Writing Excuses 20.02: Q&A Aboard the Writing Excuses Cruise, with Mark Oshiro and Kate McKean
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Jan 12, 2025 Recorded during a unique cruise retreat, this insightful discussion involves authors and a literary agent tackling compelling writing questions. They delve into the balance between plot and character development, emphasizing purposeful character roles. The talk also highlights the intersections of worldbuilding and character growth, while offering motivation strategies for writers. Tips on financial literacy and recognizing when a manuscript is finished round out the conversation, encouraging continuous growth and community engagement in the creative process.
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Character Space
- Evaluate characters like lines of dialogue, checking for redundancy and relevance to themes.
- If a character isn't crucial to the story, remove them.
Character Focus
- To make plot-focused stories character-driven, consider who would be most affected by the plot.
- Explore why a character chooses to engage with the plot and what unique traits enable their involvement.
Worldbuilding Balance
- If worldbuilding doesn't affect characters or pass the "smell test," save it for another story.
- Repurpose cool worldbuilding details by weaving them into character interactions or conflicts.