When you're editing your story, it's important to balance how characters grow and how the plot moves forward. Here are some simple strategies to help make your story better.
1. Connect Character Growth with Important Plot Moments
Make sure your character's growth happens at the same time as big events in the story. For example, if your main character struggles with self-doubt, they should face a situation where they can confront their fears. This moment should also be important to the plot. When character growth and the story line up, readers stay interested, and it feels natural.
2. Use Dialogue to Show Change
Talking between characters can show how they develop and help the plot move forward. Let your characters express their feelings and changes through conversations. When a character who never trusted others starts to believe in their friends, let their speech reflect this change. You can show how their words were different at the start compared to later on. This contrast helps highlight how they have grown and deepens the relationships in your story.
3. Show, Don’t Just Tell
Instead of simply saying how a character feels or changes, use their actions and details to show it. If a character used to shy away from fights but now stands up for what they believe in, illustrate this through their actions. Describe how they act, their tone of voice, and how they handle things differently. This way, readers can see the changes happening, making it more exciting and real.
4. Pay Attention to Pacing
Pacing is about the speed of your story. Watch how the scenes flow together. If there are too many fast-paced action scenes and not enough quiet moments, character growth can slow down. On the other hand, too many slow scenes can drag down the plot. Aim for a balance between character-focused scenes and plot developments. For example, after an intense scene, you might want a quieter moment where characters think about their choices. This adds depth without losing momentum.
5. Make Sure Each Scene Has a Reason
As you edit, question the purpose of each scene. Does it help the plot? Does it reveal something new about a character? If a scene doesn't achieve at least one of these goals, consider changing or cutting it. This way, every part of your story is meaningful and contributes to both action and character development.
By using these strategies while editing, you can improve how your characters grow and how the story progresses. This will help you create a richer story that really connects with readers.
When you're editing your story, it's important to balance how characters grow and how the plot moves forward. Here are some simple strategies to help make your story better.
1. Connect Character Growth with Important Plot Moments
Make sure your character's growth happens at the same time as big events in the story. For example, if your main character struggles with self-doubt, they should face a situation where they can confront their fears. This moment should also be important to the plot. When character growth and the story line up, readers stay interested, and it feels natural.
2. Use Dialogue to Show Change
Talking between characters can show how they develop and help the plot move forward. Let your characters express their feelings and changes through conversations. When a character who never trusted others starts to believe in their friends, let their speech reflect this change. You can show how their words were different at the start compared to later on. This contrast helps highlight how they have grown and deepens the relationships in your story.
3. Show, Don’t Just Tell
Instead of simply saying how a character feels or changes, use their actions and details to show it. If a character used to shy away from fights but now stands up for what they believe in, illustrate this through their actions. Describe how they act, their tone of voice, and how they handle things differently. This way, readers can see the changes happening, making it more exciting and real.
4. Pay Attention to Pacing
Pacing is about the speed of your story. Watch how the scenes flow together. If there are too many fast-paced action scenes and not enough quiet moments, character growth can slow down. On the other hand, too many slow scenes can drag down the plot. Aim for a balance between character-focused scenes and plot developments. For example, after an intense scene, you might want a quieter moment where characters think about their choices. This adds depth without losing momentum.
5. Make Sure Each Scene Has a Reason
As you edit, question the purpose of each scene. Does it help the plot? Does it reveal something new about a character? If a scene doesn't achieve at least one of these goals, consider changing or cutting it. This way, every part of your story is meaningful and contributes to both action and character development.
By using these strategies while editing, you can improve how your characters grow and how the story progresses. This will help you create a richer story that really connects with readers.