Hey everyone,

It’s the first day of NaNoWriMo. For those who are new to this, that is “National Novel Writing Month.” I love this time of year. Work is winding down (sort of) and the holidays are gearing up. And with our New Year’s resolutions looming in the sidelines, we have one last shot to complete them, right?

So, what did I do with my NaNo Morning? I welcomed a new author, had coffee, read my emails and am now visiting with my favorite people in the world—you. And perhaps for some real excitement, I’ll head to the store for coffee creamer and toilet paper. Yep, the day is filled with thrills.

This brings me to the latest post by K.M. Weiland— “The Benefits of Humanizing Characters.”  https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/humanizing-the-bad-guy-or-an-examination-of-violence-in-fiction/

In this post, K.M. talks specifically about humanizing the “bad guy” or violence in novels.  These humanizing elements, whether for the hero or villain, do not need to be major, but they do need to be relatable, evoking an emotional response from the reader.

“Our sense of story is almost like an extrasensory organ. It enables us to pick up on subtle signals in tone and intent and this allows us to interpret how we should respond when we encounter violence in fiction. These signals are more important than the actual act we are reading about or viewing.

“This is why the same beat—someone shoots someone else—can produce varied responses. In Raiders of the Lost Ark, we laugh when Indy shoots the swordsman. But in Gandhi, when the Mahatma is assassinated, we cry.”

Take a read and glean your golden nugget from the post. And me? Well, I’ve got writing to do!

Enjoy the day,

Suz

RECOMMENDED READ:

Show, Don’t Tell by Sandra Gerth.  https://amzn.to/31qghYF

Handyman Characters photo by by @Alexas_Fotos – Pixabay.com