Leveraging Your Characters’ Emotional Complexity

31 Oct 2024 • 32 min • EN
32 min
00:00
32:47
No file found

Today Bianca, Carly, and CeCe critique a coming-of-age submission set in the 80s, as well as a speculative literary fiction query. They chat about the importance of details in a query, as opposed to big-picture themes; an example of a prologue that induces curiosity; layering emotion to create more realistic interactions with characters; including emotion and interiority during narration/exposition to elevate your work; how the emotional complexity of your characters can heighten your readers’ connection to them; figuring out ways to show what characters want, rather than explicitly telling readers what that is; the risk of writing experimental fiction; and avoiding using narration in your first line. Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.  Find us on our socials: Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/ https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/ https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting To register for CeCe’s upcoming Hacking Writing on A Line Level course, go to https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xDo7-fz8Q-GrnyE6Nw41qA#/registration For more information about the Deep Dive Virtual Retreat, go to https://www.theshitaboutwriting.com/deep-dive-series-2025.html Our Sponsors: * Check out Acorns: https://acorns.com/TSNOTYAW * Check out Notion: https://notion.com/tsnotyaw Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

From "The Shit No One Tells You About Writing"

Listen on your iPhone

Download our iOS app and listen to interviews anywhere. Enjoy all of the listener functions in one slick package. Why not give it a try?

App Store Logo
application screenshot

Popular categories