Storytelling – A Manual

1 – Legacy through storytelling Neuron to neurons and it’s beauty Is it hard to become a storyteller

2 – Types of storytelling Learning about yourself through storytelling Storytelling as an art form Getting in to politics In business

3 – Science of story telling Evolution and science Cocktail of conversation How humans consume information

4 – How to Write a story Main ingredient of a story Key Skills for storytelling 4 core guidelines Good writing skills and habits Common mistakes Create emotional reactions VI. Twelve Ways to Give Your Words Power VII. Eleven Ways to Make People What You Write II. Nine Ways to Overcome Writer’s Block X. Twelve Ways to Avoid Making Your Reader Hate You

5 – Rules of story creation Before the start, think small III. Five Ways to Write a Strong Beginning Structuring the story Rule of three 80/20 rule IV. Nine Ways to Save Time and Energy

6 – Building a character profile

6 – Writing style V. Ten Ways to Develop Style VIII. Ten Ways to Avoid Grammatical Errors IX. Six Ways to Avoid Punctuation Errors

7 – Telling your story XI. Seven Ways to Edit Yourself Speaking skills Opening paragraph – see bookmark 1000 most common words Body Language (acting) Emphasising and most common words How to read your listeners Being uncomfortable at first (standup comedy Strong title of your story

Building conflict

Building climax - https://jerz.setonhill.edu/writing/creative1/shortstory/#paragraph

Conclusion

Contents

Legacy through storytelling ...... 6 Neuron to Neurons and it’s beauty ...... 7 Is it hard to become a story teller? ...... 9 Types of storytelling ...... 10 Learning about yourself from story telling ...... 10 Storytelling as an Art form ...... 10 Getting in to politics ...... 10 In business ...... 11 Science of story telling ...... 13 Evolution and science ...... 13 Cocktail of conversation ...... 14 How to write a story ...... 17 Main ingredient of a stories ...... 17 4 core guidelines ...... 19 Make Yourself Likable...... 20 Practice specific writing skills to build habit ...... 23 Making words are powerful through grammar ...... 26 Improve your spelling ...... 32 Overcoming writers block ...... 33 Writing skills and good habits ...... 36 Rules of story creation ...... 37 Before the start, think small ...... 37 Use the Classic Story Structure ...... 39 Rule of three ...... 44 Building a Character Profile ...... 46 Character Archetypes ...... 47 Character Traits ...... 53 The big 5 character traits ...... 53 Character temperament ...... 65 The Artisan – Good and evil ...... 68 The Guardian – Good and evil ...... 70 The Idealist – Good and evil ...... 71 The Rational – Good and evil ...... 73 Designing the character ...... 75 Mary Sue Characters ...... 76 Character Flaws ...... 79 Choose a point of view ...... 79 Living through our character’s eyes ...... 80 Telling your story ...... 88 Generating a plot ...... 88 Story title ...... 89 Opening lines and paragraphs ...... 92 Common mistake when storytelling ...... 93 Characterisation techniques for storytelling ...... 97 Speech, presentation and talks ...... 103 Quick few points ...... 104 From the what NOT to do department ...... 107 How to prepare and deliver a presentation ...... 109 Structure ...... 110 Introduction ...... 110 Body ...... 111 Conclusion ...... 111 Summary ...... 112 Opening with a spark and closing with a bang ...... 113 Opening a speech ...... 114 Closing a speech ...... 122 Conclusion ...... 131

Legacy through storytelling The need to communicate a buried story with in a human, is a story that becomes a burden within. From the moment human were able to communicate, storytelling captivated our imagination.

We tell our self new stories every single day to develop our habits, values and develop our self- identity.

Story are told using a combination spoken language, music, rock art and dance, which we use to bring understanding and meaning of human existence. Our remembrance of the past are enchanted through enactment of stories.

Stories touch all of the listeners human senses, allowing them to organise their mental image of a story, recognise the structure to touch our thoughts and emotions.

We employ this human ability to become superheroes, villains or to blend in to our society. The stories we tell are fairytales, folktales, mythology, legends, fables etc. It has extended itself to representing our past, personal narrative, political commentary and to shape the cultural beliefs.

The first story lesson I ever learned about story telling is, using what I know. Drawing from it.

It doesn't always mean plot or fact. It means capturing a truth from my experience of it, expressing values I personally feel deep down in my core. And that's what ultimately led me to writing this detailed article on how I want to improve my feeling, experience and emotions.

As humans, around the world, millions survive without a home or love. Yet no one survives in silence. Reynolds Ryan wrote:

“A need to tell and hear stories is essential to the species Homo sapiens – second in necessity apparently after nourishment and before love and shelter. Millions survive without love or home, almost none in silence; the opposite of silence leads quickly to narrative, and the sound of story is the dominant sound of our lives, from the small accounts of our day's events to the vast incommunicable constructs of psychopaths.”

Our mind is teeming with thoughts, and not just randomly. They're carefully linked together. Collectively they form an amazingly complex structure that is your personal worldview.

It's your brain's operating system. It's how you navigate the world. And it is built up out of millions of individual ideas. So, for example, if one little component of your worldview is the idea that kittens are adorable, then when you see this, you'll react like this.

But if another component of your worldview is the idea that leopards are dangerous, then when you see this, you'll react a little bit differently.

So, it's pretty obvious why the thoughts that make up your worldview are crucial. You need them to be as reliable as possible -- a guide, to the scary but wonderful real world out there.

Stories bridge cultural, linguistic and age-related divides. Storytelling can be adaptive for all ages, leaving out the notion of ‘my dad is from the generation before and he won’t understand’. A skilled storytelling is ability allows listeners to become engaged and therefore remember. When the story listener is engaged, they are able to imagine new perspectives, inviting a transformative and empathetic experience1.

This involves allowing the individual to actively engage in the story as well as observe, listen and participate with minimal guidance. Listening to a storyteller can create lasting personal connections, solve problem and create an understanding regarding future ambitions.

The listener can activate the imagination for new possibilities.

Stories often have multiple layers of meanings, listeners have to listen closely and it can be used to teach ethics and values. Like we do with kids, and we should do more and more with adults as the world becomes more multicultural.

Neuron to Neurons and it’s beauty There is one great stories have one thing in common. Your number one task as a storyteller is to transfer into your listeners' minds an extraordinary gift, a strange and beautiful object that we call an idea.

2

A story teller has the ability to share ideas with many of whom they have never seen before. They are able to get the listener’s brain start to sync with their brain.

The listener literally beginning to exhibit the same brain-wave patterns. And I don't just mean they're feeling the same emotions.

There's something even more startling happening. Let's take a look inside Haley's brain for a moment. There are billions of interconnected neurons in an impossible tangle.

1 https://web.archive.org/web/20130814085923/http://www.calpro-online.org/eric/docs/dig241.pdf 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FOCpMAww28 TED's secret to great public speaking | Chris Anderson

But look here, right here -- a few million of them are linked to each other in a way which represents a single idea.

Incredibly, this exact pattern is being recreated in real time inside the minds of everyone listening. In just a few minutes, a pattern involving millions of neurons is being teleported into the 1 or thousands of listen’s minds, just by people listening to a voice and watching a face.

There is nothing more beautiful.

Is it hard to become a story teller? Yes, although story telling comes naturally, we all question this fact. If it is natural, why don’t mist most of us do a good job at it.

Of course, it’s a skill not many people have the need to practice. Yet, it is a skill with little practice, people can get good at.

Storytelling is ABSOLUTELY one of the most valuable skills to absorb, in my opinion. The ability to tell a great story trickles down into everything else we do.

There are thousand ways to tell a story. As with all skills, to create and tell a story, there are rules, laws, and key shortcuts which are essential to pick up. Of course there are common mistakes to avoid. These are outlined in chapter 4, 5 and 6. Types of storytelling Communication in our world is rich with stories, myths, philosophies and narratives that serve as a means to exchange information. These are used in everyday setting.

Learning about yourself from story telling My obsession with tracking my life is beyond normality. Once every week I over view my whole life to this point, and look for ways I can learn from my past. Up until only recently, I discovered that learning from an experience is not automatic.

Often I need to attempt to tell the story of that experience before realising its value. In this case, it is not only the listener who learns, but the teller who also becomes aware of his or her own unique experiences and background. Fortunately my girlfriend and my best friend tolerate my stories every day.

This process of storytelling is empowering as it allows me to effectively conveys ideas and, with practice, I am able to demonstrate the potential of my, as a human, of my accomplishments.

Storytelling allows me to tap into existing knowledge and creates bridges both culturally and motivationally toward a solution to my life goals. Storytelling has become my foundation for learning and teaching.

Storytelling as an Art form Creativity flows through our finger. Creativity is core to authors. Creativity elements include the essential idea of narrative structure with a beginnings, middles, and endings.

Normally constructed into lucid plot lines with a strong focus to inform the reader of the past, attention to present action and projecting the future. We good novel presents all of these thought the characters and environment the author presents with their words.

Getting in to politics Some approaches treat narratives as politically motivated stories, stories empowering certain groups and stories giving people agency. Instead of just searching for the main point of the narrative, the political function is demanded through asking, "Whose interest does a personal narrative serve"?3

This approach mainly looks at the power, authority, knowledge, ideology and identity. Political theorist, Hannah Arendt argues that storytelling transforms private meaning to public meaning4. Regardless of the gender of the narrator and what story they are sharing, the performance of the narrative and the audience listening to it is where the power lies.

3 Langellier, Kristen (1989). "Personal Narratives: Perspectives on Theory and Research". Text and Performance Quarterly: 266 4 Jackson, Michael (March 1, 2002). The Politics of Storytelling: Violence, Transgression and Intersubjectivity. Museum Tusculanum Press. p. 36. ISBN 8772897376. In business

Workplace Most people love who they work with and hate others. This is due to the story each individual represents and how their story clashes with ours. Understanding their story can allow us to build a narrative to interpret the past and shape the future, manage conflicts and portray our self.

Storytelling plays an important role for us to convince others. When situations are complex, understanding our narrative and of those around us, allow us to get a grip.

Storytelling in speeches, presentation and talks While very similar, there are some quite fundamental differences between Storytelling and Presenting. Especially when it comes down to presenting business information to key stakeholders.

PowerPoint has been the norm for presentations in the workplace for years, but it's static, linear and often fails to engage.

PowerPoint offers all kinds of templates and new graphics tools, but all anyone ever uses is boring bullet points on a white background, leaving most content well short of 'interesting'.

Designed purely to inform, a bit like a lecture, presentations are often delivered at passive audiences, moving from one slide to another. Post event knowledge transfer is limited as the audience are not engaged and have often lost interest.

Storytelling is designed to inform and engage, making business content more entertaining and interesting. The audience is active - the story has been delivered to the audience and designed specifically for them. Knowledge transfer is higher, a result of the non-linear, more visual style presentation and an audience who are involved and stimulated.

A presentation cannot consist of just talking – visuals are key. However, the visuals cannot just be a script of the words you’re saying – that adds no value.

You need to enhance what you are saying and increase the audience’s ability to fully understand your ideas with well-chosen, relevant visuals.

Visuals need to live in harmony with the content of your presentation or story – not overpower it. Visuals instantly emphasise and help communicate your point in a more powerful and accessible way. Visuals keep things moving, they engage and add authenticity to your business story.

The need for more interesting styles of flexible data driven dynamic presentations is obvious! Storytelling is the way forward...just because you're talking business, doesn't mean you can't tell a great story.5

Simply put, the core of business is storytelling; the communication and transfer of knowledge from person to another.

5 http://www.sharpcloud.com/blog/what-is-the-difference-between-storytelling-and-presenting Marketing Storytelling is increasingly used in advertising today in order to build customer loyalty. According to Giles Lury, this marketing trend echoes the deeply rooted need of all humans to be entertained.

Stories are illustrative, easily memorable and allow any firm to create stronger emotional bonds with the customers.

A Nielsen study shows consumers want a more personal connection in the way they gather information. Our brains are far more engaged by storytelling than by cold, hard facts.

When reading straight data, only the language parts of our brains work to decode the meaning. But when we read a story, not only do the language parts of our brains light up, but any other part of the brain that we would use if we were actually experiencing what we're reading about becomes activated as well. This means it's far easier for us to remember stories than hard facts.

This brings me on to the science!

Science of story telling

Evolution and science

From birth, our brains begin to understand the world by forming cause-and-effect relationships: “If this happens, then that happens.” Our brains are constantly searching for answers to make sense of the world. It’s why toddlers never get tired of asking “why?”

Learning cause-and-effect relationships can be amusing for children (“If I throw my food on the floor, then my parents have to pick it up”) or the source of important lessons (“If I don’t finish my vegetables, then I don’t get dessert.”)

Evolutionary psychologists suggest an important reason for this tendency: We need to understand what in the world can cause us danger, so we can take action that helps us survive. Stories help immensely with this. By putting people in the picture — often in the form of heroes trying to create change and villains trying to stop them — stories give our brains a shortcut to understanding cause- and-effect relationships. 6

Stories can help cut through complexity when the cause of a problem is hard to pin down

6 https://medium.com/aspirational/the-science-of-storytelling-part-1-understanding-cause-and-effect- c19f26c98cbc Stories activate your imagination and engage your emotions; they light up more of the brain than a stream of bullet points on PowerPoint. You only need think about a dream you had recently to reflect on how compelling your imagination can be.

When we hear a story, not only are the language processing parts in our brain activated, but any other area in our brain that we would use when experiencing the events of the story are, too7. You can visually recreate the characters and scenes in your own head, leading to a sense of immersion and remote experience.

