What Do Your Characters Want?
All genres have traps, inherent weaknesses that writers can fall prey to if we aren’t careful. Maybe your literary fiction has beautifully dimensional characters, but not a lot going on. Or maybe your thriller has a high-octane plot, but the characters seem too archetypal or forgettable.
These might seem like opposite problems, but the solution is the same: It’s time to stop thinking of plot and character as separate elements and start using your protagonist’s motivations to fuel the engine of your story, driving the action, and enhancing the theme.
In this live webinar, you’ll learn how to leverage your characters’ goals and desires from page one to get readers to quickly invest in their journeys, eager to come along for the ride. With plenty of examples from bestsellers across genres, you’ll see how focusing on character motivations as a guiding principle can not only bring your story’s central players to life, but add propulsion to your plot, raise and complicate the stakes, and elevate the themes of your story.
If you want more online education, see the full list of WDU courses here.
Join Us in Italy for the Writing Retreat of a Lifetime!
Writers from around the world and throughout the centuries have found inspiration from the beauty of Florence and the surrounding Tuscan countryside. Now, you can be one of them!
Presenting the Writer’s Yearbook 2025!
The 2025 Writer’s Yearbook, presented by Writer’s Digest, is a comprehensive resource for writers who need a boost to finish the year on a strong note or start planning their new years’ writing goals. Featuring the top websites and markets for writers, plus articles on freelancing, creativity, writing book-length works, and attracting an agent, this special publication has something for any writer looking to get their work published.
Available on newsstands only, now through February 11, 2025.