The purpose of this exercise is to develop a deeper understanding of non-Point of View (POV) and Point of View characters. 

Even though you might not use what you've written in your story, it will open your eyes to the desires, motivations, fears and idiosyncrasies of secondary characters, which enables you to write more realistic friends, colleagues, family members and villains. 
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Choose a location where you can put several of your characters together. The place and situation could be from your story or something totally different. It doesn't really matter, but if you need some ideas, try a cafe, community event or an aisle at a department store. 

Choose three characters you are going to put in this location including a POV character and two non-POV characters. 

Why do they interact? Come up with a reason for these characters to have a discussion, e.g. arguing, getting an opinion across, discovering information about someone else, working together for a cause. 

Jot down some ideas for each character: 

• Imagine what the location looks like and what's going on around these characters. Is it crowded or quiet, warm or cool, what does the room smell like? Think about what each character can see, touch, taste and smell. 
• Considering each character's upbringing, personality, job, hobbies and reason for being at this location, what kinds of details would they notice? For example, a detective might notice a teenager acting suspiciously in a dim corner, a waitress might notice the large bills in a man's wallet and hope he tips well, and a gardener might notice the well-kept pot plants by the window. 
• What emotional state is each character in? This will depend on why each character is there, how they feel about the other people in the room and even what sort of day they're having. 
• What opinion does each character have of the other characters and the topic they're discussing? Try to show what they want, why and how their approach and temperament is different. 

Now, write a scene where these characters interact with and speak to one another.

Take a look at what you’ve learnt about these characters, e.g. their personality, beliefs, desires, motivations and attitudes. Do they see themselves differently to how others see them? How can you use this information to make them more interesting on the page, even if you're not writing from their POV?
 
Once you have completed this exercise, leave a comment below to share your experience. Did you learn new things about your characters? Will it enable you to add depth to your story? ​

Grab a copy of my FREE Character Profile template to help you develop multifaceted characters. It's more than just a list of physical traits and preferences; this template includes prompts to help you ferret out your character's deepest desires, fears and motivations. 

Author: Sandy Vaile
First published on the Writers in the Storm blog 30/04/24.


You are in the right place if you are preparing to write a novel and want to set yourself up for success.

Whether you're a seasoned writer or taking your first steps into the world of fiction, one truth remains constant: successful storytelling begins long before the first words grace the page.

Beneath the romanticised notion of dreaming up an idea and penning a best seller, lies the reality that the path to a compelling story is paved with careful planning, deliberate choices and meticulous attention to detail.

But, forewarned is forearmed, as the saying goes.
If you are aware of what to expect from the writing process, you can focus on the exhilaration of creation instead of getting bogged down in uncertainty.

When preparing to write, consider:

• Solidifying a vague idea into a compelling concept.
• Understanding the boundaries of the project.
• Make a realistic plan to write the book.
• Understanding essential concepts so you don’t fall into common traps. 

Author: Sandy Vaile
First published on the Writers in the Storm blog 05/11/24 


Writing fiction that immerses readers in the setting and actions is a subtle skill that transforms mediocre narratives into memorable stories. But what kinds of descriptions make a story world feel real without slowing the pace?

In The Art of Fiction by John Gardner, he argues that appealing to multiple senses rather than just visual description draws readers into a scene more fully, so they get to experience the world firsthand and the narrative becomes more dynamic.

Whether you're describing sweeping landscapes, epic fantasy worlds, intricate character movements or tense emotional drama, there are six techniques to create vivid descriptions without falling into dull lists.
 
Six powerful description techniques

1. Replace tired clichés with fresh imagery.
2. Engage all five senses.
3. Avoid description dumps that slow the pace.
4. Revitalise descriptions through movement.
5. Choose meaningful details that add depth.
6. Choose emotive verbs that affect readers.  

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Originally published by Writers in the Storm blog on 7th February 2024.

Author: Sandy Vaile 


Have you ever wondered why pulling all the pieces of a novel together feels like such hard work? Me too.

Each author has a different process, but if you love feeling immersed in the lives and emotional dramas of fictional characters, then shifting your focus from external plot to internal state, could be the perfect way to allow your plot to be revealed organically.

While writing my third novel, I had a revelation that changed my approach to scene planning forever.

​Harnessing motivated characters helped me connect internal and external plot threads. 

For a long time, I wondered why story structure was so difficult. I felt like I’d learnt the various storytelling techniques, but pulling them all together on the changing landscape of plot and character development was a different matter.