If someone tells us about how delicious certain foods were, our sensory cortex lights up. If it’s about motion, our motor cortex gets active. 8

INFOGRAPH IMAGE LINK https://www.humanisethebrand.com/neuroscience- storytelling/neuroscience-of-storytelling/

Neuroscientists are still debating many findings, but we know from experience that when we’re listening to a good story -- rich in detail, full of metaphor, expressive of character -- we tend to imagine ourselves in the same situation.

Sensory details like ‘the client was as excited as if he had won the lottery’ engage a listener’s sensory cortex. Action words like ‘drive this project home’ engage the motor cortex, all leading to a more connected and richer experiencing of the message.

In short, the more a speaker conveys information in story form, the closer the listener’s experience and understanding will be to what the speaker actually intended.

Just think about all those scary stories told around the campfire. Your heart rate increases, you get goosebumps, the hair on the back of your neck stands on end. The stories told in a business setting might not be quite as dramatic (or hair-raising), but nevertheless can be more impactful than plain facts and statistics alone.9

Stories allow us to experience the world before we actually have to experience it. This is the only way to activate parts in the brain so that a listener turns the story into their own idea and experience.

Cocktail of conversation Scientists are discovering that chemicals like cortisol, dopamine and oxytocin are released in the brain when we’re told a story.

Why does that matter?

7 “The Science of Storytelling: What Listening to a Story Does to Our Brains”, Leo Widrich 8 https://www.humanisethebrand.com/neuroscience-storytelling/ 9 http://www.harvardbusiness.org/blog/science-behind-art-storytelling If we are trying to make a point stick, cortisol assists with our formulating memories. This gets produced when something warrants our attention, like distress. Where we hear about potential threats in our environment -- or hear something distressing in a story. Cortisol helps us stay attentive.

Dopamine, most popular, which helps regulate our emotional responses, keeps us engaged. This gets produced to aid in an elaborate learning system that rewards us (with pleasure) when we follow the emotionally charged events in a story.

If cortisol helps with awareness, dopamine aids, so to speak, with arousal, rewarding us to stick with the journey.

When it comes to creating deeper connections with others: oxytocin, an important element in building, deepening or maintaining good relationships.

Along side these main three, some of the others are vasopressin, serotonin, endorphins, etc. These are the wonder drug of storytelling.

I really recommend watching the TED Talk by David JP Phillips – ‘The magical science of storytelling’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj-hdQMa3uA.

While there are many other things in the human organism that help make us social, oxytocin has been identified as a chemical that promotes prosocial, empathic behaviour. According to the story scientists, it's what enables us to identify with the hero/protagonist in a story.10

Let me bring you to a 2009 study which brings us to Professor Zak.

In it’s study, the Annals of the New York Academy of Science, Zak asked his subjects to watch two videos. One tells the story of a father whose son is dying of cancer and who is struggling to find a way to connect with the boy. The other is a more static, storyless video of the father and son taking a walk in the zoo. It should not be surprising that the first video was more engaging.

It was more than that. As a writer for the Atlantic noted, "those who reported feeling empathy for the characters in the clip were found to have 47 percent more of the neurochemical oxytocin in their body than those who didn’t feel empathetic toward the characters."

But Zak's story about story doesn't end there. As he notes in the voice track of the video, Zak's team ran a second experiment where they gave money to the subjects that they could spend as they pleased. Zak's team found that the subjects who produced the highest levels of cortisol and oxytocin were "more likely to donate money generously."

Loosely speaking -- I will not pretend to fully understand the chemistry -- with cortisol, we have a chemical that helps with awareness. With dopamine, we have a drug that helps with arousal and pleasure. With oxytocin -- in combination with cortisol and perhaps with dopamine and other potential chemicals in the storytelling cocktail -- we have a drug that helps produce action, the grand prize in marketing at the bottom of the so-called funnel.

10 https://www.forbes.com/sites/giovannirodriguez/2017/07/21/this-is-your-brain-on-storytelling-the- chemistry-of-modern-communication/2/#6cb41cef70d2 As Zak concludes, one can "change behaviour by changing our brain chemistry."

The cocktail might work -- i.e., persuade someone to take action -- regardless of the veracity of the story. In a great post for Nautulis, a science magazine, physician Robert Burton observes:

We can get our dopamine reward, and walk away with a story in hand, before science has finished testing it. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that the brain, hungry for its pattern-matching dopamine reward, overlooks contradictory or conflicting information whenever possible.

This should be troubling. Many people know the power of propaganda, but perhaps far fewer know just how biologically susceptible we are to telling stories -- and hearing stories -- that blind us to the truth. But another way of looking at this is that the rough science can be used for good, evil, and the perhaps lesser evil of amateur science and opportunism.

How to write a story

I remember my mum telling me stories during a thunderstorm when I was in Bangladesh. The stories changed how my mind perceived the world around me. It gave me imagination to fight big scary world. One of my life questions that I have held for many years is, how do I gain the power to build a vision for the present and an entire generation that is to come?

Stories mirror human thought as humans think in narrative structures and most often remember facts in story form. Facts can be understood as smaller versions of a larger story.

Main ingredient of a stories Storytelling is, joke telling! It is knowing your punchline, your ending, knowing that everything you're saying, from the first sentence to the last, is leading to a singular goal, and ideally confirming some truth that deepens our understandings of who we are as human beings.

We all love stories.

We're born for them. Stories affirm who we are. We all want affirmations that our lives have meaning. And nothing does a greater affirmation than when we connect through stories.

It can cross the barriers of time, past, present and future, and allow us to experience the similarities between ourselves and through others, real and imagined.

Every story has 3 parts. First, The setup (The Hero's world before the adventure starts). Second, The Confrontation (The hero's world turned upside down). Third, The Resolution (Hero conquers villain, but it's not enough for Hero to survive. The Hero or World must be transformed). Any story can be framed in such format.

Start of a story fundamentally makes a promise. It's making a promise to you that this story will lead somewhere that's worth your time. And that's what all good stories should do at the beginning, is they should give you a promise. You could do it an infinite amount of ways.

Sometimes it's as simple as "Once upon a time ... ". or somebody in a bar saying, "Here, let me tell you a story. It didn't happen to me, it happened to somebody else, but it's going to be worth your time." A well told promise is like a pebble being pulled back in a slingshot and propels you forward through the story to the end.

What the listener actually wants is to work for their meal. They just don't want to know that they're doing that. It’s the job as a storyteller, to hide the fact that you're making them work for their meal.

We're born problem solvers. We're compelled to deduce and to deduct, because that's what we do in real life. It's this well-organized absence of information that draws us in.

There's a reason that we're all attracted to an infant or a puppy. It's not just that they're damn cute; it's because they can't completely express what they're thinking and what their intentions are. And it's like a magnet. We can't stop ourselves from wanting to complete the sentence and fill it in. Don't give them four, give them two plus two.

"Drama is anticipation mingled with uncertainty."

In the short-term, make the listener want to know what will happen next? But more importantly, make the listener want to know how it will all conclude in the long-term. Construct honest conflicts with truth that creates doubt in what the outcome might be?

All stories are in combination of two. Through repeating word by word of set phrase, these have been stored over thousands of years and passed on by lifetime of hearing and sharing. These word brings a story theme by theme. Mixing actions and events to create an unique formula sentence by sentence. Building a grand design under the story where every word brings every theme together.

The most major ingredient that I feel a story should have with in their wonderful ideas, but is rarely invoked is ‘Wonder’. That's what I think the magic ingredient is, the secret sauce,

Can you invoke wonder. Wonder is honest, it's completely innocent. It can't be artificially evoked. For me, there's no greater ability than the gift of another human being giving you that feeling -- to hold them still just for a brief moment in their day and have them surrender to wonder.

When it's tapped, the affirmation of being alive, it reaches you almost to a cellular level.

And when an storyteller does that to the listener, it's like the listener is compelled to pass it on. It's like a dormant command that suddenly is activated, like a call to a higher feeling. Like do unto others what's been done to you. 11

The best stories and ideas are infuse wonder, and they really matter. If communicated properly, they're capable of changing, forever, how someone thinks about the world, and shaping their actions both now and well into the future.

Ideas are the most powerful force shaping human culture. So if you accept that your number one task as a storyteller is to build an idea inside the minds of your audience, there are guidelines.

11 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxDwieKpawg Good speakers and writers know all the rules and follow them. Great speakers and writers know all the rules and break them. However, the genius speakers and writers don’t break the rules arbitrarily. They break them because their stories require a whole new set of rules. Respect the rules, but remember that you don’t serve the rules. You serve your stories. Through out all the paragraphs written in this book are the rules. Take them and make them your own.

4 core guidelines

1, limit your story to just one major idea.

Ideas are complex things; you need to slash back your content so that you can focus on the single idea you're most passionate about, and give yourself a chance to explain that one thing properly.

You have to give context, share examples, make it vivid. So pick one idea, and make it the through- line running through your entire story, so that everything you say links back to it in some way.

2, give your listeners a reason to care.

Before you can start building things inside the minds of your audience, you have to get their permission to welcome you in.

And the main tool to achieve that?

Curiosity.

Stir your listener's curiosity. Use intriguing, provocative questions to identify why something doesn't make sense and needs explaining. If you can reveal a disconnection in someone's worldview, they'll feel the need to bridge that knowledge gap. And once you've sparked that desire, it will be so much easier to start building your idea.

3, build your idea, piece by piece out of concepts that your audience already understands. You use the power of language to weave together concepts that already exist in your listeners' minds. But not your language, their language. You start where they are.

The speakers often forget that many of the terms and concepts they live with are completely unfamiliar to their listeners.

Now, metaphors can play a crucial role in showing how the pieces fit together, because they reveal the desired shape of the pattern, based on an idea that the listener already understands.

For example, if you wanted to explain the incredible new biotechnology called CRISPR, you can say, "It's as if, for the first time, you had a word processor to edit DNA. CRISPR allows you to cut and paste genetic information really easily."

Now, a vivid explanation like that delivers a satisfying aha moment as it snaps into place in our minds.

It's important, therefore, to refine your story structure overtime and find out which parts the listener get confused by.

4, make your idea worth sharing

Ask yourself the question: "Who does this story and it’s idea benefit?" Be honest with the answer.

If the idea only serves you, then, t's probably not worth sharing. The listener will see right through you. But if you believe that the story has the potential to brighten up someone else's day or change someone else's perspective for the better or inspire someone to do something differently, you’re your story can be a gift to all. 12

Make Yourself Likable. In order to write and tell a story successfully, you don’t have to become the greatest. But you do have to make yourself likable.

When you write well, you share a private moment with the readers. Present yourself to readers as someone they would welcome into their homes. Write clearly and conversationally, and strive always to present in your writing some honest picture of who you are.

12 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FOCpMAww28 TED's secret to great public speaking | Chris Anderson Readers will like you if you seem to understand who they are and what their world is like. Readers will like you if you use humor in almost everything you write.

Of course, there are times when humor is inappropriate, but don’t hesitate to bring humor where appropriate.

Readers will like you if you show that you are human. In a how-to piece, for example, you might write, “This third step is a little hard to master. I ruined six good slides before I got it right. So be smarter than I was; practice on blanks.”

Write About People. People are why TVs get turned on. People are why books get opened. People are why magazines are purchased. And people are why the well-told tale has been listened to for centuries.

People is the one subject that everybody cares about.

What do other people think? How do they act? What makes them angry, happy, enthusiastic? How will they vote in the next election? How can I get them to fall in love with me, buy my product, support my plan? These are the questions readers ask.

So try to put humanity into everything you write. There are times when you cannot comfortably dress your prose in flesh and blood, but those times are rare. Even a how-to article is about a person named “you.”

Show Your Opinion. Few things are duller than a man or woman without an opinion.

Your opinion is not always appropriate, but often it is the thing that gives writing its life and colour. In fact, it is frequently dishonest to hide your opinion because it will find its way into your writing anyhow by influencing your choice of what material to include and what to ignore.

By including opinion in the article, give the reader a basis for discussion, either with other people or in his own mind. Even if the reader says, “I totally disagree,” I have made him or her think about my subject. I have accomplished my goal.

I don’t care if the reader agrees with my opinion. The important thing is that he or she respond to it. If you can stir your reader up, then your writing has achieved some success.

Obey Your Own Rules. When you begin to write, you also begin in subtle ways to set down a list of rules, just as you set down the rules at the start of a game.

Through your title or first paragraph you communicate to the reader certain guidelines about the subject, the scope, or the tone of the story.

If your title is “equality in the UK,” you have set a rule that says, “Everything in this story is related to equality in the UK,” and you will be violating that rule if you write too heavily about subject other than that.

Use Anecdotes. An anecdote is a little story or incident that makes a point about your subject.

The word comes from the Greek anekdota which means things unpublished, and ideally your anecdote should be an unpublished incident you discovered in your research.

Anecdotes are great reader pleasers. They are written like fiction, often contain dialogue, and reduce a large issue to a comprehensible size by making it personal. Anecdotes crystallise a general idea in a specific way.

Writing a short, colourful anecdote is one of the most compelling ways to begin an article, query letter, or business proposal, and a couple of well-placed anecdotes in your longer stories will break the lock of formality and win your reader’s affection as well as his or her attention.

Use Examples. This book is full of examples. I say that something is true, and then I show you an instance of it being true. Because this is a teaching book, many of the examples are long.

