All genres have traps, inherent weaknesses that writers can fall prey to if we arenât careful. Maybe your literary fiction has beautifully dimensional characters, but not a lot going on. Or maybe your thriller has a high-octane plot, but the characters seem too archetypal or forgettable.
These might seem like opposite problems, but the solution is the same: Itâs time to stop thinking of plot and character as separate elements and start using your protagonistâs motivations to fuel the engine of your story, driving the action and enhancing the theme.
In this live webinar, you'll learn how to leverage your characters' goals and desires from Page 1 to get readers to quickly invest in their journeys, eager to come along for the ride. With plenty of examples from bestsellers across genres, youâll see how focusing on character motivations as a guiding principle can not only bring your storyâs central players to life, but add propulsion to your plot, raise and complicate the stakes, and elevate the themes of your story.Â
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Meet the instructor
Jessica Strawser
Jessica Strawser is editor-at-large & columnist for Writerâs Digest, where she previously served as editorial director. She is the USA Today bestselling author of seven popular book club novels, including Almost Missed You, Not That I Could Tell (a Book of the Month bestseller), Forget You Know Me, A Million Reasons Why, The Next Thing You Know (a People Magazine Pick), The Last Caretaker, an Amazon Editorsâ First Reads selection, and Catch You Later, brand new in October 2024. She has written for The New York Times Modern Love, Publishers Weekly, and others, and is a popular speaker at writing conferences. She lives with her husband and two children in Cincinnati, where she received a 2024 Individual Excellence Award for her fiction from the Ohio Arts Council. Find her on Facebook and Instagram @jessicastrawserauthor.
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