Fiction Writing Made Easy | Top Creative Writing Podcast for Fiction Writers & Writing Tips

#199. Struggling With Flat Characters? These 5 Books Will Transform Your Writing


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Master character development with these five must-read books that transform static characters from boring to brilliant.

You've created characters with compelling backstories, but somehow, they still feel... flat. They move through your plot but don't feel like real people.

Here's the thing: character development is what makes readers fall in love with your story, not just read it. But it's also one of the trickiest parts of fiction writing.

That’s why today, I'm sharing five books that have completely transformed my approach to character development. And they've also helped hundreds of my students create characters readers are totally invested in. 

You'll hear me talk about things like:

[01:17] Why most characters feel flat even when they have clear goals and motivations (and which book can help you unlock the missing piece)

[06:22] My favorite resource for understanding character arcs, whether you’re writing a positive arc, a negative arc, or a flat one

[08:16] Which book can help you understand your villain's emotional wounds—and why this might be more important than perfecting your protagonist's backstory

[10:35] A book that’ll help you make readers feel your character's emotions without ever naming a single feeling on the page

[00:00] My go-to resource for learning how to marry your plot with your characters (this one’s especially good for pantsers who want a little more structure!)

If your characters feel static despite having detailed backstories, or if you're struggling to show meaningful character growth throughout your story, this episode will give you the exact resources you need to create characters readers will never forget.

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

  • Join the waitlist for my Notes to Novel course
  • Want me to send you this list of recommendations? Click here!

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Fiction Writing Made Easy | Top Creative Writing Podcast for Fiction Writers & Writing TipsBy Savannah Gilbo

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