But examples are usually short in writing. Often they are tacked on to the end of a general statement. They do a lot of work, and they impress readers.

Examples are used to back up your statements. They clarify your generalisations and help to prove that you are right. Finally, they show the reader what, exactly, it is that you’re talking about.

Name Your Sources. If your reader works in London, and you write that a protest will happen on February 19, your reader is going to be extremely interested to know where you got your information.

If you mention that your information came from Dr. Winston Ruxbacher, Director of London Protests, your reader might decide that February 19 would be a real good day to not drive their car.

Your reader’s reaction to your information depends on your sources.

Decide who or what are your most valuable sources, and name only them. Good sources help build credibility and take on added importance when you are contradicting widely held assumptions, or when a crucial decision depends on your accuracy.

Provide Useful Information. Useful information is information that has “service value.” That means readers can do something after they read what you have written.

They might bake a cake because you gave them a recipe, or they might start getting in shape because you gave them directions for ten exercises.

Use Quotations. “Familiar quotations,” wrote Carroll Wilson, in the preface to a book of quotations, “are more than familiar; they are something part of us.

These echoes of the past have two marked characteristics—a simple idea, and an accurate rhythmic beat.”

Though “quotation” and “quotes” are the same thing, we generally think of quotations as words that are notable enough to have been preserved through time.

Use quotations when you need to enhance an idea with something poetic or reinforce a generalization or an opinion.

Quotations will create the idea that you are not alone in your opinion, that somebody, perhaps even Abraham Lincoln, agrees with you. They will give you credibility by association.

Don’t use a lot of quotations, however, or they will look more like crutches to hold you than planks to support you.

Use Quotes. Quotes are the words someone said to you when you interviewed her for your story, or short excerpts from some of the reading you did in your research.

Quotes in your story will attract readers. The white space surrounding the quotes makes the typed or printed page less intimidating. And, more important, quotes create credibility.

Make sure you use a quote when the speaker’s words will achieve your goals more effectively than your own words.

Practice specific writing skills to build habit Breakdown big skills and practice each mini-skill one by one.

• Learn how to write good sentences— a sparkling sentence is the basic ingredient of good writing. • Become more conversational by including questions in your writing. • Study how to choose flavoured words; and learn how to avoid bland phrases that make your writing tasteless and yuck. • Compose smooth transitions so readers glide from sentence to sentence, and from paragraph to paragraph. • Experiment with your voice by changing punctuation and adding a dynamic rhythm. • Create a mesmerizing flow by outlining or reverse-outlining your content. • Practice writing soundbites that linger in your reader’s minds. • Cook up fresh metaphors to make abstract concepts concrete and entertaining. • Play with mini-stories to engage your readers. Practice your basic writing skills like a sushi chef practices filleting fish. Practice more, and writing becomes a joy.

• Hold yourself accountable—publish or practice a short story and/or a speech at least one piece of content every week. • Apply a structured process to your writing—plan, draft, edit, and format. • Edit your content in several rounds because scintillating content requires careful adjustment of each ingredient. • Nurture a sense of play and experiment with different techniques—start with these creative writing exercises for various genre. Mediocre writing bores your readers to tears. But nourishing content engages, delights, and inspires your readers. Your readers are hungry for ideas, advice, comfort, and inspiration. Serve them the right mix of nourishing content, and make them crave more. Start with the following tips to engage your audience:

• Practice empathy—understanding how you can help your reader is the basic ingredient of nourishing content that brings wonder. • Apply the principles of persuasion, so you can inspire your reader to implement your goals behind the story. • Make your advice more practical by demonstrating your tips with lively examples. • Make your content memorable by including rich details that breathe life into your arguments. • Borrow authority by including expert quotes and stats. • Share tasty nuggets of information by digging deeper into your topic to reveal more specific tips. We’re not born with a unique voice, instead, we learn how to write and talk by studying the masters and ‘stealing’ proven methods:

• Study covers and learn how to write attention-grabbing headlines. Dissect it. • Pay attention to words in book, speeches, movie reviews, sports reports, and novels— which words grab you? • Read children’s books to learn how to discuss big topics in simple words. • Enjoy the sensory experience of poetry. • Embrace serendipity—you can find inspiration anywhere. • Find a writing partner 13

Do your fingers sometimes freeze over the typewriter keyboard? Does the paper seem to stare back at you with an accusing eye? The problem could be that you haven’t gathered enough information. You haven’t gotten the facts.

Research skills is important. As a professional speaker, you could be called upon to write on topics you don't know much about. This requires research, sometimes online. If you are good at finding and assimilating large amounts of information quickly, say so—and provide examples from your history to prove it. Almost everything you will ever write must be built on a foundation of factual information.

That includes opinion pieces and most certainly includes stories, plays, and novels. You cannot write securely on any subject unless you have gathered far more information than you will use.

13 https://www.enchantingmarketing.com/how-to-improve-writing-skills/

Write In One Sitting. Write the first draft of your story in as short a time as possible. If you’re writing a short story or a speech, try to write it in one sitting.

Don’t worry too much about plotting or outlining beforehand. You can do that once you know you have a story to tell in the first place. Your first draft is a discovery process. You are like an archeologist digging an ancient city out of the clay. You might have a few clues about where your city is buried beforehand, but you don’t know what it will look like until it’s unearthed.14

Making words are powerful through grammar This section is a heavy, English grammar lesson read. However, it is also one of those topics thay is an important factor from strong writing for the story to be told powerfully. I recommend skimming through and going back to the paragraphs which are relevant to you.

Use Short Words. Short words tend to be more powerful and less pretentious than longer words.

The fastest way to learn why you should use short words is to read anything by Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway, the Nobel Prize winner who lands on almost everybody’s list of great American writers, was a miser when it came to syllables and words.

This paragraph, picked at random from his The Sun Also Rises (Scribner’s), contains only two words with more than two syllables.

Finally, after a couple more false klaxons, the bus started, and Robert Cohn waved good-by to us, and all the Basques waved good-by to him. As soon as we started out on the road outside of town it was cool. It felt nice riding high up and close under the trees. The bus went quite fast and made a good breeze, and as we went out along the road with the dust powdering the trees and down the hill, we had a fine view, back through the trees, of the

14 https://thewritepractice.com/write-story/ town rising up from the bluff above the river. The Basque lying against my knees pointed out the view with the neck of a wine-bottle, and winked at us. He nodded his head.

Use Dense Words. A dense word is a word that crowds a lot of meaning into a small space. The fewer words you use to express an idea, the more impact that idea will have.

When you revise, look for opportunities to cross out several words and insert one. Once a month is monthly; something new is novel; people they didn’t know are strangers; and something impossible to imagine is inconceivable.

Use Familiar Words. Do you know what a mandible is? Your dentist does. He uses that word every day.

So, if you are writing a story just for your dentist, use mandible. But if you are writing for everybody else, use the more familiar word, jaw.

A word that your reader doesn’t recognize has no power. If it confuses the reader and sends him or her scurrying for Google, it has broken the reader’s spell.

Familiar words have power. By avoiding very long words, you avoid most of the words that your reader doesn’t know. But you should also replace short words if they are so rare that your reader might not know them.

Find list of 2000 common words in English at end of the book.

Use Active Verbs. Active verbs do something. Inactive verbs are something. You will gain power over readers if you change verbs of being such as is, was, and will be to verbs of motion and action.

Use Strong Verbs. Verbs, words of action, are the primary source of energy in your sentences. They are the executives; they should be in charge. All other parts of speech are valuable assistants, but if your verbs are weak, all the modifiers in the world won’t save your story from dullness.

Generally speaking, verbs are weak when they are not specific, not active, or are unnecessarily dependent on adverbs for their meaning.

If you choose strong verbs and choose them wisely, they will work harder for you than any other part of speech. Strong verbs will reduce the number of words in your sentences by eliminating many adverbs.

And, more important, strong verbs will pack your paragraphs with the energy, the excitement, and the sense of motion that readers crave.

Sharpen a verb’s meaning by being precise. Turn look into stare, gaze, peer, peek, or gawk, Turn throw into toss, flip, or hurl.

Inspect adverbs carefully and always be suspicious. What are those little buggers up to? Are they trying to cover up for a lazy verb?

Most adverbs are just adjectives with ‘ly’ tacked on the end, and the majority of them should be shovelled into a truck and hauled off to the junkyard.

Did your character really walk nervously, or did he pace? Did his wife eat quickly, or did she wolf down her supper?

Find 200 commonly used verbs at the end of the book.

Use Specific Nouns. Good writing requires the use of strong nouns. A strong noun is one that is precise and densely packed with information.

Be on the lookout for adjectives that are doing work that could be done by the noun. Adjectives do for nouns what adverbs do for verbs; that is, they identify some distinctive feature. They tell you what colour the noun is, how it’s shaped, what size it came in, or how fast it moved. Adjectives do great work when they are needed.

But they are too often brought in when they are not needed. The careless writer drags them in to provide information which would be more interesting if it came directly from the noun. (Who would you prefer to meet, Woody Allen or a guy who knows Woody Allen?)

Before you write a noun that is modified by one or two adjectives, ask yourself if there is a noun that can convey the same information.

Do you want to write large house, or is mansion really to the point? And before you put down cruel treatment, ask if you can make a greater impression on the reader with savagery, barbarity, or brutality.

Read these two sentences:

A man just walked into the room. A priest just walked into the room.

Were you a little more interested when I told you the man was a priest?

That’s because he became more specific, and you could see him better. If I had told you that a senator, a garbageman, or a Lithuanian had entered the room, you still would have found him more interesting than a mere man.

7. Use the Active Voice ... Most of the Time. When a verb is in the active voice, the subject of the sentence is also the doer of the action.

The sentence “John picked up the bag” is in the active voice because the subject, John, is also the thing or person doing the action of “picking up.”

The sentence “The bag was picked up by John” is in the passive voice because the subject of the sentence, bag, is the passive receiver of the action.

Generally the active voice makes for more interesting reading, and it is the active voice that you should cultivate as your normal writing habit. The active voice strikes more directly at the thought you want to express, it is generally shorter, and it holds the reader closer to what you write because it creates a stronger sense that “something is happening.”

Listen to how the following passive voice sentences are improved when they are turned into the active voice.

Say Things in a Positive Way ... Most of the Time. Usually what matters is what did happen, what does exist, and who is involved. So develop the habit of stating information in a positive manner.

If you want your reader to experience the silence of a church at night, write “The church was silent.” If you write “There was no noise in the church,” the first thing your reader will hear is the noise that isn’t there.

Look at the sentences below and see how much more effective each one is when written in a positive manner.

Of course, there are times when the negative statement should be used. If it’s ten o’clock on a stormy night and your wife was due home at six, you won’t call your brother and state the positive: “Jennifer is out.” You’ll emphasize the negative: “Jennifer is not home yet.”

In the sentences below, the negative sentence is stronger than the positive.

Be Specific. A specific word or phrase is usually better than a general one. The specific word etches a sharper picture and helps your reader to see what you are describing.

Picture a box. Now picture a black box. Now picture a black box with shiny silver hinges. You can see the box more clearly as it becomes more specific.

Of course, there must be a limit to this. Try to be specific without being wordy. Don’t make a sentence specific by hooking up a freight train of details to it.

Make it specific by whittling all the possible word combinations down to those few that say what you want them to say.

Use Statistics. A few well-placed statistics will establish your credibility. If they are accurate and comprehensible, they will show the reader that you have done your homework and know what you are talking about.

Keep in mind, however, that too many statistics will numb your reader’s ability to draw meaning from them. Statistics should be sprinkled like pepper, not smeared like butter.

Put Emphatic Words at the End

Emphatic words are those words you want the reader to pay special attention to. They contain the information you are most anxious to communicate. You can acquire that extra attention for those words by placing them at the end of the sentence. If you want to emphasize the fact that redwood trees are tall, you might write, “Some redwoods are more than 350 feet tall.” But if you want to emphasize the fact that one of the attractions in California is the redwood trees, you would write, “Also found in California are the 350-foot redwood trees.” If you want to emphasize the amount of money that somebody owes you, you write, “By June first please send me a check for $107.12.”

If you want to emphasize the due date, you write, “Please send me a check for $107.12 by June first.”

And if you want to emphasize who the check is to go to, write, “On June first the check for $107.12 should be sent to me.”

This is a lesson best learned by ear. Listen to how the impact of a sentence moves to whatever information happens to be at the end.

I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. I come not to praise Caesar, but to bury him.

Ask what you can do for America, not what America can do for you. Ask not what America can do for you, ask what you can do for America.

We got to the end of this topic!

Improve your spelling There aren’t many firm rules that apply to the spelling of English words. Mostly, good spelling is a matter of forming the right mental associations and developing an eye for words that look a little weird.

How will better spelling improve your writing? Well, for one thing, you won’t write desert when you mean dessert. More important, it will improve your writing by reducing the number of times you annoy the reader.

A few misspelled words will jar the reader’s concentration, and a lot of misspelled words will wreck your credibility. Right or wrong, the reader will perceive you as ... well, stupid, to put it bluntly. If you don’t have the respect of the reader, your writing will not work. Find 200 commonly misspelt words at bottom of the page. 15

Overcoming writers block Copy. From time to time take a few paragraphs from something that you enjoyed reading and sit down at the typewriter or with a notebook and copy them word for word.

You will find yourself suddenly aware of the choices the writer made. You will look at the work from the writer’s point of view. In time you will feel like an insider, and you will say, “I know why he chose this word; I know why he made two short sentences here instead of one long one.” You will become more intimate with the writer’s words and with words in general, and your own writing will be better for it.

