HOW TO WRITE SMART CHARACTERS
(or: how to write witty characters as a non-witty author)
Make them think before they speak
Give them time to plan off-screen
Let them notice small details others ignore
Have them ask the right questions, not just give answers
Let them predict consequences before others do
Give them expertise in one specific area
Have them connect two unrelated ideas
Let other characters seek their advice
Show them changing their strategy when something fails
Have them explain complex ideas simply
Let them win arguments by reframing the problem
Give them moments where they say very little but it matters
EXTRA TIP:
You have a secret weapon. And it's called editing!
Real people must respond instantly.
But writers get unlimited time to craft the perfect line.
So your character doesn't need to be fast. They just need to say the smartest thing eventually.
I hope this helps!
I share writing tips like this because storytelling is something I genuinely love. Iโm also a neurodivergent writer trying to build a sustainable writing career while working full-time, which means writing time can be hard to come by.
If youโd like to support more posts like this, you can leave a small tip on my Ko-fi. Every little bit helps me carve out more time to write and work toward finishing my first book.
Ko-fi donations help fund:
โข more writing advice posts
โข future storytelling resources
โข and the time it takes to actually write the book
No pressure at all! Even just sharing the post helps a ton. <3
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
โ Live Streamingโ Interactive Chatโ Private Showsโ HD Qualityโ Free Actions
Free to watch โข No registration required โข HD streaming
this oneโs for the writers who:
โ are beefing with their WIP
โ lowkey know their pacing sucks
โ keep rewriting chapter one but it still feels like drywall
๐ itโs up on IG (@thewriteedvice) now - go save it, scream in the comments, and maybe apologize to your protagonist while youโre at it ๐
Whispers From the Treehouse will close with the next chapter update on Wattpad.
If you would like to revisit the magic before The Forgotten Treehouse - Riley's Origin Story begins, you may grab your copy here and return to the magic of the forest whenever the wind calls: https://payhip.com/b/yjczN
Thank you for walking this path with Riley and Jamison.
It's the question that hangs in the air, uncomfortable and undeniable. Why was Elvis Presley celebrated for dating a 14-year-old, while men like R. Kelly and Jeffrey Epstein are condemned as monsters?
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
โ Live Streamingโ Interactive Chatโ Private Showsโ HD Qualityโ Free Actions
Free to watch โข No registration required โข HD streaming
Been meaning to update the castsโ character sheets and designs, especially since Iโve gotten requests for references for fanart. ๐คฉ (for the record, I would LOVE to see any fanart yaโll draw of my ocโs).
First up is main gal Cleo the Chupacabra! Plucky, scrappy, and โsharp as a tack with a heart bigger than Texasโ as mama Sasquatch Kenate says. She loves her Sasquatch Papรก to pieces, and is willing to brave Manhattan and don a human disguise to find him.ย
Chupacabras age kindof like dogs, so hence the 4-going-on-18 look.ย
Sheโs voiced by the talented Jaynee Anne in the audiobook version!
Hey y'all! Iโm Heather, a trauma-informed creative using art, intuition, and storytelling to help people heal, grow, and shine the light of their own inner beauty. ๐ฅฐ I aim to spread awareness and provide support for neurodivergence, trauma recovery and healing, single motherhood, poverty, and other social welfare issues, especially pertaining to women's rights.
I'm a neurosparkly single mom with Hashimoto's as well as an author, web designer, and digital marketing and publishing specialist. I live with my two adult sons, three cats, a three-legged great dane, a ferret, a tarantula, an axolotl, a rabbit, and eight fish tanks. When not arguing with book formatting software or sloppy HTML, I play Fortnite and Fae Farm, tend flowers in my little garden, or design cottage-core clothing and accessories for my fairy fashion boutique.
๐๏ธ๐My Writing
๐๏ธ Children's Books for Healing
๐ Wings for Your Heart - $2.99 (FREE on Kindle Unlimited)
๐ Never Let Go - FREE
๐ Learn more: www.heatherholmes.rocks
๐ Poetry & Journalism
Vocal Media Article List (Free)
Medium Article List (Paywall)
๐ Cottage-core clothing & fairy fashion accessories
๐ Shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, mason jars, even pet supplies
๐งโโ๏ธโจ๐ต๐ธ๐๐งโโ๏ธ๐โ๏ธ๐ท๐งโโ๏ธ๐บ๐ฎ๐งโโ๏ธโจ๐ต๐ธ๐๐งโโ๏ธ๐โ๏ธ๐ท๐งโโ๏ธ๐บ
๐ฏ๏ธLowcountry Lighthouse
๐ฒ Volunteer charity offering hot meals, blankets & more
โ๏ธ Active from October 15 - February 15 annually in Charleston, SC
โจ [email protected]
๐ซ Closed for 2025 but hoping to return for our 4th season in 2026
