Non-writers often say to me: dialogue should be easy. We all talk, right? What’s so difficult about writing it down? Those of us who have actually tried to craft a scene know better. As noted novelist Thomas Mann once said: “A writer is someone for whom writing is more than it is for other people.” This is true for all parts of writing, ...
We love the excitement of a thriller. Its plot twists, mistaken identities, savage villains and high anxiety brought on by the element of suspense gets our blood racing. To help us relate to the protagonist (and up the terror), he is usually an “every man,” someone just like you or me, compelling us to coldly consider that the same ...
Writers rarely stop to categorize the many different variations of characters out there. But categories can be useful if you are at the conception stage and unsure which way to go, or stuck in the middle of draft and wondering what your hero ought to do next. Let's look at five types of classic heroes.
Everyone knows a compelling hero is central to a good script. Writers spend hours thinking through our hero's back stories. We grace them with inspiring goals and bedevil them with fascinating flaws. But the real secret to a good hero is a good villain.