Vocab
Character Building
Conflict, Plot, & Pacing
Show, Don't Tell
Miscellaneous
100

"An image or role projected by a person/character to others."

persona

100

Establishing one of these will help give your character motivation and will help shape their development.

a conflict

100

This is an example of "raising the stakes" in Cemetery Boys

when Yadriel falls for Julian in Cemetery Boys and when Julian starts to go maligno.  

100

Describing the details of the setting can also be used to do this

convey a character's emotions or personality

100

The dog ___ on the rug. [lies or lays]

lies

200

"a continuous hum or rhythmic sound"

thrum

200

You might have a character wear, use, carry, or interact with one of these to illustrate their emotions or values

a symbolic object

200

A "character vs. self" conflict is also known as ___

an internal conflict

200

You can achieve this by contrasting the uneasy & the familiar, using subtle foreshadowing, describing tight spaces, and using terse sentences.

building suspense

200

Ideally, the character, conflict, and narrative arc should be established at this point

within the 1st few lines

300

"To vigorously clean or polish something."

scour

300

What does it mean when we talk about a character's "iceberg"?

everything beneath the surface that may or may not be revealed

300

This technique is most effective when it has a purpose, focuses on a single event, and contains a beginning and ending "trigger."

a flashback

300

This word means the blending of senses (e.g., the sweet sound of the singer's voice)

synesthesia

300

A prefix meaning "large" or "large-scale"

macro

400

"generous or forgiving, especially toward a rival or less powerful person."

magnanimous 

400

This writing pitfall is known as plot armor

an unrealistic situation where a character prevails every time

400

Mythology expert Joseph Campbell used this phrase to describe a protagonist's character arc.

Hero's Journey

400

these two words mean "the literal definition of a word" and "the emotional suggestion of a word"

denotation & connotation

400

A conjunction is a part of speech used to do this (example: albeit)


connect two independent clauses (complete thoughts)

500

"So intense (a feeling or atmosphere) that it can almost be touched"

palpable

500

According to Urie Brofenbrenner's Ecological Model, this system describes a character's surroundings, such as their neighborhood, school, etc. 

mesosystem

500

this means "starting in the middle of things"

in media res

500

When too much backstory is provided in the prologue or beginning, it's sometimes called this.

an infodump

500

The first step in the Hero's Journey (the character often refuses it)

the "call to adventure"

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