I’m a writer blog

Guidelines for writing Poems, Stories and Tales

How to make characters more than the words on the page?

Asked by: Beth Price

How do you give characters more depth?

Here are five ways to enhance your characters and their depth.

  1. Give Your Characters a Personality Flaw. Characters need to be portrayed as living and breathing humans. …
  2. Give Your Characters an Addiction. …
  3. Give Your Character a Physical Disability. …
  4. Give Your Character a Mental Disability. …
  5. Give Your Character a Secret.

How do you add 10000 words to a novel?

If your novel is considerably short (say by 10,000 words), consider adding a subplot. Consider a romantic subplot, or one involving a relative or close friend of the main characters. It shouldn’t just sit there, though.

How can I make my story longer?

Five Ways to Make Your Novel Longer

  1. Add more characters to the story. Adding characters to a story can make it longer and more interesting at the same time. …
  2. Prolong the buildup before your climax. …
  3. Add challenges, complications and hurdles. …
  4. Extend the timeline of your novel. …
  5. Explore your characters’ backstories.

How do you increase word count in a story?

5 Ideas to Lengthen Word Count in Too-Short Novels

  1. Brainstorm Additional Plot Beats. List all your current plot threads, and then explore ways to expand upon them. …
  2. Deepen Connections Between Characters. …
  3. Add Characters. …
  4. Emphasize Important Character Traits. …
  5. Dramatize Summaries.

How do you make a character less flat?

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 do you make a 3 dimensional character?

Try these five methods for creating three-dimensional characters:

  1. Allow for “out of character” characterization. …
  2. Give them a sense of grace, destiny, or belief. …
  3. Pair conflicting emotions. …
  4. Use a character’s physical appearance as an expression of inner feelings. …
  5. Draw from your own experiences.



How do I stretch my word count?

How to Increase Your Essay Word Count

  1. Add Examples. Skim through your essay looking for any place you have used an example to make a point. …
  2. Address Different Viewpoints. …
  3. Clarify Statements. …
  4. Find Additional Sources. …
  5. Use Quotations. …
  6. Rework Introduction and Conclusion. …
  7. Page Count.

Is 10k words a novel?

If you’re writing your first novel, the general rule of thumb for novel writing is a word count in the 80,000 to 100,000 range. While anything over 40,000 words can fall into the novel category, 50,000 is considered the minimum novel length. Anything over 110,000 words is considered too long for a fiction novel.

How long is a 10000 word script?

10,000 words is the equivalent of 20 single-spaced A4 pages, or 40 double-spaced A4 pages. It might sound like a lot, but you can easily reach this word count with the help of a standard word processing program.

How do you count 300 words in an essay?

HOW TO COUNT WORDS IN A COMPOSITION/ESSAY



  1. Step 1: Count words per each line. …
  2. Step 2: Count the lines per page. …
  3. Step 3: Multiply. …
  4. Step 4: Because you already know the numbers of words per page, now multiply 176 by the total pages of your composition/essay.

How many pages is 2000 words?

4 pages

2,000 words is 4 pages single spaced, 8 pages double spaced.

How many marks do you lose for going under word count?

A pretty common one is your mark will be reduced by 10% if you’re 10% over or under the word limit. When you’ve worked super hard on an essay, the last thing you want to do is lose marks over something you can control.

Do lecturers really check word count?

I doubt that with essays which aren’t submitted electronically, tutors actually check the word count on every essay, but if they’ve got a reasonable amount of experience marking coursework, they’ll have a fairly accurate sense of how many pages a 4,000-word essay should have.



Do examiners check word count?

Word limits are given for assessed work and you must adhere conscientiously to these word limits. Examiners will take note of the number of words in each essay; insufficient length will have a lowering effect on their estimate of your performance.

What is the penalty for going over the word limit?

Word limit penalties

Overlong essays will be penalised according to the following rule: 1% of the maximum obtainable mark will be deducted for every 100 words, or part thereof, over the word limit.

How strict are college essay word limits?

Most college application portals specify a word count range for your essay, and you should stay within 10% of the upper limit. If no word count is specified, we advise keeping your essay between 400 and 600 words. You should aim to stay under the specified limit to show you can follow directions and write concisely.



What counts in the word count?

Word count includes everything in the main body of the text (including headings, tables, citations, quotes, lists, etc). The list of references, appendices and footnotes2 are NOT included in the word count unless it is clearly stated in the coursework instructions that the module is an exception to this rule.

Do numbers count as words?

Numbers, dates and time are counted as words in writing. For example 30,000 = one word / 55 = one word / 9.30am = one word / 12.06.

How do you count 250 words in an essay?

You know the minimum number of words you need to write for the essay is 250. So in this case, divide 250 with 6, to get 45 – the number of lines you will need to write to reach the word count. You would need about 3 extra lines to leave some space between each paragraph, so add it to 45 and you are left with 48 lines.

How do you count 150 words in an essay?

150 words is about 0.75-1.5 paragraphs for essays or 1-3 for easy reading. A paragraph length typically has 100-200 words and 5-6 sentences.

What happens if you write less than 250 words IELTS?

There is a penalty in IELTS writing if you write under the word count which is 150 words for writing task 1 and 250 words for writing task 2. How serious is this penalty? The examiner will count the number of words if they think it is under the word count.



Can I use pencil in IELTS?

Follow these rules when sitting your IELTS test: You are only allowed to have a pencil, pen, your ID, and an eraser on your desk. If you need to use the toilet during the test, put your hand up to attract the invigilator’s attention and don’t disturb other test takers.

Is sharpener allowed in IELTS?

Your ID must be placed on your desk. The only other items allowed on your desk are pencils, pens, an eraser and a pencil sharpener.

What is the lowest score in IELTS writing?

The lowest band score of 0 is given to students who “did not attempt the test” and “did not answer any questions.” Test-takers who receive band scores of 1 are considered “non-users” who have “no ability to use the language.” A band score of 2 is associated with “intermittent” usership by students who have “great …

Is it easy to get 6.5 in IELTS?

Wondering how to get 6.5 in IELTS? Scoring 5.5 or 6 may seem possible from 4.5 or 5 with a little more practice and preparation; however, reaching 6.5 is a little difficult but not impossible. It will require substantial practice on your part.

Why is IELTS so difficult?

IELTS is so hard because it is a test designed to push your English ability as far as it will go. This means that at some point you will reach a point where you can no longer complete the the questions effectively.