NaNoWriMo Series: Writing Tip #20

Alright, my fellow writers, this is going be one of those lessons that we all collectively sigh, because we all know what's coming. Pain. Danger. Maybe even death. If we make all of our character's adventures easy, there will be no reason for a story. Many of the greatest stories are the ones that rip our hearts out because our main character's heart is ripped out (literally or metaphorically). As much as I loved Twilight as a kid, I always cringe when I think about how Bella never lost anything. She may have been in a supernatural situation, but she never had to sacrifice anything that she didn't end up having by the end of the series. Series like Divergent (which, for the record, the ending made me throw the book across the room in anger) give you a bit of the unexpected and untraditional.

If you need some inspiration for how dire you can lean into the category of "obstacles to put in your character's path, just watch the first episode of Attack on Titan. I have no idea how those writers kept it together as they tore their characters apart. Everytime I make my characters go through something aweful I end up feeling the entire emotion in my body. I wept when I wrote Episode 4 of Crystal Myth because I was the one making Ah'Tripah go through something so traumatizing as ending the immortal life of her cousin (and she wasn't the first time that has happened). My very first batch of characters had horrible backstories where their parents died and they were left to fend for themselves at a very early age. If all of that seems too intense for your story, ask yourself some of these questions to get a better feel for what kind of obstacles, struggles, and heartbreaks you will make your characters experience:

1. On a scale of 1-10, what level of pain do you want your character to feel?

2. Do you want them to feel this physcially, emotionally, or mentally (or all three)?

3. How do these challenges propel your character forward and shape your story for the better?

4. Does amping up the conflict bit by bit work for your story or do you always want an extreme level of tension from the very first scene/page?

If you want to learn more NaNoWriMo tips, check out the 30 Days of Tips that will unfold this month. Can't wait? Then check out my mini-course on The Basics of Storytelling that's available for $1. I look forward to seeing you in whatever form I appear. Until next time.

About the Author

Crystal Cabrae is a storyteller who specializes in writing dystopian, romantic, and adventurous worlds for animation and fantastical fiction. She is a proud graduate of Full Sail University, AMDA, and New World School of the Arts. Her six years of acting training in New York and Miami gives her a unique perspective when approaching her characters. She has a passion for sharing how to create stories with the world and inspiring the storyteller that lives within all of us. Follow her on IG or Pinterest to know the latest.