Keep a Journal. There is no one right way to keep a journal. But if you have some sort of notebook or diary that you return to often with your written thoughts, opinions, observations, and various bits of wit, you will have a place in which to exercise your writing muscles.

You will learn to describe succinctly and clearly the events of your daily life. You will learn to pluck from each event just the details needed to create a sense of the whole. If you keep a journal, you

15 100 Ways to improve your writing, proven professional techniques for writing with style and power by gary provost will grow as a writer, and you will find that sooner or later, no matter what you have to write professionally, your personal experiences will play a part.

Keep in mind, however, that a journal can be far more than just a diary.

Talk About What You’re Writing. By telling people what you need, you plug into a huge computer loaded with all the relevant information your friends have accumulated.

When you have a story to write, plug into that computer. Talk about your story. Tell people your subject and your particular slant. Chances are your friend Karen read a book last week that had a chapter on your subject, your cousin Louie might send you an appropriate newspaper clipping, somebody else might remember a fitting quote from George Bernard Shaw, and your brother James might remember something significant that he heard when he was in prison.

Make a List. Some writers will not write a magazine article until they have constructed an outline that is longer than the article they intend to write. Other writers begin with no outline at all, though they probably have a vague outline in mind.

How long or detailed your outline is depends on the scope of what you have to write and how secure you are with the material. But an outline is just a list of elements you want to put into your writing, and for any story or article you should make some sort of list, even if it’s just three words scribbled on a scrap of paper.

Picture a Reader. Do you know who your reader is? Is your story going to be read by a professor who knows everything but has very little time? Or is the reader a layperson with no knowledge of your specialty? A little girl, perhaps? An immigrant?

Before you write, figure out whom you are trying to reach. Who is the reader and what does he or she know?

To write is not necessarily to communicate. Communication occurs in the mind of the reader, and if that reader is not familiar with your terms and your concepts, you might as well write them in Latvian.

Remember that when you write, the language you have to work with is not your entire vocabulary, but only that portion of it that you share with the reader.

When you write, don’t think about how smart you are; think about how smart your reader is. To do that you must visualize him or her. Imagine your reader in the room with you. What is his education? What are his attitudes? How important is this particular story to him?

Write as if you were in conversation with your readers. Listen to the dialogue that would occur.

Writing skills and good habits

Learning to write in preparing to tell a story is like learning to cook.

As a chef, you need to learn chopping, sautéing, roasting, and grilling. She needs to understand what makes a meal nutritious and how to select dishes that taste well together. You need to practice separating eggs, making roti, and cutting a perfect carrot flower.

Just like you can practice your cooking skills, you can practice writing mini-skills, too.

Rules of story creation

Before the start, think small

Trying to write a short story is the perfect place to begin your story telling skills. Why?16

Because it reveals many of the obstacles, dilemmas, and questions you’ll face when creating fiction of any length. To learn the difference between imitating your favourite storyteller and emulating their best techniques.

Mastering even a few of the elements while learning the craft will prove to be quick wins for you as you gain momentum.

Short stories come varying shapes and sizes. Be it 30 seconds with in a conversation or 2 minutes, to up to 20 minutes as a small presentation such as Ted Talks. Or 1 to 2 hours with in a lecture style format.

The most famous was Ernest Hemingway’s response to a bet that he couldn’t write fiction that short. He wrote: For sale: baby shoes. Never worn.

Read and watch as many great short stories and speeches as you can find. Read and watch hundreds of them and get inspired by a "What if.." scenario.

You learn by familiarising yourself with the best. See yourself as an apprentice. Watch, evaluate, analyse the experts, then try to emulate their work.

Soon you’ll learn enough about how to write a short story or speech that you can start developing your own style.

A lot of the skills you need can be learned through absorption.

16 https://jerryjenkins.com/how-to-write-short-stories/ Aim for the Heart. The most effective short stories evoke deep emotions in the reader. What will move them? The same things that probably move you:

• Love • Redemption • Justice • Freedom • Heroic sacrifice • What else?

Narrow Your Scope. You must pack an emotional wallop and tell a compelling story with a beginning, a middle, and an end—with about 2% of the number of words.

Naturally, that dramatically restricts your number of characters, scenes, and even plot points.

The best short stories usually encompass only a short slice of the main character’s life—often only one scene or incident that must also bear the weight of your Deeper Question, your theme or what it is you’re really trying to say.

Tighten the tips

• If your main character needs a group, don’t give her two. Combine characters where you can. • Avoid long blocks of description; rather, write just enough to trigger the theatre of your reader’s mind. • Eliminate scenes that merely get your characters from one place to another. The reader doesn’t care how they got there, so you can simply say: Late that afternoon, Jim met Sharon at a coffee shop…

Your goal is to get to a resounding ending by portraying a poignant incident that tell a story in itself and represents a bigger picture.

Suggest Backstory, Don’t Elaborate. You don’t have the space or time to flash back or cover a character’s entire backstory.

Rather than recite how a Frenchman got to England, merely mention the accent he had hoped to leave behind when he emigrated from Paris.

Don’t spend a paragraph describing a winter morning.

Layer that bit of sensory detail into the narrative by showing your character covering her face with her scarf against the frigid wind. When in Doubt, Leave it Out. Short stories are, by definition, short. Every sentence must count. If even one word seems extraneous, it has to go.

Ensure a Satisfying Ending. This is a must. Bring down the curtain with a satisfying thud.

In a short story and speech, this can often be accomplished quickly, as long as it resounds with the reader and makes her nod. It can’t seem forced or contrived or feel as if the story has ended too soon.

In a modern day version of the Prodigal Son, a character calls from a taxi and leaves a message that if he’s allowed to come home, his father should leave the front porch light on. Otherwise, he’ll understand and just move on.

The rest of the story is him telling the cabbie how deeply his life choices have hurt his family.

The story ends with the taxi pulling into view of his childhood home, only to find not only the porch light on, but also every light in the house and more out in the yard.

That ending needed no elaboration. We don’t even need to be shown the reunion, the embrace, the tears, the talk. The lights say it all.

Cut Like Your Story’s Life Depends on It. Because it does. When you’ve finished your story, the real work has just begun.

Once you’re happy with the flow of the story, every other element should be examined for perfection: spelling, grammar, punctuation, sentence construction, word choice, elimination of clichés, redundancies, you name it.

Also, pour over the manuscript looking for ways to engage your reader’s senses and emotions. All writing is rewriting. And remember, tightening nearly always adds power. Omit needless words.

Examples:

• She shrugged her shoulders. • He blinked his eyes. • Jim walked in through the open door and sat down in a chair. • The crowd clapped their hands and stomped their feet.

Learn to tighten and give yourself the best chance to write short stories that captivate your reader.

Use the Classic Story Structure

How do you hold listener’s interest?

As you might imagine, this is as crucial in a short story. Use the same basic approach. Don’t waste time setting up the story. Get on with it. Tell your reader just enough to make her care about your main character, then get to the the problem, the quest, the challenge, the danger—whatever it is that drives your story.

Story as you know has a beginning middle and ending but that's not really helpful to anybody in any real way.

So in this very simple structure: there's the normal and explosion and then the new normal.

• The normal is what we do to set the scene what's happening you include details you include the emotions. • The explosion is the thing that disrupts the normal. Like “she was riding in a car and her go in a car crash and her parents died”, that's obviously an explosion every sense of the meaning. • Now the new normal, this is the progress report. We're now going to tell you how the new reality exists.17

Pie Corbett is an English educational trainer, writer, author and poet who has written well over two hundred books. He is very well known for his detailed outline for story plots. Below are the full story structure for various genres. ‘MC’ stands for ‘Main Character’.

Wishing Tale: Generic Structure:

Opening MC wants something badly

Build up MC tries to get it

Problem MC is prevented by some sort of

difficulty

Resolution MC overcomes the difficulty

Ending MC gets what they want. (Was it

worth it?)

Warning Tale: Generic Structure:

Opening MC(s) are warned not to do

something

17 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UE3OufWmnMY Build up MC(s) do what they have been

warned against

Problem Something goes wrong and the MC(s)

are in trouble

Resolution MC(s) are eventually rescued

Ending MC(s) are told off/punished for not

listening to the warning.

Conquering the Monster Tale: Generic Structure:

Opening Introduce the MC(s) all is well

Build up A monster appears and causes

problems

Problem The monster is difficult to defeat

Resolution MC(s) defeat the monster

Ending All is well again

(MC(s) gets a reward)

Finding Tale: Generic Structure:

Opening Introduce the MC

Build up MC goes somewhere and finds

something

unusual/amazing/important

Problem Something goes wrong and it is the

fault of the object found

Resolution MC has to put object back/throw it away/hide it/call for help/sort it out

Ending All is well again and lessons have

been learnt.

Journey Tale: Generic Structure:

Opening MC goes on a journey

Build up Something small goes wrong

Problem Something worse happens

Something even worse happens

Resolution The obstacles are overcome

Ending MC gets there in the end

Losing Tale: Generic Structure:

Opening MC has something precious

Build up MC sets off with the precious item

Problem MC loses the precious item and has

to search for it/face the

consequences

Resolution The precious item is found

Ending MC vows to keep the item

safe/reflects on their feelings/learns a

lesson

Rags to Riches Tale: Generic Structure:

Opening Introduce the MC

Build up MC is sad/lonely/treated badly

Problem MC has to face difficulties because of

their situation

Resolution MC overcomes difficulties/Is helped to

overcome the difficulties

Ending MC achieves happiness

/wealth/recognition

Tale of Fear: Generic Structure:

Opening MC is afraid of something and is

worried about it/gets teased about it

Build up MC starts to do something

Problem What MC fears actually happens

Resolution MC overcomes the fear

Ending MC has conquered the

fear/reflects/looks to the future

Meeting Tale: Generic Structure:

Opening Two MCs meet

Build up MCs disagree and go their separate

ways

Problem Something happens to one MC

Resolution The other MC saves/helps them

Ending MCs make friends/agree

Character Flaw: Generic Structure:

Opening Introduce MC and situation

Build up Character flaw is revealed

Problem The flaw leads the MC into trouble

Resolution MC learns a lesson and changes their

ways

Ending All is well for the future because of

the change

Rule of three

One of the universal theme is the ‘Rule of Three’18. Martin Luther King Jr used the rule of three throughout his many influential speeches. Example, the speech "Non-Violence and Racial Justice" made up of the rule of three: "insult, injustice and exploitation", followed a few lines later by "justice, good will, and brotherhood".19

Rule of three is the idea that, everything that comes in threes is perfect, or, every set of three is complete.

Let’s not forget the Three little pigs.

18 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_three_(writing) 19 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storytelling

Why are you telling your story?

Building a Character Profile

One of the most important elements in a short story or a speech is, characterisation: making the characters seem vivid, real, alive. One technique that many writers use with success is to create a character profile for the main characters in the novel.

The purpose of a character profile is twofold: to assist the writer in creating a character that is as lifelike as possible and to help with continuity issues in the story.

Many bestselling authors have stated that they came up with the basics of a character's personality and then they found that the character just "came alive" for them and ended up driving the story all on his own.

These are writers and speakers with years of experience developing characters and it now comes more naturally to them. But for the beginning writer, sometimes a more concrete approach is helpful.

That is where the character profile comes in -- it is simply a tool for organising your thoughts about a certain character and keeping track of a particular character's idiosyncrasies and relationships. It can help flesh out a cardboard character and even make you think about facets of his or her personality that you had not considered before. Character profiles are especially helpful for speeches which involve several main characters and for stories which use multiple points of view. Be it yourself, your colleagues or a fictional character.

Character profiles are useful when writing in any genre. Depending on the genre in which you write, you will create additional sections on the ‘Character Profile Worksheet’ below. For example, fantasy writers can use the character profiles to keep track of factors such as magical abilities, family lineage, spells the character is under, and limitations on the character's power to ensure continuity in the action.

For literary and mainstream novels, profiles are especially useful for keeping in mind motivations of the character hurts and disappointments, in the past which may not be alluded to directly in the dialogue, but which nevertheless colour everything the character thinks and feels.

For example, someone who has a troubled childhood will most likely react differently in certain situations than someone who had a happy, loving childhood.

A Character Profile is also of great help during the rewrite stage of your novel. You can use the profile to ensure continuity in the character's actions.

For example, if in draft 1 your heroine is just recovering from a nasty divorce and in draft 2 you've decided to make her a happily married mother of three, you will know to check every scene with dialogue about her marital status as well as scenes where the (now non-existent) dastardly ex- husband is mentioned. A Character Profile is just meant to be a guide where you can list facts and details to help you get to know your characters, especially if you get stuck on one character who doesn't quite seem real.

You also want to be sure you don't create a cliché character. Consider new characteristic, hidden trauma, fabulous skill or a deadly secret. Something that will make the character come alive for you.

How detailed you want your character worksheets to be just depends on what works best for you. So, next time you're stuck on characterisation, pull out the Character Profile Worksheet and get to know someone new. 20-21

However, before jumping to the character profile worksheets, you need to know about and understand your character.

Character Archetypes

A great story describes something interesting that has happened. To tell a good story similar types of people are needed to react to the events in the story or overcome the obstacles.22

The main character or characters are changed by the events in the story. These persistent fictional characters have been identified as character archetypes. The most well-known character archetype is the hero.

There are also lower level characters. These are also archetypes but they are sometimes referred to as stock characters in television writing. They may die in every story or they may exist to pass along a single message, such as a warning to the hero.

