In life, we can tell a lot about a person by how they dress. We make first impressions – right or wrong – about someone’s personality, values, priorities, and preferences by what they wear. These impressions may be undermined and revised over time as we get to know a person, or perhaps they only get
Iconic characters tower over our pop-cultural landscape. From Dracula to Tarzan, they stand the test of time to become recognizable figures to generation after generation. Sometimes, they kick-start entire genres and subgenres of fiction, and usually, dozens of imitators will follow in their wake, cementing their legacy as the first of their kind. Creating one
Writing a thriller is a dangerous game. Why? Because success is a binary process. Other genres allow for compelling ideas to stand out against lackluster writing, or for amazing characters to charm readers through the boring bits of the plot, but a thriller reader is either thrilled or they aren’t, and that’s the ball game.
This is a companion piece to How To Write A Damn Good Man, and takes a similar approach to considering gender in characterization. Perhaps the most succinct piece of advice I’ve ever heard for writing female characters came from comedy writer Erin Gibson. Just write a dude and slap a skirt on him. I’d love to just leave
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