Whether you sketch out your characters and know everything about them before you begin writing or learn about your characters as you write, it's important that they be compelling and individualistic. Prolific crime writer Vicki Delany joins us for Episode 70 to discuss things we can do to ensure that the casts of characters with tell our stories through are interesting and help us achieve our story goals.

Vicki Delany's website: http://vickidelany.com/
Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge's website: https://jwjudge.com

We all carry with us the wounds and trauma and scars that are, along with the good things we've experienced, integral to the people we've become. The same is true for your characters. While their story begins with the first words you put on the page, their backstory precedes your novel . Janet S. Fox joins us to talk about how to use your characters' backstories to develop and shape them into the person your readers experience.

Janet S. Fox's website: https://janetsfox.com/
Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge's website: https://jwjudge.com

You work really hard to make sure you suspense and mystery novels have enough twists and turns to keep your reader guessing about how things will turn out. Samantha Skal joins us this week to talk about things you need to do to make sure you have twists that work, and don't fall into traps.

Samantha Skal's website: https://www.samanthaskal.com/
Barbara Hinske's website: https://barbarahinske.com/
J. W. Judge's website: https://jwjudge.com