An archetype is defined as a very typical example of a certain person or thing. Some of the character archetypes in fiction will be very familiar to you, such as the hero, villain, antihero, damsel in distress, mentor, sage and innocents.

Some of these characters appear in all stories in some degree. Most archetypes have been part of fiction since the first stories were written. They can be found in the earliest myths and plays. Some archetypes also have symbols associated with them, such as the white or black hat in westerns.

Using a common archetype in your short stories and novels is certainly not a "no no" but you do need to understand that readers are already accustomed to these characters and the roles they play.

Many of the main character archetypes described are derived from core archetypes used in psychology. Psychologists over the years have tried to narrow down common character traits into temperaments and personality types. The work of other psychologists can also be used to analyze fictional characters. There are personality types, temperaments and the OCEAN acronym. I describe some of these on the character traits, the next chapter.

20 https://www.writerswrite.com/journal/jun98/how-to-create-a-character-profile-6986 21 https://www.writerswrite.com/fiction/characters/charactertraits/

22 https://www.writerswrite.com/fiction/characters/characterarchetypes/ The psychologist Carl Jung’s 12 archetypal figures

Here is an outline of the 12 archetypes and their most common traits:

The Innocent

Those who identify with the innocent archetype are sometimes criticized for being naïve dreamers. However, their positive outlook and happy-go-lucky personalities can uplift others. The innocent always tries to see the good in the world and looks for the silver lining in every situation.

Goal: to be happy

Fear: being punished for doing something wrong

Weakness : being too trusting of others

Talent: faith and open-mindedness

The Orphan

The orphan archetype represents those who are dependable, down to earth realists. Some people might describe them as a little negative at times. The orphan is always searching for belonging in the world and may join many groups and communities to find a place where they fit in. Goal: to belong

Fear: to be left out or to stand out from the crowd

Weakness: can be a little too cynical

Talent: honest and open, pragmatic and realistic

The Hero

The hero thrives on being strong and standing up for others. They may feel they have a destiny that they must accomplish. Heroes are courageous in their quest for justice and equality and will stand up to even the most powerful forces if they think they are wrong.

Goal: to help others and protect the weak

Fear: being perceived as weak or frightened

Weakness: arrogance, always needing another battle to fight

Talent: competence and courage

The Caregiver

Those who identify with the caregiver archetypes are full of empathy and compassion. Unfortunately, others can exploit their good nature for their own ends. Caregivers must pay attention to looking after themselves and learning to say no to others’ demands sometimes.

Goal: to help others

Fear: being considered selfish

Weakness: being exploited by others and feeling put upon

Talent: compassion and generosity

The Explorer

The explorer is never happy unless experiencing new things. They may enjoy visiting different countries or they may be happy learning about new ideas and philosophies. However, they find it hard to settle down at one job or relationship for too long, unless the job or relationship lets them retain their freedom to explore.

Goal: to experience as much of life as possible in one lifetime

Fear: getting trapped or being forced to conform Weakness: aimless wandering and inability to stick at things

Talent: being true to their own desires and a sense of wonder

The Rebel

When the rebel sees something in the world that isn’t working, they look to change it. Rebels like to do things differently. However, sometimes rebels can abandon perfectly good traditions just because they have a desire for reform. Rebels can be charismatic and easily encourage others to follow them in their pursuit of rebellion.

Goal: to overturn what isn’t working

Fear: to be powerless

Weakness: taking their rebellion too far and becoming obsessed by it

Talent: having big, outrageous ideas and inspiring others to join them

The Lover

The lover seeks harmony in everything they do. They find it hard to deal with conflict and may find it difficult to stand up for their own ideas and beliefs in the face of more assertive types.

Goal: being in a relationship with the people, work, and environment they love

Fear: feeling unwanted or unloved

Weakness: desire to please others at risk of losing own identity

Talent: passion, appreciation, and diplomacy

The Creator

The creator is born to bring something into being that does not yet exist. They hate to be passive consumers of anything, much preferring to make their own entertainment. Creators are often artists or musicians though they can be found in almost any area of work.

Goal: to create things of enduring value

Fear: failing to create anything great

Weakness: perfectionism and creative blocks caused by fear of not being exceptional

Talent: creativity and imagination

The Jester

The jester loves to liven up a party with humour and tricks, however, they have a deep soul. They want to make others happy and can often use humour to change people’s perceptions. Sometimes, however, the jester uses humour to cover his or her own pain.

Goal: to lighten up the world and make others laugh

Fear: being perceived as boring by others

Weakness: frivolity, wasting time and hiding emotions beneath a humorous disguise

Talent: seeing the funny side of everything and using humour for positive change

The Sage

The sage values ideas above all else. However, they can sometimes become frustrated at not being able to know everything about the world. Sages are good listeners and often have the ability to make complicated ideas easy for others to understand. They can often be found in teaching roles.

Goal: to use wisdom and intelligence to understand the world and teach others

Fear: being ignorant, or being perceived as stupid

Weakness: can be unable to make a decision as never believe they have enough information

Talent: wisdom, intelligence and curiosity

The Magician

The magician is often very charismatic. They have a true belief in their ideas and desire to share them with others. They are often able to see things in a completely different way to other personality types and can use these perceptions to bring transformative ideas and philosophies to the world.

Goal: to understand the fundamental laws of the universe

Fear: unintended negative consequences

Weakness: becoming manipulative or egotistical

Talent: transforming people’s everyday experience of life by offering new ways of looking at things

The Ruler

The ruler loves to be in control. They often have a clear vision of what will work in a given situation. They believe they know what is best for a group or community and can get frustrated if others don’t share their vision. However, they usually have the interests of others at heart even if occasionally their actions are misguided.

Goal: create a prosperous, successful family or community

Fear: chaos, being undermined or overthrown

Weakness: being authoritarian, unable to delegate

Talent: responsibility, leadership

These 12 archetypes offer us guidance that can help us to understand our motivations and draw on our own strengths while working on our weaknesses. Understanding which of the 12 archetypes dominates our personality can help up to realize what is really important to us. This knowledge helps us to improve our focus and achieve our goals.

Understanding the archetypes of others can give us insights into why they behave in certain ways. These new perceptions can help us to understand them better and work with them in new ways to find win-win solutions.

Stories from different genres also tend to have similar character archetypes that reappear. The characters themselves may be very different from novel to novel but we can still recognize them for who they are.

For example, romance novels have different types of heroes as the lead. The readers of romance don't want the exact same characters or settings. However, they do desire heroes that have similar core attributes they value or want to see changed.

All About Romance describes eight hero archetypes in an article. They include The Chief, The Bad Boy, The Best Friend, The Charmer, The Lost Soul, The Professor, The Swashbuckler and The Warrior.23

In fantasy novels you often follow the path or journey of the lead character, the hero. Similar character archetypes can be found in this type of story. Mythcreants describes eight archetypes found in the hero's journey mythic structure. They include the Hero (of course), Mentor, Ally, Herald, Trickster, Shapeshifter, Guardian and Shadow.24

Horror films designed for teen screams offer some of the most obvious character archetypes. The Artifice lists six horror archetypes including the Jock, the Cheerleader, the Nerd/Stoner, the Token Minority, the Nice Guy and the Virgin/The Last Girl.

See end of this book for 99 Archetypes and stock characters.

23 https://allaboutromance.com/we-need-a-ero/ 24 https://mythcreants.com/blog/the-eight-character-archetypes-of-the-heros-journey/ These character archetypes are not as obvious as this in horror short stories and novels but you can problem think of some yourself, certainly certain types of heroes and villains. The Monster is a classic horror archetype.

Stephen King put the monster archetypes into groups in Danse Macabre that include The Thing Without a Name, The Vampire and The Werewolf. He also mentions The Ghost and The Bad Place. These monster archetypes are described in more detail in a thread on SFFChronicles.com. King himself also has archetypes in his novels with Mythcreants describing six of them.

Character Traits

The big 5 character traits

The Big Five personality traits, also known as the five factor model (FFM), is a taxonomy for personality traits. It is based on common language descriptors. 25

When factor analysis (a statistical technique) is applied to personality survey data, some words used to describe aspects of personality are often applied to the same person.

For example, someone described as conscientious is more likely to be described as "always prepared" rather than "messy". This theory is based therefore on the association between words but not on neuropsychological experiments.

This theory uses descriptors of common language and therefore suggests five broad dimensions commonly used to describe the human personality and psyche.

The five factors have been defined as openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism, often represented by the acronyms OCEAN or CANOE. Beneath each proposed global factor, there are a number of correlated and more specific factors.

That these underlying factors can be found is consistent with the lexical hypothesis26: personality characteristics that are most important in people's lives will eventually become a part of their language and, secondly, that more important personality characteristics are more likely to be encoded into language as a single word.

25 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Five_personality_traits#Agreeableness 26 The lexical hypothesis[1] (also known as the fundamental lexical hypothesis,[2] lexical approach,[3] or sedimentation hypothesis[4]) is a thesis current primarily in early personality psychology and subsequently subsumed by many later efforts in that subfield.[5] Despite some variation in its definition and application, the hypothesis is generally defined by two postulates. The first states that those personality characteristics that are important to a group of people will eventually become a part of that group's language. The second follows from the first, stating that more important personality characteristics are more likely to be encoded into language as a single word.[6] With origins in the late 19th century, use of the lexical hypothesis began to flourish in English and German psychology in the early 20th century.[4] The lexical hypothesis is a major foundation of the Big Five personality traits,[7] the HEXACO model of personality structure[8] and the 16PF Questionnaire and has been used to study the structure of personality traits in a number of cultural and linguistic settings.[9]

Five factors are:

Openness to experience (inventive/curious vs. consistent/cautious) Appreciation for art, emotion, adventure, unusual ideas, curiosity, and variety of experience. Openness reflects the degree of intellectual curiosity, creativity and a preference for novelty and variety a person has.

It is also described as the extent to which a person is imaginative or independent and depicts a personal preference for a variety of activities over a strict routine. High openness can be perceived as unpredictability or lack of focus, and more likely to engage in risky behaviour or drug taking. They tend to be, when compared to closed people, more creative and more aware of their feelings. They are also more likely to hold unconventional beliefs.

Also, individuals that have high openness tend to lean, in occupation and hobby, towards the arts, being, typically, creative and appreciative of the significance of intellectual and artistic pursuits.

Moreover, individuals with high openness are said to pursue self-actualization specifically by seeking out intense, euphoric experiences. Conversely, those with low openness seek to gain fulfilment through perseverance and are characterized as pragmatic and data-driven—sometimes even perceived to be dogmatic and closed-minded. Some disagreement remains about how to interpret and contextualize the openness factor.

Sample description

• I have excellent ideas. • I am quick to understand things. • I use difficult words. • I am full of ideas. • I am not interested in abstractions. (reversed) • I do not have a good imagination. (reversed) • I have difficulty understanding abstract ideas. (reversed)

Conscientiousness (efficient/organized vs. easy-going/careless) Tendency to be organised and dependable, show self-discipline, act dutifully, aim for achievement, and prefer planned rather than spontaneous behaviour. High conscientiousness is often perceived as stubbornness and obsession. Low conscientiousness is associated with flexibility and spontaneity, but can also appear as sloppiness and lack of reliability.

It is related to the way in which people control, regulate, and direct their impulses. The average level of conscientiousness rises among young adults and then declines among older adults. Being highly conscientious may add as much as five years to one's life. The Big Five personality traits also predict positive health outcomes. In an elderly Japanese sample, conscientiousness, extraversion, and openness were related to lower risk of mortality

Sample description

• I am always prepared. • I pay attention to details. • I get chores done right away. • I like order. • I follow a schedule. • I am exacting in my work. • I leave my belongings around. (reversed) • I make a mess of things. (reversed) • I often forget to put things back in their proper place. (reversed) • I shirk my duties. (reversed)

Extraversion (outgoing/energetic vs. solitary/reserved) Energy, positive emotions, assertiveness, sociability and the tendency to seek stimulation in the company of others, and talkativeness.

High extraversion is often perceived as attention-seeking and domineering. Low extraversion causes a reserved, reflective personality, which can be perceived as aloof or self-absorbed. Extroverted people tend to be more dominant in social settings, as opposed to introverted people who may act more shy and reserved in this setting.

Extraversion is characterized by breadth of activities (as opposed to depth). The trait is marked by pronounced engagement with the external world. Extraverts enjoy interacting with people, and are often perceived as full of energy. They tend to be enthusiastic, action-oriented individuals. They possess high group visibility, and assert themselves.

Introverts have lower social engagement and energy levels than extraverts. They tend to seem quiet, low-key, deliberate, and less involved in the social world. Their lack of social involvement should not be interpreted as shyness or depression; instead they are more independent of their social world than extraverts. Introverts need less stimulation than extraverts and more time alone. This does not mean that they are unfriendly or antisocial; rather, they are reserved in social situations.

Generally, people are a combination of extraversion and introversion, with personality psychologist Eysenck suggesting that these traits are connected somehow to our central nervous system.

Sample description

• I am the life of the party. • I don't mind being the center of attention. • I feel comfortable around people. • I start conversations. • I talk to a lot of different people at parties. • I don't talk a lot. (reversed) • I think a lot before I speak or act. (reversed) • I don't like to draw attention to myself. (reversed) • I am quiet around strangers. (reversed) • I have no intention of talking in large crowds. (reversed)

Agreeableness (friendly/compassionate vs. challenging/detached) Tendency to be compassionate and cooperative rather than suspicious and antagonistic towards others. It is also a measure of one's trusting and helpful nature, and whether a person is generally well-tempered or not.

