A writing group in Austin told me my characters all sounded the same

I joined a local writing group six months ago and brought in a short story. After I read it, one member, Sarah, said something that stuck with me. She told me, 'Your main guy, the sidekick, and even the villain all talk with the same voice and use the same slang.' I was a bit defensive at first, but when I looked back at my draft, she was totally right. I had been so focused on the plot that I forgot to make the people sound like different people. Now, before I write any dialogue, I make a quick list for each character with three words that describe how they talk, like 'formal,' 'nervous,' or 'sarcastic.' It's a small step, but it's helped me so much. Has anyone else gotten feedback that made you change a basic part of your writing process?

2 comments

2 Comments

cooper.max19d ago

I started giving my characters different favorite filler words.

william_rivera19d ago

That's a solid way to make them feel more real.