Writing Novels

Lesson 6: Advanced Techniques

Pushing the Characters

Write your characters into a corner. I know that you like your characters, but I want you to push them, to make them suffer for the good of your novel. I'm not asking you to write a depressing story, I'm asking you to challenge your characters. Your readers want to see your characters, who they have come to care about, fully achieve something. They want to be impressed, moved, and inspired when your characters face huge internal and external challenges, and come out alive.

"Push," is the magic word. Push your characters in everything they do to evoke an emotional response from your readers. If you find that an action isn't doing that job, what action would make it more meaningful? Push.

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