High agreeableness is often seen as naive or submissive. Low agreeableness personalities are often competitive or challenging people, which can be seen as argumentative or untrustworthy.

The agreeableness trait reflects individual differences in general concern for social harmony. Agreeable individuals value getting along with others. They are generally considerate, kind, generous, trusting and trustworthy, helpful, and willing to compromise their interests with others. Agreeable people also have an optimistic view of human nature.

Disagreeable individuals place self-interest above getting along with others. They are generally unconcerned with others' well-being, and are less likely to extend themselves for other people. Sometimes their scepticism about others' motives causes them to be suspicious, unfriendly, and uncooperative.

Because agreeableness is a social trait, research has shown that one's agreeableness positively correlates with the quality of relationships with one's team members. Agreeableness also positively predicts transformational leadership skills.

In a study conducted among 169 participants in leadership positions in a variety of professions, individuals were asked to take a personality test and have two evaluations completed by directly supervised subordinates.

Leaders with high levels of agreeableness were more likely to be considered transformational rather than transactional. Although the relationship was not strong, it was the strongest of the Big Five traits.

However, the same study showed no predictive power of leadership effectiveness as evaluated by the leader's direct supervisor. Agreeableness, however, has been found to be negatively related to transactional leadership in the military. A study of Asian military units showed leaders with a high level of agreeableness to be more likely to receive a low rating for transformational leadership skills.

Therefore, with further research, organizations may be able to determine an individual's potential for performance based on their personality traits.

Sample description • I am interested in people. • I sympathize with others' feelings. • I have a soft heart. • I take time out for others. • I feel others' emotions. • I make people feel at ease. • I am not really interested in others. (reversed) • I insult people. (reversed) • I am not interested in other people's problems. (reversed) • I feel little concern for others. (reversed)

Neuroticism (sensitive/nervous vs. secure/confident) Tendency to be prone to psychological stress. The tendency to experience unpleasant emotions easily, such as anger, anxiety, depression, and vulnerability.

Neuroticism also refers to the degree of emotional stability and impulse control and is sometimes referred to by its low pole, "emotional stability". High stability manifests itself as a stable and calm personality, but can be seen as uninspiring and unconcerned.

Low stability manifests as the reactive and excitable personality often found in dynamic individuals, but can be perceived as unstable or insecure. Also, individuals with higher levels of neuroticism tend to have worse psychological well being.

It is sometimes called emotional instability, or is reversed and referred to as emotional stability. According to Eysenck's (1967) theory of personality, neuroticism is interlinked with low tolerance for stress or aversive stimuli.

Neuroticism is a classic temperament trait that has been studied in temperament research for decades, before it was adapted by the FFM. Since main properties of temperament traits are stability in life time and its neurophysiological basis, the FFM researchers used these properties of Neuroticism to support their model.

Those who score high in neuroticism are emotionally reactive and vulnerable to stress, they also tend to be flippant in the way they express emotion. They are more likely to interpret ordinary situations as threatening, and minor frustrations as hopelessly difficult.

Their negative emotional reactions tend to persist for unusually long periods of time, which means they are often in a bad mood. For instance, neuroticism is connected to a pessimistic approach toward work, confidence that work impedes personal relationships, and apparent anxiety linked with work.

Furthermore, those who score high on neuroticism may display more skin-conductance reactivity than those who score low on neuroticism. These problems in emotional regulation can diminish the ability of a person scoring high on neuroticism to think clearly, make decisions, and cope effectively with stress. Lacking contentment in one's life achievements can correlate with high neuroticism scores and increase one's likelihood of falling into clinical depression. Moreover, individuals high in neuroticism tend to experience more negative life events, but neuroticism also changes in response to positive and negative life experiences.

At the other end of the scale, individuals who score low in neuroticism are less easily upset and are less emotionally reactive. They tend to be calm, emotionally stable, and free from persistent negative feelings. Freedom from negative feelings does not mean that low-scorers experience a lot of positive feelings.

Neuroticism is similar but not identical to being neurotic in the Freudian sense (i.e., neurosis.) Some psychologists prefer to call neuroticism by the term emotional instability to differentiate it from the term neurotic in a career test.

Sample description

• I get irritated easily. • I get stressed out easily. • I get upset easily. • I have frequent mood swings. • I worry about things. • I am much more anxious than most people. • I am relaxed most of the time. (reversed) • I seldom feel blue. (reversed)

People who do not exhibit a clear predisposition to a single factor in each dimension above, are considered adaptable, moderate and reasonable, yet they can also be perceived as unprincipled, inscrutable and calculating.

Tailoring to age vs personality

It is important to build your character personality which reftects their age. Not only this, it’s also important to understand the relationship between personality development and the listeners age when telling a story.

There are debates between researchers of temperament and researchers of personality as to whether or not biologically-based differences define a concept of temperament or a part of personality.

The presence of such differences in pre-cultural individuals (such as animals or young infants) suggests that they belong to temperament since personality is a socio-cultural concept.

For this reason developmental psychologists generally interpret individual differences in children as an expression of temperament rather than personality. Some researchers argue that temperaments and personality traits are age-specific manifestations of virtually the same latent qualities. Some believe that early childhood temperaments may become adolescent and adult personality traits as individuals' basic genetic characteristics actively, reactively, and passively interact with their changing environments.

Researchers of adult temperament point out that, similarly to sex, age and mental illness, temperament is based on biochemical systems whereas personality is a product of socialization of an individual possessing these four types of features. Temperament interacts with social-cultural factors, but still cannot be controlled or easily changed by these factors.

Therefore, it is suggested that temperament should be kept as an independent concept for further studies and not be conflated with personality. Moreover, temperament refers to dynamical features of behaviour (energetic, tempo, sensitivity and emotionality-related), whereas personality is to be considered a psycho-social construct comprising the content characteristics of human behaviour (such as values, attitudes, habits, preferences, personal history, self-image).

Temperament researchers point out that the lack of attention to extant temperament research by the developers of the Big Five model lead to an overlap between its dimensions and dimensions described in multiple temperament models much earlier. For example, neuroticism reflects the traditional temperament dimension of emotionality, extraversion the temperament dimension of "energy" or "activity", and openness to experience the temperament dimension of sensation- seeking.

Genetically informative research, including twin studies, suggest that heritability and environmental factors both influence all five factors to the same degree.

Among four recent twin studies, the mean percentage for heritability was calculated for each personality and it was concluded that heritability influenced the five factors broadly. The self-report measures were as follows: openness to experience was estimated to have a 57% genetic influence, extraversion 54%, conscientiousness 49%, neuroticism 48%, and agreeableness 42%

Development during childhood and adolescence

Recent studies have begun to explore the developmental origins and trajectories of the Big Five among children and adolescents, especially those that relate to temperament.

Many researchers have sought to distinguish between personality and temperament. Temperament often refers to early behavioural and affective characteristics that are thought to be driven primarily by genes.

Models of temperament often include four trait dimensions: surgency/ sociability, negative emotionality, persistence/effortful control, and activity level.

Some of these differences in temperament are evident at, if not before, birth. For example, both parents and researchers recognize that some newborn infants are peaceful and easily soothed while others are comparatively fussy and hard to calm.

Unlike temperament, however, many researchers view the development of personality as gradually occurring throughout childhood. Contrary to some researchers who question whether children have stable personality traits, Big Five or otherwise, most researchers contend that there are significant psychological differences between children that are associated with relatively stable, distinct, and salient behaviour patterns.

The structure, manifestations, and development of the Big Five in childhood and adolescence has been studied using a variety of methods, including parent- and teacher-ratings, preadolescent and adolescent self- and peer-ratings, and observations of parent-child interactions.

Results from these studies support the relative stability of personality traits across the human lifespan, at least from preschool age through adulthood. More specifically, research suggests that four of the Big Five –namely Extraversion, Neuroticism, Conscientiousness, and Agreeableness- reliably describe personality differences in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.

However, some evidence suggests that Openness may not be a fundamental, stable part of childhood personality. Although some researchers have found that Openness in children and adolescents relates to attributes such as creativity, curiosity, imagination, and intellect, many researchers have failed to find distinct individual differences in Openness in childhood and early adolescence.

Potentially, Openness may (a) manifest in unique, currently unknown ways in childhood or (b) may only manifest as children develop socially and cognitively. Other studies have found evidence for all of the Big Five traits in childhood and adolescence as well as two other child-specific traits: Irritability and Activity. Despite these specific differences, the majority of findings suggest that personality traits –particularly Extraversion, Neuroticism, Conscientiousness, and Agreeableness- are evident in childhood and adolescence and are associated with distinct social-emotional patterns of behaviour that are largely consistent with adult manifestations of those same personality traits.

Some researchers have proposed the youth personality trait is best described by six trait dimensions: neuroticism, extroversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and activity.

Previous research has found evidence that most adults become more agreeable, conscientious, and less neurotic as they age. This has been referred to as the maturation effect.

Many researchers have sought to investigate how trends in adult personality development compare to trends in youth personality development. Two main population-level indices have been important in this area of research: rank-order consistency and mean-level consistency.

Findings from these studies indicate that, consistent with adult personality trends, youth personality becomes increasingly more stable in terms of rank-order throughout childhood. Unlike adult personality research, which indicates that people become agreeable, conscientious, and emotionally stable with age, some findings in youth personality research have indicated that mean-levels of agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience decline from late childhood to late adolescence.

The disruption hypothesis, which proposes that biological, social, and psychological changes experienced during youth result in temporary dips in maturity, has been proposed to explain these findings.

Extraversion/positive emotionality

In Big Five studies, extraversion has been associated with surgency. Children with high Extraversion are energetic, talkative, social, and dominant with children and adults; whereas, children with low Extraversion tend to be quiet, calm, inhibited, and submissive to other children and adults.

Individual differences in Extraversion first manifest in infancy as varying levels of positive emotionality. These differences in turn predict social and physical activity during later childhood and may represent, or be associated with, the behavioural activation system.

In children, Extraversion/Positive Emotionality includes four sub-traits: three traits that are similar to the previously described traits of temperament – activity, sociability, shyness, and the trait of dominance.

• Activity Similarly to findings in temperament research, children with high activity tend to have high energy levels and more intense and frequent motor activity compared to their peers. Salient differences in activity reliably manifest in infancy, persist through adolescence, and fade as motor activity decreases in adulthood or potentially develops into talkativeness.

• Dominance Children with high dominance tend to influence the behaviour of others, particularly their peers, to obtain desirable rewards or outcomes. Such children are generally skilled at organizing activities and games and deceiving others by controlling their nonverbal behaviour.

• Shyness Children with high shyness are generally socially withdrawn, nervous, and inhibited around strangers. In time, such children may become fearful even around "known others", especially if their peers reject them. Similar pattern was described in temperament longitudinal studies of shyness.

• Sociability Children with high sociability generally prefer to be with others rather than alone. During middle childhood, the distinction between low sociability and high shyness becomes more pronounced, particularly as children gain greater control over how and where they spend their time.

Development throughout adulthood

Many studies show a high degree of stability in personality traits during adulthood, especially Neuroticism trait that is often regarded as a temperament trait, similarly to longitudinal research in temperament for the same traits. It is shown that the personality stabilizes for working-age individuals within about four years after starting working. There is also little evidence that adverse life events can have any significant impact on the personality of individuals.

More recent research and meta-analyses of previous studies, however, indicate that change occurs in all five traits at various points in the lifespan. The new research shows evidence for a maturation effect.

On average, levels of agreeableness and conscientiousness typically increase with time, whereas extraversion, neuroticism, and openness tend to decrease. Research has also demonstrated that changes in Big Five personality traits depend on the individual's current stage of development.

For example, levels of agreeableness and conscientiousness demonstrate a negative trend during childhood and early adolescence before trending upwards during late adolescence and into adulthood. In addition to these group effects, there are individual differences: different people demonstrate unique patterns of change at all stages of life.

In addition, some research (Fleeson, 2001) suggests that the Big Five should not be conceived of as dichotomies (such as extraversion vs. introversion) but as continua. Each individual has the capacity to move along each dimension as circumstances (social or temporal) change. He is or she is therefore not simply on one end of each trait dichotomy but is a blend of both, exhibiting some characteristics more often than others.

Research regarding personality with growing age has suggested that as individuals enter their elder years (79–86), those with lower IQ see a raise in extraversion, but a decline in conscientiousness and physical well being.

Research by Cobb-Clark and Schurer indicates that personality traits are generally stable among adult workers. The research done on personality also mirrors previous results on locus of control.

Gender vs personality

Cross-cultural research has shown some patterns of gender differences on responses tothe Big Five Inventory.

For example, women consistently report higher Neuroticism, Agreeableness, warmth (an extraversion facet) and openness to feelings, and men often report higher assertiveness (a facet of extraversion) and openness to ideas as assessed.

A study of gender differences in 55 nations using the Big Five Inventory found that women tended to be somewhat higher than men in neuroticism, extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness.

The difference in neuroticism was the most prominent and consistent, with significant differences found in 49 of the 55 nations surveyed. Gender differences in personality traits are largest in prosperous, healthy, and more gender-egalitarian cultures. A plausible explanation for this is that acts by women in individualistic, egalitarian countries are more likely to be attributed to their personality, rather than being attributed to ascribed gender roles within collectivist, traditional countries.

