Tag: Characters

Scribes & Archers > Characters
How to Replace a Character in Your Cast (Without Irritating Readers)

How to Replace a Character in Your Cast (Without Irritating Readers)

Posted on by R.M. Archer

Have you ever watched a show or read a series in which a character ends up replaced–whether the original character dies or goes off on their own adventure, and their place is taken by someone new–and the transition leaves you with a strong distaste for the new character? “What do you mean this is who’s replacing so-and-so?” Yeah, me too. But I recently saw a transition like this done well in Leverage (this post will include some season 2 spoilers), so I decided to analyze what made this cast replacement work when so many others simply leave viewers or readers irritated. Here’s what I came away with.

Know What Purpose and Role Your Character Serves

Before you can effectively replace a character, you need to know what it really is you’re replacing. Every character should have Continue reading “How to Replace a Character in Your Cast (Without Irritating Readers)” →

How to Write an Effective Character Death

How to Write an Effective Character Death

Posted on by R.M. Archer

Most of us have a character death or two that we can point to as having effected us as readers, whether or not we can identify why exactly that particular death struck us so powerfully. In this post, I’m analyzing some of the character deaths that I’ve found most impactful–both as a reader/viewer, and from the storytelling perspective as an author.

Note: Due to the nature of the topic, this post does include spoilers for Warehouse 13, Arcane, and The Maze Runner trilogy.

The Crux of the Matter: Character Deaths Should Have an Impact

You probably already know this–on an instinctual level as a reader if not from an authorial perspective–but character deaths must have an impact on the story in order to feel meaningful to the reader. There must be some sort of impact on the story and/or the characters left behind, or else Continue reading “How to Write an Effective Character Death” →

5 Tips for Developing Character Quirks

5 Tips for Developing Character Quirks

Posted on by R.M. Archer
This post was adapted from an Instagram post I made all the way back in 2022. I find myself pointing people to it over and over, so I thought it was high time to adapt it into a blog post for easier reference–and expand it for the new format!

One of my most popular blog posts is about five details that help bring characters to life. The first item on that list is character quirks, which I wasn’t very good at when I first wrote that post. While I’m still not a character quirk expert, I have learned a lot over my past couple of WIPs. Hopefully some of these tips and tricks I’ve learned will help you too!

First, let me define Continue reading “5 Tips for Developing Character Quirks” →

5 Dialogue-Strengthening Exercises

5 Dialogue-Strengthening Exercises

Posted on by R.M. Archer

You’ve read all the dialogue tips, you understand the concepts that make for strong dialogue, but your characters’ conversations are still coming across flat on the page. It could be that you don’t fully understand your character’s voice, or it could mean you just need more practice! These exercises are intended to help you focus that practice and experiment with Continue reading “5 Dialogue-Strengthening Exercises” →

Crafting Effective Dialogue: Writing Between the Lines

Crafting Effective Dialogue: Writing Between the Lines

Posted on by R.M. Archer

When I wrote my series on crafting emotional resonance, I promised a future post on crafting effective dialogue. This is another element of your writing that will elevate your scenes and emphasize the emotions your characters are feeling. So let’s get into it.

Character

The most crucial piece of believable dialogue is to ensure that your characters talk like themselves. This comes down to Continue reading “Crafting Effective Dialogue: Writing Between the Lines” →