Hey there word nerds!
Today I’m delighted to have K.M. Weiland on the show.
K.M. Weiland is an award winning and internationally published author with a passion for helping writers become published authors. Through her award winning website, Helping Writers Become Authors, she has mentored numerous writers. She is also the author of several books on the craft of writing.
In our interview, we dive into her book Creating Character Arcs, and the craft elements that make characters of all types pop off the page.
In this episode K.M. Weiland and I discuss:
- How to create a strong character arc that works with your plot, and why there is danger in not structuring your characters.
- Why theme is an important element in your story, and how to use for maximum effect.
- What the three types of character arcs are, and how to recognize and craft each type.
- How change occurs in a flat arc, and why these characters resonate with readers.
- How to fix a story with no character arc, and why a no arc story can work.
- How to craft change in a story on both internal and external levels, and why the power of choice is important to all types of character arc.
Plus, her #1 tip for writers.
About the Author
K.M. Weiland lives in make-believe worlds, talks to imaginary friends, and survives primarily on chocolate truffles and espresso.
She is the IPPY, NIEA, and Lyra Award-winning and internationally published author of Outlining Your Novel, Structuring Your Novel, and Creating Character Arcs.
She also writes historical and speculative fiction from her home in western Nebraska and mentors authors on her award-winning website Helping Writers Become Authors. Click the link to connect with K.M. Weiland.
Creating Character Arcs
Have you written a story with an exciting concept and interesting characters—but it just isn’t grabbing the attention of readers or agents? It’s time to look deeper into the story beats that create realistic and compelling character arcs. Internationally published, award-winning novelist K.M. Weiland shares her acclaimed method for achieving memorable and moving character arcs in every book you write.
By applying the foundation of the Three-Act Story Structure and then delving even deeper into the psychology of realistic and dynamic human change, Weiland offers a beat-by-beat checklist of character arc guidelines that flexes to fit any type of story.
Gaining an understanding of how to write character arcs is a game-changing moment in any author’s pursuit of the craft.
If you decide to check out the book, we hope you’ll do so via this Amazon affiliate link, where if you choose to purchase DIY MFA makes a small commission at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!
Link to Episode 146
(Right-click to download.)
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Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!