Differences in the magnitude of sex differences between more or less developed world regions were due to differences between men, not women, in these respective regions. That is, men in highly developed world regions were less neurotic, extraverted, conscientious and agreeable compared to men in less developed world regions.

Women, on the other hand tended not to differ in personality traits across regions. The most simple explanation for this gender data is that women remain relatively resource-poor, regardless of the circumstances of males within a first-world country.

However, the authors of this study speculated that resource-poor environments (that is, countries with low levels of development) may inhibit the development of gender differences, whereas resource-rich environments facilitate them. This may be because males require more resources than females in order to reach their full developmental potential.

The authors also argued that due to different evolutionary pressures, men may have evolved to be more risk taking and socially dominant, whereas women evolved to be more cautious and nurturing.

Ancient hunter-gatherer societies may have been more egalitarian than later agriculturally oriented societies. Hence, the development of gender inequalities may have acted to constrain the development of gender differences in personality that originally evolved in hunter-gatherer societies.

As modern societies have become more egalitarian, again, it may be that innate sex differences are no longer constrained and hence manifest more fully than in less-developed cultures. Currently, this hypothesis remains untested, as gender differences in modern societies have not been compared with those in hunter-gatherer societies.

Mental-illness vs personality traits

Converging evidence from several nationally representative studies has established three classes of mental disorders which are especially common in the general population: Depressive disorders (e.g., major depressive disorder (MDD), dysthymic disorder), anxiety disorders (e.g., generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic disorder, agoraphobia, specific phobia, and social phobia), and substance use disorders (SUDs).

These common mental disorders (CMDs) have been empirically linked to the Big Five personality traits, neuroticism in particular.

Numerous studies have found that having high scores of neuroticism significantly increases one's risk for developing a CMD. A large-scale meta-analysis (n > 75,000) examining the relationship between all of the Big Five personality traits and CMDs found that low conscientiousness yielded consistently strong effects for each CMD examined (i.e., MDD, dysthymic disorder, GAD, PTSD, panic disorder, agoraphobia, social phobia, specific phobia, and SUD).

This finding parallels research on physical health, which has established that conscientiousness is the strongest personality predictor of mortality and is highly correlated with making poor health choices.

In regards to the other personality domains, the meta-analysis found that all CMDs examined were defined by high neuroticism, most exhibited low extraversion, only SUD was linked to agreeableness (negatively), and no disorders were associated with Openness.

A meta-analysis of 59 longitudinal studies showed that high neuroticism predicted the development of anxiety, depression, substance abuse, psychosis, schizophrenia, and non-specific mental distress, also after adjustment for baseline symptoms and psychiatric history.

The personality-psychopathology models

Five major models have been posed to explain the nature of the relationship between personality and mental illness. There is currently no single "best model", as each of them has received at least some empirical support. It is also important to note that these models are not mutually exclusive – more than one may be operating for a particular individual and various mental disorders may be explained by different models.

• The Vulnerability/Risk Model According to this model, personality contributes to the onset or etiology of various common mental disorders. In other words, pre-existing personality traits either cause the development of CMDs directly or enhance the impact of causal risk factors. There is strong support for neuroticism being a robust vulnerability factor.

• The Pathoplasty Model This model proposes that premorbid personality traits impact the expression, course, severity, and/or treatment response of a mental disorder. An example of this relationship would be a heightened likelihood of committing suicide for a depressed individual who also has low levels of constraint.

• The Common Cause Model According to the common cause model, personality traits are predictive of CMDs because personality and psychopathology have shared genetic and environmental determinants which result in non-causal associations between the two constructs.

• The Spectrum Model This model proposes that associations between personality and psychopathology are found because these two constructs both occupy a single domain or spectrum and psychopathology is simply a display of the extremes of normal personality function.

Support for this model is provided by an issue of criterion overlap. For instance, two of the primary facet scales of neuroticism in the NEO-PI-R are "depression" and "anxiety". Thus the fact that diagnostic criteria for depression, anxiety, and neuroticism assess the same content increases the correlations between these domains.

• The Scar Model According to the scar model, episodes of a mental disorder 'scar' an individual's personality, changing it in significant ways from premorbid functioning. An example of a scar effect would be a decrease in openness to experience following an episode of PTSD.

Big 5 traits influence on romance

Romantic relationships

The Big Five model of personality was used for attempts to predict satisfaction in romantic relationships, relationship quality in dating, engaged, and married couples.

Dating couples

Self-reported relationship quality is negatively related to partner-reported neuroticism and positively related to both self and partner-reported conscientiousness.

Engaged couples

Self-reported relationship quality was higher among those high in partner-reported openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness.

Self-reported relationship quality was higher among those high in self-reported extraversion and agreeableness.

Self-reported relationship quality is negatively related to both self and partner-reported neuroticism

Observers rated the relationship quality higher if the participating partner's self-reported extraversion was high.

Married couples

High self-reported neuroticism, extraversion, and agreeableness are related to high levels of self-reported relationship quality

Partner-reported agreeableness is related to observed relationship quality.

Character temperament

Temperament is a configuration of observable personality traits, such as habits of communication, patterns of action, and sets of characteristic attitudes, values, and talents. 27

It also encompasses personal needs, the kinds of contributions that individuals make in the workplace, and the roles they play in society. Each temperament has its own unique qualities and shortcomings, strengths and challenges. The four basic temperaments as the Artisan, the Guardian, the Idealist, and the Rational.

What accounts for the differences we see in the four temperaments?

To use the idea of temperament most effectively, it is important to understand that the four temperaments are not simply arbitrary collections of characteristics, but spring from an interaction of the two basic dimensions of human behavior: our communication and our action, our words and our deeds, or, simply, what we say and what we do.

Communication

First, people naturally think and talk about what they are interested in, and if you listen carefully to people's conversations, you find two broad but distinct areas of subject matter. At times, of course, everyone addresses both sorts of topics, but in their daily lives, and for the most part, Concrete people talk about reality, while Abstract people talk about ideas.

27 https://keirsey.com/temperament-overview/ • Concrete Some people talk primarily about the external, concrete world of everyday reality: facts and figures, work and play, home and family, news, sports and weather – all the who-what- when-where-and how much's of life. Artisans and Guardians are concrete in their communication. • Abstract Others talk primarily about the internal, abstract world of ideas: theories and conjectures, dreams and philosophies, beliefs and fantasies –all the why's, if's, and what-might-be's of life. Idealists and Rationals are abstract in their communication.

Action

Second, at every turn people are trying to accomplish their goals, and if you watch closely how people go about their business, you see that there are two fundamentally opposite types of action.

• Cooperative Other people act primarily in a cooperative or socially acceptable manner, that is, they try to do the right thing, in keeping with agreed upon social rules, conventions, and codes of conduct, and only later do they concern themselves with the effectiveness of their actions. Guardians and Idealists are cooperative in their action.

• Utilitarian Some people act primarily in a utilitarian or pragmatic manner, that is, they do what gets results, what achieves their objectives as effectively or efficiently as possible, and only afterwards do they check to see if they are observing the rules or going through proper channels. Artisans and Rationals are utilitarian in their action.

Self-image of the four temperaments

People have different core pursuits based on their temperament. Each of the four temperaments take different paths to self-esteem. In other words, based on a person's temperament, they will be driven differently, and will feel best about themselves when they are a certain way, and are achieving aims which matter to them.

Artisan Guardian Idealist Rational

Artistic action Reliability Empath Ingenuity

Audacity Service Benevolence Autonomy Adaptability Respectability Authenticity Wilpower

It is observed that we are naturally intelligent in different ways. In a sense every individual has not one but four IQs, and it is virtually impossible for one person to develop all four of his or her capabilities equally.

The kind of operation practiced most develops most, while that practiced least develops least. Naturally, we all have our short suit as well as our long suit in the things we do well. Whatever our long suit, we are not totally without talent in our short suit—it is merely shorter.

The four temperaments can be further subdivided, often referred to as "Character Types" or "Personality Types." There are four types of Artisans, four types of Guardians, four types of Rationals, and four types of Idealists, which make up for 16 types in total.

Click on each personality type for detailed introduction of the personality, strength and weakness, relationship dynamics of family, friends and romance, career path, habits and core conclusion.

The Artisan – Good and evil

ISTP Tolerant and flexible, quiet observers until a problem appears, then act quickly to find workable solutions. Analyse what makes things work and readily get through large amounts of data to isolate the core of practical problems. Interested in cause and effect, organize facts using logical principles, value efficiency.

Destructive ISTPs are cold, self-destructive, and indulgent. They can be ruthlessly logical, but in pursuit of their own pleasure and at the expense of anyone who gets in their way. They ignore their moral compass and have no concern for the welfare or feelings of others.

They keep to themselves and scorn attachments to other individuals, only seeking to get ahead or enjoy sensational thrills even if it harms themselves or others in the process. They become calculating and selfish, easily angered by anyone who seeks a foothold in their life. Evil ISTPs can be the perfect mercenaries, using their hands-on skills to find wealth or sensory experience, even if it means destroying another life.

ISFP Quiet, friendly, sensitive, and kind. Enjoy the present moment, what's going on around them. Like to have their own space and to work within their own time frame. Loyal and committed to their values and to people who are important to them. Dislike disagreements and conflicts, do not force their opinions or values on others.

Destructive ISFPs are self-serving, judgmental, and indulgent. They are easily lost in self-pity and bitterness over numerous perceived or misunderstood slights. They will go from stages of passive aggressive coldness to stages of self-righteous indignation. They live for the moment and can be exceedingly reckless; they habitually overeat, over-shop, drink too much, or seek pleasure without thought for how it might impact themselves or others. They are easily angered by people who don’t understand their intense emotional reactions, even though they never actually vocalize them. They are not swayed by logical arguments or reasonable discussion; everyone they allow into their life is at the mercy of their ever changing emotions. They may decide to shut people out entirely if they can’t get complete approval.

ESTP Flexible and tolerant, they take a pragmatic approach focused on immediate results. Theories and conceptual explanations bore them - they want to act energetically to solve the problem. Focus on the here-and-now, spontaneous, enjoy each moment that they can be active with others. Enjoy material comforts and style. Learn best through doing.

Evil ESTPs seek thrills, opportunities, and pleasure at the expense of any and everyone who gets in their way. They are excellent manipulators, who take no issue with swindling, cheating, or lying to get what they want.

They have no concern for the feelings and values of other people and stifle any moral considerations that enter their minds. Life is for taking advantage of, living to the fullest, and exploiting, even if it means leaving a trail of broken hearts and bullied souls in their wake.

Unhealthy ESTPs get a thrill out of negative or positive attention, and may enjoy bullying or annoying other individuals simply for the rush it gives them. They can be reckless, dangerously impulsive, and hedonistic.

ESFP Outgoing, friendly, and accepting. Exuberant lovers of life, people, and material comforts. Enjoy working with others to make things happen. Bring common sense and a realistic approach to their work, and make work fun. Flexible and spontaneous, adapt readily to new people and environments. Learn best by trying a new skill with other people.

Destructive ESFPs seek attention and sensation at all costs. They are impulsive, vain, and self- absorbed. They dislike anything or anyone that might upstage them, and they will be passive- aggressive to anyone who they feel might steal their spotlight.

Their subjective emotions rule their lives, and logical arguments or constructive criticism are dramatically shunned. One minute they will be madly in love, the next minute they will ditch their partners or cheat on them because they feel trapped. They jump from one exciting thrill to another without concern for the people they affect along the way.

The Guardian – Good and evil

ISTJ Quiet, serious, earn success by thoroughness and dependability. Practical, matter-of-fact, realistic, and responsible. Decide logically what should be done and work toward it steadily, regardless of distractions. Take pleasure in making everything orderly and organized - their work, their home, their life. Value traditions and loyalty.

Destructive ISTJs want to exert control over the outside world and make it conform to their routine or set of principles. Their own security trumps the welfare of all, and they may suppress people who they perceive as threats, even if those people are completely harmless.

Usually, these ISTJs have been raised in a corrupt family or societal system. They accept the unethical traditions and values they have been raised with without question, and have no problem forcing others to accept those same principles.

Any questions, scepticism, or form of rebellion is instantly distinguished. They have no empathy for anyone’s emotions, ideas, or welfare outside of their own. There is only one right way to do things and that is their way or the way of their authority figure. They will be harsh, aloof, and attentive to any detail or act of defiance that falls outside of their established routine.

ISFJ Quiet, friendly, responsible, and conscientious. Committed and steady in meeting their obligations. Thorough, painstaking, and accurate. Loyal, considerate, notice and remember specifics about people who are important to them, concerned with how others feel. Strive to create an orderly and harmonious environment at work and at home.

Destructive ISFJs believe everyone must instantly conform to the traditions and values they’ve accepted as their own. They may seem friendly at first, but underneath their soft-spoken demeanour they are manipulative and passive aggressive.

If you rebel against tradition or interrupt their practiced routine, they will shut you out of their life without a second thought or find underhanded ways to get you demoted or punished. They do nice things for people simply for validation and praise, and are hateful when they don’t receive the praise they were expecting. When people question them, they will retreat into self-pity and impose guilt trips. They are hard workers, relentless in their sense of duty, even if that duty is to a corrupt power structure or societal construct.

ESTJ Practical, realistic, matter-of-fact. Decisive, quickly move to implement decisions. Organize projects and people to get things done, focus on getting results in the most efficient way possible. Take care of routine details. Have a clear set of logical standards, systematically follow them and want others to also. Forceful in implementing their plans. Destructive ESTJs are dictatorial, aggressive, and controlling. They believe that they know what’s best for everyone, and that their way is the only way.

