Category: Character

The Deepest Wounds: Lies, Deception & Betrayal

Lies (the diabolical kind) do real damage that will never be completely undone. We can heal, but are never the same.

A broken arm can mend and work just fine, but an X-ray will always show evidence of the break. We carry that fracture literally to our graves.

Memory: Shape Characters & Sharpen Conflict

Memory is what makes paper-doll characters come to life. Too many new writers stop at surface description.

Arc: How Characters Grow and Change Organically

arc, character arc, conflict, redemption, writing fiction, Kristen Lamb

Some people, when crisis hits, don’t, can’t or won’t change. Often these people die. At the least, they can put everyone around them in danger.

Personality Traits: Creating Dimensional Characters

Personality traits make for not only a fascinating study, but have continued to be at the heart of spirited debate since probably the dawn of time.

The Wound: How Pain Can Deepen Our Fiction

The wound is critical for creating dimensional characters and, thus, layered stories. It’s impossible to be fully human and devoid of cracks.