Characters We Love to Hate

Writing Tip of the Day

It took me a while to learn this. Maybe you're still struggling with the concept. But this by writer Alexandra Finn nails it: BAD-ASS VIEWPOINT CHARACTERS.

Basically, don't make your characters totally unrelatable to your readers. Give your narrator a redeeming quality. A dog, a best friend who's funny, a sympathetic thought or two. And do it pretty close to the beginning.

Although the Story Sleuths have disbanded their blog, luckily for writers, their old posts are still there. I often reread what such favorite kids' writers as Cynthia Lord, Jennifer Holm, Rita Garcia-Williams have to advise us.

Here's their take on PRICKLY CHARACTERS.

And that's my advice for the day, completely pirated from others, but worth following. Now, back to writing and reading, all of us!



Related post: More from the Story Sleuths and Cynthia Lord