One of my goals with these guides is to think about different ways to look at story development.
Despite what some writers may claim, there is no “right way” to approach your character’s problems without digging deep. Understanding the motivations and conflicts that drive a character’s decisions and actions is essential.
You need to understand how their past experiences have shaped their present and how their present affects their future. This is how you build believable and authentic characters.
Skirting the surface is a disservice to your reader. In fact, with most issues, there is no single “one size fits all” path.
You can tell your story effectively by targeting a pain point at the right time. The most effective way to approach a problem is by looking honestly at the overall situation and deciding on an unusual course of action.
“Subverting expectations” is always talked about, but you should make those choices in a way that feels genuine to your readers. Your choices should be based on what best serves your story. To be original, stay true to the characters and story, and avoid making unnecessary left-field choices.
47 words that evoke negative emotions
Emotions also have a negative side, which should be explored as well.
- Accusing
- Aggravated
- Agitated
- Angry
- Apathetic
- Arrogant
- Artificial
- Audacious
- Belligerent
- Bitter
- Boring
- Brash
- Childish
- Choleric
- Coarse
- Cold
- Condemnatory
- Critical
- Desperate
- Disappointed
- Disgruntled
- Disinterested
- Facetious
- Furious
- Harsh
- Hateful
- Haughty
- Hurtful
- Indignant
- Inflammatory
- Insulting
- Irritated
- Manipulative
- Obnoxious
- Outraged
- Passive
- Quarrelsome
- Shameful
- Smooth
- Snooty
- Superficial
- Surly
- Testy
- Threatening
- Tired
- Uninterested
- Wrathful
There is a specific difficulty in seeing the negative approach, especially in the beginning. Maybe something in you is holding you back from a creative standpoint. But it’s possible even if it is difficult.
Embracing the dark side requires you to see the world in the way it is rather than seeing the world in the way you want it to be.
You must push yourself to see things in a way that serves the story and, ultimately, your reader.
