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Guidelines for writing Poems, Stories and Tales

How do you make a character quintessential, but not cliched or cartoony?

Asked by: Corey Arnautov

How do you write a non cliche character?

6 Ways to Avoid Character Cliches in Your Writing

  1. Focus on Your Character’s Origin Story. …
  2. Go In Depth With Character Description. …
  3. Give Your Characters a Range of Emotions. …
  4. Give Your Character a Sense of Motivation. …
  5. Give Your Character Fears and Flaws. …
  6. Give Your Character Strengths.


How do you write a powerful character?

  1. Establish the character’s story goals and motivations.
  2. Give the character an external and internal conflict.
  3. Make sure the character has strengths and flaws.
  4. Decide whether the character is static or dynamic.
  5. Give the character a past.
  6. Develop the character’s physical characteristics.
  7. How do you subvert a cliche?

    1. Subvert archetypes to avoid character clichés

    1. Identify a list of character clichés usually associated with their type (e.g. ‘warrior’ equals ‘strong’).
    2. Think of how stock character types (such as “mentors”) have typical behavioural features. …
    3. Then create a character to fit that mold perfectly…


    How do I stop writing cringe?

    6 Tips to Avoid and Fix Bad Writing

    1. Read Out Loud. This is the first step to checking your piece for awkward writing: read it out loud. …
    2. Shorten Your Sentences. One of the best ways to avoid awkward writing is to take out every unnecessary word, phrase, and sentence. …
    3. Be Specific. …
    4. Re-Word. …
    5. Tighten. …
    6. Delete.


    How do you avoid flat characters?

    Thankfully, there are ways we can avoid writing characters who will fall flat with audiences.

    1. Don’t make them stupid. …
    2. Don’t make them all one thing. …
    3. Give your villains redeemable qualities (and vice versa) …
    4. Don’t rely on specific physical descriptions. …
    5. Don’t choose race/gender simply for diversity. …
    6. Don’t reveal every detail.


    How can I build my own character?

    8 Tips for Character Development

    1. Establish a character’s motivations and goals. …
    2. Choose a voice. …
    3. Do a slow reveal. …
    4. Create conflict. …
    5. Give important characters a backstory. …
    6. Describe a character’s personality in familiar terms. …
    7. Paint a physical picture of your characters. …
    8. Develop secondary characters.


    How can I improve my character?

    Five Ways to Build Your Character



    1. Be Humble. Humility is the beginning of wisdom. …
    2. Live out your principles and values. …
    3. Be intentional. …
    4. Practice self discipline. …
    5. Be accountable.


    How do you create a character?

    How to create vivid characters for your novel or screenplay

    1. Start with a character archetype. …
    2. Add specific characteristics. …
    3. Build the backstory. …
    4. Give them quirks, faults, and flaws. …
    5. Give your character an arc. …
    6. Add visual references. …
    7. Organise & refine. …
    8. Create the rest of your characters.


    How can I improve my bad writing?

    Easy tips to improve bad handwriting

    1. Write slowly. …
    2. Identify your weak points. …
    3. Check the size and height of your letters. …
    4. Choose the right pen and paper. …
    5. Watch videos of great calligraphers. …
    6. Copy handwriting that you like. …
    7. Practice on handwriting worksheets. …
    8. Start writing a journal.

    What is poorly written?

    Something that is poorly written is something that fails to sufficiently convey the thoughts of the writer to the reader.



    How do you make a novel not boring?

    This is how to keep your story fresh and exciting in every scene:

    1. If You Can, Trash It. Your first choice should always be to get rid of any in-betweens that don’t advance your plot. …
    2. Introduce Personality: Make It about Character. …
    3. Introduce Action: Make It about Drama. …
    4. Introduce Questions: Make It about Suspense.


    How do I keep my story interesting?

