints or reasons for how it was achieved. Note the holes and cracks in the arc in the front of the above picture. Then check the arc by the window in the same picture. One has flaws, the other appears perfect. Not everyone is perfect. Your job as an author is to make sure your characters have flaws, and show how they can or cannot overcome them. Here are two characters who could be works in progress if they were in a book. One is Miley Cyrus. If you were writing about her story, you'd depict how and why she evolved from the Hannah Montana nice girl of the Disney Channel to that of the infamous twerker at the MTV VMA's award show. Was she secretly wild all...