How to Use Your Shadow Side in Your Writing

Dec 3, 2024

Guest

Anissa Gray

Guest

Kate Riordan

Join bestselling authors Kate Riordan and Anissa Gray as they explore the intriguing concept of the shadow self in fiction. They reveal how tapping into personal darkness can create rich, relatable characters. Discover methods to stress-test your characters and ignite their hidden impulses. The duo shares examples from gripping novels and discusses how motivation can drive characters to reckless extremes. Plus, learn how to use writing as a safe outlet for revenge against past wrongs. Dive into the murkier sides of creativity!

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ADVICE

Mine Your Own Dark Impulses

Look inside yourself to find authentic darker impulses to use in fiction.
Amplify those impulses in your characters so they become compelling and heightened.

ADVICE

Stress-Test Characters Relentlessly

Put characters under intense stress to reveal whether they lie, harm, or retreat.
Push them to the maximum and observe what their choices expose about their dark side.

INSIGHT

Start With Premise Or Character

You can start with premise or character depending on your genre and goals.
Put an ordinary person in an extraordinary situation to externalize conflict for commercial fiction.

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Have you ever wanted a safe way to seek revenge? In this captivating episode of The Novelry on Writing, join our writing coaches and bestselling authors Kate Riordan and Anissa Gray as they delve into the dark side of writing and how you can use your shadow side to fuel your fictional stories. They discuss embracing your dark side, stressing out your characters, and provide examples from novels you can use as inspiration for your own writing.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction

01:58 - Tip #1: Look within

04:40 - Tip #2: Stress test the characters

07:24 - Tip #3: Throw rocks at your character

08:46 - Tip #4: Examples from novels

13:02 - Tip #5: Seek revenge

Guest Bios

Kate Riordan

Kate Riordan is the bestselling author of seven novels, including The Heatwave, a Richard and Judy Book Club pick and Apple Fiction Chart No.1. Her historical novel The Girl in the Photograph was a Sunday Times bestseller described as a must-read for fans of Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca.

Anissa Gray

Anissa Gray’s debut novel, The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls, was one of the most anticipated reads of 2019 from Vogue, Vanity Fair, the Washington Post, Bustle, and Cosmo. It was a top pick for Indie Next, Library Reads, and Barnes & Noble Discover and was selected for the Marie Claire book club. It has been optioned for TV by Gabrielle Union for Sony Pictures Television. Her second novel, Life and Other Love Songs, was named a most anticipated book by TIME, Essence, Real Simple, Good Housekeeping, and the Atlanta Journal Constitution, and was praised by the New York Times.

Resources

Check out these blog posts for more insight on how to use your shadow side in your writing:

How To Raise the Stakes in Your Story

Writing Fiction: How Dark Can You Go?

Kate Weinberg on Writing Unlikeable Characters

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Show description

Learn how novels work from publishing’s top experts at The Novelry, the world’s #1 school for writers. Hosted by our bestselling writing coaches and publishing editors, this podcast is a practical, helpful guide to writing novels for every genre. Enjoy inside tips and tricks to make your writing a joyful experience while building your expertise in writing craft.

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