    17 Ways To Make Your Novel More Memorable

    1. Your protagonist drives the story. …
    2. Structure your book as a roller-coaster ride. …
    3. Tell the story in a linear way. …
    4. Write from your heart. …
    5. Start your novel at the end of the backstory you’ve created. …
    6. Include only the most important parts of the story. …
    7. Always remember the end.

    How can I make my story unique?

    The key is to make famous story types and scenarios your own:

    1. 1: Know common plot clichés within your genre. …
    2. Combine the familiar to make something original. …
    3. Know the 7 basic story plots and avoid their most unoriginal tendencies. …
    4. Vary a familiar plot with unexpected subplots. …
    5. Be guided by original novels within your genre.

    How can I improve my scene?

    10 Tips for Starting Strong Scenes



    1. Start with the setting. …
    2. Use visual imagery. …
    3. Drop the reader into the middle of the action. …
    4. Write a character-driven scene opener. …
    5. Summarize past events. …
    6. Introduce a plot twist. …
    7. Keep the purpose of the scene in mind. …
    8. Rewrite until you’ve found the perfect scene opening.

    How Long Should scenes be?

    How long is a scene? Most scenes in most films will last one to three minutes, or approximate three pages of your script.

    How do I create an iconic character?

    Easy And Effective Ways To Make Your Characters More Memorable

    1. Know Your Character. Develop A Thorough Backstory. Examine Your Character’s Personality. …
    2. Write Your Character Into The Story. Develop Interior Dialogue. Create Authentic Dialogue. …
    3. Don’t Make Them Boring!
    4. Find Your Characters In The People Around You.


    How do you write a depressing scene?

    6 Tips for Writing a Sad Story



    1. Tap into your own emotionality. …
    2. Know the difference between sentimentality and truth. …
    3. Leave room to be surprised by specific detail. …
    4. Pair strong emotions with ordinary ones. …
    5. Use backstories to add weight. …
    6. Use sad moments to further character development.


    How do I make my readers cry?

    1. HOW TO MAKE READERS CRY.
    2. Create a character we care about, who has struggled with something we can identify with. …
    3. Create primal stakes for that character. …
    4. Plot a difficult journey. …
    5. Surprise us. …
    6. Create a moment. …
    7. Deal authentically with human emotions.
    8. How do you write a crying scene?

      To put us in the moment, bring the rest of it to life. Give us enough detail to physically remember crying or watching someone cry and you will put us in the moment so vividly that some readers may feel themselves welling up. In short, show us what crying feels like; remind us enough that we feel it.

      How do you cry?

      6 Physical Tricks to Cry on Command

      1. Yawn before having to cry on cue. Taking a few big yawns in a row will lift your soft palate and elicit a physical reaction in your eyes, causing them to glisten. …
      2. Drink lots of water. …
      3. Keep your eyes open for thirty seconds. …
      4. Use a menthol tear stick. …
      5. Breathe. …
      6. Cut onions.


      How do you cry in 10 seconds?


      I do want to reiterate that in acting it's not always about making physical tears come out it's about portraying emotion. And if you think about what we usually do when we cried.



      Why do I laugh and cry at the same time?

      Pseudobulbar affect (PBA) is a condition that’s characterized by episodes of sudden uncontrollable and inappropriate laughing or crying. Pseudobulbar affect typically occurs in people with certain neurological conditions or injuries, which might affect the way the brain controls emotion.

      What does cry on cue mean?

      In the theatre, a ‘cue’ is the signal that an actor has to say his lines. So ‘cry on cue’ here means ‘cry (weep) on demand‘.

      How do actors cry set?

      Menthol tear sticks and menthol tear-producing sprays are products designed specifically to generate tears and are often used by film and TV actors. Simply apply them lightly under the eyes, and the residue will let off menthol vapors that make your eyes water.

      How do they make child actors cry?

      Oftentimes, a director wants a baby to cry on camera, and real babies are used for many of the scenes. We spoke with a professional baby wrangler named Elaine Hall, who has a trick she says works every time to make an infant cry on cue.