I started to doubt myself.

Was I the only one struggling to overlay their ideas onto beats and turning points? Everything I’d learnt about three acts, hero’s journeys and beats was still relevant, but there was some sort of disconnect when it came to pulling all the threads of a story into a cohesive and compelling plot.

Then it struck me!

​If I shifted my approach from what external events needed to happen, to why the main character was there, suddenly all the pieces of the plot clicked together like DNA nucleotides, forming the unique genetic sequence for this story. 

Author: Sandy Vaile
Originally published by Writers in the Storm blog on 1st November 2023


As writers, we’re painfully aware that not every story idea that sparkles in our mind turns into a gem on paper. With the intense competition of four million book releases each year, it’s crucial to ensure the idea behind a book is compelling and marketable. If only there was a simple way to test ideas and be sure they are worth spending time on.

Well, there is!

​Whether you’re a meticulous planner or prefer to discover details as you go, refining that initial idea into a solid concept can save considerable stress and wasted time, because it provides a strong foundation for the writing process.

​Getting clear on a few key elements will give you an anchor to tether every part of the plot and transform it into a cohesive narrative. 

Author: Sandy Vaile 

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Have you ever been bamboozled when it comes to formatting non-verbal communications in a fictional story?

Things like text messages, social media posts, chat room conversations and emails can be tricky to incorporate seamlessly into a manuscript; yet they are so much a part of our everyday lives that leaving them out can make a story feel less authentic.

Today’s readers are accustomed to consuming a mixture of text and graphics on their screens, and eBooks offer the flexibility to include color, visuals and even interactive elements.

Let me walk you through how to format each type of non-verbal communication and take the stress out of incorporating these elements effectively into your stories. 

What to Keep in Mind

Non-verbal messages require a different approach than traditional narration. Unlike prose, these communications often occur in short bursts of abbreviated text rather than complete sentences, with little regard for correct grammar, spelling and punctuation.

​Understanding the difference will help you make them feel like a natural part of the story.

There are a few challenges to be aware of when considering including non-verbal communications in a story.

Author: Sandy Vaile 
First published on the Writers in the Storm blog 03/05/23


​Dialogue is a powerful tool in fiction because it enables readers to get to know characters without the author telling them how to feel or information dumping what they need to know.

But how do you make dialogue believable and capable of communicating vital information succinctly, while captivating readers?

Speech predates written language by tens of thousands of years and is ingrained in our daily lives. It’s the basis of storytelling, so it makes sense to use it to it’s full advantage to develop characters, advance the plot, increase pace and create tension.

The last thing we want is for dialogue to ramble unnecessarily, be overly stilted or sound forced, leading readers to skim over it and not connect deeply with our characters.

Let’s explore what dialogue is, what makes it impactful, and how to write it concisely and authentically.  

 
I absolutely love dialogue because …

• It breaks long passages of narrative with dynamic information (showing).
• It enables readers to get to know characters on a personal level.
• It offers an opportunity to imply subtext through associated actions and tone.

​But it’s not always easy to write succinct speech that rings true, i.e. is relevant to what’s going on in the story, suits the character, and doesn’t feel like it’s forced. 

Author: Sandy Vaile
Previously published on the Writers in the Storm blog on 3rd August 2023.


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Dialogue in fiction stories is a reliable way of bringing characters to life and immersing readers in their lives, but for it to be effective, it needs to be understood.

As Michel de Montaigne said in his essay, On the Art of Conversation,

Dialogue doesn’t include private thoughts, dreams or narration. 

It’s important that readers can easily determine who is speaking, so they can follow the conversation and don’t get the wrong impression of what’s going on in the story.

Ambiguity can lead to misinterpretation, but this can be prevented by:

• Separating the speech and actions of each character into different paragraphs.
• Not going too long without a dialogue tag to establish who is speaking. 

Author: Sandy Vaile
​First published in Hearts Talk ezine in August 2023
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One way to bring readers closer to fictional characters is to get inside their heads and show their thoughts, to provide intimacy and insight to readers. But is the only way to do this to italicise them? If not, what other options are available to authors?

Formatting internal thoughts in fiction is a subject that causes a great deal of confusion.

It raises so many questions like: Should you differentiate thoughts from the rest of the narrative? If so, how? And if you don’t use direct thoughts, will it distance readers?

In this article we’re going to explore:

• What internal thoughts are (and what they’re not).
• What options are available for formatting thoughts.
• What thoughts look like in different Points of View.
• How each method influences the distance between readers and characters.