About this episode
What makes a character so compelling that readers will forgive almost anything about the plot? How do you move beyond vague flaws and generic descriptions to create people who feel pulled from real life? In this solo episode, I share 15 actionable tips for writing deep characters, curated from past interviews on the podcast.
In the intro, thoughts from London Book Fair [Instagram reel @jfpennauthor; Publishing Perspectives; Audible; Spotify]; Insights from a 7-figure author business [BookBub].
This show is supported by my Patrons. Join my Community and get articles, discounts, and extra audio and video tutorials on writing craft, author business, and AI tools, at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn
This episode has been created from previous episodes of The Creative Penn Podcast, curated by Joanna Penn, as well as chapters from How to Write a Novel: From Idea to Book. Links to the individual episodes are included in the transcript below.
In this episode:
Master the ‘Believe, Care, Invest' trifecta, how to hook readers on the very first page
Define the Dramatic Question: Who is your character when the chips are down?
Absolute specificity. Why “she's controlling” isn't good enough
Understand the Heroine's Journey, strength through connection, not solo action
Use ‘Metaphor Famili
