Here at Sterling & Stone, character is king. Great characters stick with us long after we close the book or walk out of the movie theater, and great characters will keep your audience coming back for more. Today’s podcast is a 201 flash course on characters. We discuss the characters we love, awesome characters we’ve created, and how you can you can do the same. We talk about: Stephen King’s ability to nail his characters. Using “show don’t tell” in characterization. Why you need to create honest characters. Attention to detail with character backstory. The importance of humanizing your characters and showing motivations. How to make a vile character fun to read. How dialogue can make or break a character. Making sure your plot syncs with your character’s arc to create a resonate character. — Are you wondering what the ever-growing demand for superb storytelling skills means for your future? Check out our latest interview as Johnny and Sean dive deep into that question in “Storytelling Is the Future: How to Build On Your Self-Publishing Success.” Download the interview from the info box or show notes in YouTube or head over to https://www.sterlingandstone.net/future.