They suppress their moral compass and disregard the feelings and values of other people in exchange for their own rigid views. They push forward to achieve their goals, but instead of taking time to reflect on their decisions, they steamroll over everyone in their path in order to accomplish tasks without considering alternate viewpoints or the moral implications of their actions.

They may be loyal to a corrupt system or authority and suppress anyone who stands against that authority or questions it. They trust their own personal experience and disregard other people’s experience. They scoff at the emotions and values of others while they allow themselves to have their own temper tantrums and emotional overreactions.

ESFJ Warm hearted, conscientious, and cooperative. Want harmony in their environment, work with determination to establish it. Like to work with others to complete tasks accurately and on time. Loyal, follow through even in small matters. Notice what others need in their day-by-day lives and try to provide it. Want to be appreciated for who they are and for what they contribute.

Destructive ESFJs are manipulative, controlling, and prone to gossip. They adopt the beliefs of the people around them and bully anyone who lies outside of that value system. They may enjoy spreading rumors if it allows them to gain approval from authority.

They are the “teacher’s pet” and constantly seek praise from the people they respect. They will have pity parties for themselves whenever they don’t get the praise they were expecting. They may be passive-aggressive, two-faced, and dishonest.

Anyone who doesn’t believe in their traditionally accepted views is mocked, ridiculed, or gaslighted. They need attention and approval constantly from the people in their lives, and will become easily angered over any perceived slight or anything that takes the place of their attention. They will berate anyone who doesn’t follow “the rules” even if those rules are corrupt.

The Idealist – Good and evil

INFJ Seek meaning and connection in ideas, relationships, and material possessions. Want to understand what motivates people and are insightful about others. Conscientious and committed to their firm values. Develop a clear vision about how best to serve the common good. Organized and decisive in implementing their vision.

The destructive INFJ is manipulative, scheming, and self-righteous. Above all, they seek to fulfill their vision for the future. They will go to any lengths to reach this vision, even if it means deceit, underhanded deals, and trickery. They justify what they do because in their mind “the end justifies the means”. They often consider themselves better and more broad-minded than others, and thus conclude that any input from the outside world is silly and shallow. They live in their own subjective fantasy world and stop attributing value to human interactions.

People are to be used to reach their end goal. If they hurt people along the way they’ll try to stifle any sense of guilt they might feel. They will try to escape those people so they don’t have to actually confront their own wrongdoings. In their close relationships they may be passive aggressive, and use people’s faults and shortcomings against them as blackmail. When faced with their wrongdoings, they may fall into self-pity or else shut people out of their life who don’t show them complete approval.

INFP Idealistic, loyal to their values and to people who are important to them. Want an external life that is congruent with their values. Curious, quick to see possibilities, can be catalysts for implementing ideas. Seek to understand people and to help them fulfil their potential. Adaptable, flexible, and accepting unless a value is threatened.

Destructive INFPs are self-absorbed, self-righteous, and waver between being passive and extremely judgmental. They enjoy living in their fantasies, but care little for the practical realities of daily life. They may neglect their loved ones and family members and instead prefer to live in a world of their own making, in essence abandoning everyone who holds them dear.

They may consider themselves more morally superior or “righteous” than others, married to their idealism to such an extent that any and everyone in the real world seems flawed and disappointing. They may retreat from the world and silently judge everyone they see.

Over time, they may become increasingly harsh and condemning of people in their lives. They may become so obsessed with their own emotions and fantasies that they shun or berate anyone who tries to find a way into their hearts.

ENFJ Warm, empathetic, responsive, and responsible. Highly attuned to the emotions, needs, and motivations of others. Find potential in everyone, want to help others fulfill their potential. May act as catalysts for individual and group growth. Loyal, responsive to praise and criticism. Sociable, facilitate others in a group, and provide inspiring leadership.

Destructive ENFJs are dramatic, overbearing, and manipulative. They like to influence and push people to conform to their opinions and “vision”.

Their way is always the best way, and anyone who disregards their “friendly” advice is treated with passive-aggressive bullying. The evil ENFJ respects rank and authority, and treats those in authority with respect and eager attentiveness while looking down on people they believe are less “sophisticated” than themselves. They share other people’s secrets without remorse, pick on the underdogs, and kiss up to anyone who can help them to advance their vision or idea for the future. They can seem incredibly kind and exuberant in person and then ridicule and mock you to others when you aren’t around.

ENFP Warmly enthusiastic and imaginative. See life as full of possibilities. Make connections between events and information very quickly, and confidently proceed based on the patterns they see. Want a lot of affirmation from others, and readily give appreciation and support. Spontaneous and flexible, often rely on their ability to improvise and their verbal fluency.

The destructive ENFP is manipulative, self-absorbed, and disloyal. They believe the world revolves around them and their interests and ideas. They only care about others in terms of how much they can get out of them.

They jump from one idea or relationship to the next, flaking on plans and shirking responsibilities without a second thought. Inspiration and stimulation becomes everything to the unhealthy ENFP, and they will try to attain it by any means, even if it means deceit or immoral acts. They are so sure of their own visions that they lash out at anyone who opposes them or questions their abilities. They forget their own body’s requirements and may become increasingly self-destructive as they ignore their health and nutritional needs.

The Rational – Good and evil

INTJ Have original minds and great drive for implementing their ideas and achieving their goals. Quickly see patterns in external events and develop long-range explanatory perspectives. When committed, organize a job and carry it through. Sceptical and independent, have high standards of competence and performance - for themselves and others.

The destructive INTJ is cold, arrogant, and controlling. They are contemptuous and condescending to anyone who doesn’t value their same vision or sense of logic. They may even enjoy putting other people down, making sarcastic jabs, or otherwise belittling them.

They consider themselves above others, more enlightened or intelligent than the rest of humanity. They believe their vision and forecast of the future is always right, and they stubbornly hold to their perception without opening their mind to other viewpoints.

They are agitated and vindictive with anyone who critiques or gives another view that contradicts their own. Destructive INTJs may seclude themselves from the rest of the world because they are so disappointed in their fellow man.

If they don’t do this, they may try to micro-manage and overly control the people in their own lives, forcing them to obey a strict set of commands. If they have a corrupt vision, they may be swift and terrifyingly effective at creating plans that are disastrous for the good of humanity.

INTP Seek to develop logical explanations for everything that interests them. Theoretical and abstract, interested more in ideas than in social interaction. Quiet, contained, flexible, and adaptable. Have unusual ability to focus in depth to solve problems in their area of interest. Sceptical, sometimes critical, always analytical.

Evil INTPs are haughty, careless, and so absorbed in their own world and ideas that they ignore and neglect the people in their care.

They look down on “the mass” for being less intellectual or “enlightened” than they are. They avoid responsibilities and ignore loved ones, drifting into their own isolated world.

Anyone who tries to join them in their world is shunned or treated with silent passive aggression. They ignore any kind of moral code; everything is about cause and effect and experimentation. They may even toy with people just to see what happens; using them like tools or objects to use and cast aside.

They are harsh with their words, caring little about their affect on others. They don’t care what anyone else does with their lives as long as they are left to their own devices.

ENTJ Frank, decisive, assumes leadership readily. Quickly see illogical and inefficient procedures and policies, develop and implement comprehensive systems to solve organizational problems. Enjoy long-term planning and goal setting. Usually well informed, well read, enjoy expanding their knowledge and passing it on to others. Forceful in presenting their ideas.

Destructive ENTJs are dominating, aggressive, and quick-tempered. They have a clear vision for the future and will force everyone to follow their vision, caring little for other people’s perspectives and views.

They have fiery tempers and can be intimidating bullies, using their quick wits and cold hard logic as a weapon to humiliate and silence their opponents. They will consider themselves above emotions and subjective “feelings”, but will become temperamental and wallow in self-pity when things don’t go their way.

They consider the feelings and values of others stupid or silly and they are exceedingly proud of their logical “superiority”. They like to control other people, and enjoy using their intuitive perceptions as a way to play mean tricks on others. Domination is a game to them, and they are increasingly power hungry as they become more and more unhealthy.

ENTP Quick, ingenious, stimulating, alert, and outspoken. Resourceful in solving new and challenging problems. Adept at generating conceptual possibilities and then analyzing them strategically. Good at reading other people. Bored by routine, will seldom do the same thing the same way, apt to turn to one new interest after another.

The destructive ENTP is arrogant, dishonest, and self-centered. They live in a constant haze of ideas, and while this alone isn’t bad, the destructive ENTP will go to any lengths to chase those ideas. They may lie, trick, or steal from individuals in an effort to get what they need to achieve their next goal. They may also enjoy toying with people just to see what happens.

Trolling is “good fun” to the destructive ENTP, and they care little about the emotional pain they inflict on others. They are unreliable and undependable, abandoning loved ones as they follow after their ever-changing whims.

To the person who shows interest in their plans, the ENTP is a charming and good-hearted friend. However, the minute that person rejects an idea the ENTP may discriminate, mock, or bully this same person.

Designing the character

Who are the people in your story going to be? Why do I care about them? Will anybody else? What is the journey my hero/heroine is on? What is his or her major flaw? These are just a few questions to ask before laying out a character arc. You want to have engaging characters that are not perfect. Nobody likes a perfect person! All of my TV heroes have been flawed. For example...

JIM ROCKFORD - The Rockford Files. He was put upon by the system. An ex-con, ex-loser who had too big a heart and a sense of pragmatism that fought his heroic instincts. Through it all, he persevered, and became TV's first anti-hero.

RALPH HINKLEY - Greatest American Hero. His biggest flaw was the suit itself. He only wanted to be a high school teacher. The suit wrecked his life. He struggled to maintain his normalcy while wearing red Spandex and a cape, (pretty funny, I thought).

VINNIE TERRANOVA - Wiseguy. Vinnie was being seduced by the very thing he was trying to arrest. He was a forty thousand-dollar a year Fed, who was now given the chance to infiltrate the Mob. With this came all of the Mob perks. He could now live in the lap of luxury, drive a Porsche Targa, hang out with actresses and glitter princes, etc...

How does this blue-collar guy keep his moral compass straight, in the face of this seduction? I thought his internal struggle was intensely interesting to write.

The flaws in a character are always more interesting than the strengths. In Riding The Snake, Wheeler Cassidy is the ne'er-do-well son of a rich, now-dead father. He is wasting his life away at the country club bar, drinking too much, seducing other men's wives. He would appear on the surface to be an unsympathetic lout, but when we're inside his head we see he is troubled and confused and questions his own morality. He is looking to redeem himself, but doesn't know how.

After his brother is murdered, he finally has to come to grips with his life and who he is. He decides to step up and risk everything. His journey is tortured, but at the end of the novel, he is rehabilitated and looking toward a future with the right values.

Also in this novel is Tanisha Williams, an African-American homicide detective. She joined the police because her baby sister was killed in a drive-by shooting when a car full of "bangers" were trying for her boyfriend. Guilt and a sense of hopelessness drive her back to school and finally to a college degree in criminology. She becomes a cop and wants to return to South Central L.A. to try to stop gang killings. She is on a journey to find peace within. Wheeler, at first look, poses a problem for her. A white, country club lush, the stereotypical white-on-rice jerk. Soon she sees beneath his complex surface, and what she discovers surprises her, and eventually changes her life. Characters on sometimes-painful journeys make for good dramatic writing. Choose them carefully and plan their trip.

Who are the villains?

Make sure they are fully rounded. A good antagonist will help to define the protagonist. Heavies who twist their moustaches and know they are evil are cliches, and belong in comic books.

Remember, Hitler thought he was performing a service to mankind when he gassed six million Jews. In his mind, this was valuable social retribution, not genocide. If you are going to write him as the complex monster that he was, you must see inside that twisted logic. Show that he believed he was a hero, despite the fact that he was one of the most infamous villains' mankind has ever seen. Finding the motivation for the villain is extremely important. Make him or her a believable character.

Mary Sue Characters

A Mary Sue character is an overly perfect character and/or a character that is clearly a glorified projection of the author herself.

The are male versions of Mary Sue. They are known as Gary Stu or Marty Stu. A Mary Sue character is usually an undesirable character. Even your heroes need flaws. An impossibly perfect character makes your story less plausible and less believable.

The origin of the Mary Sue term can be found in fan fiction. Know Your Meme traces that origins to a parody of Star Trek fan fiction called "A Trekkie's Tale."

This short tale by Paula Smith described a young female character (Mary Sue) that was a critique of a character she frequently observed in Star Trek fan fiction from 1970s zines. The character created by Smith has evolved into Mary Sue coming to mean any character that is too perfect, too beautiful and wise beyond her years. TV Tropes expands on the Mary Sue concept with other types of Mary Sues, such as the Anti-Sue. They also note that what classifies a Mary Sue character has become more and more difficult to nail down due to its increasing use.

The Wikipedia entry for Mary Sue notes that there has been same criticism or backlash at the concept. One major criticism is that beginning writers might be hesitant to write out of fear of creating a Mary Sue.

Fear of criticism is never a good reason to not write. You have to practice to get better. Some writers practice by putting themselves - or a perfect hero - into situations. There is always time for editing if you have written a story that is centered around a character that is too perfect.

Young authors also shouldn't worry too much as the term Mary Sue is now also used as a trolling attack and trolls should be ignored.

Mary Sue Tests and Advice

It should be fairly obvious to you that you have an overly perfect character. There are tests that can help you make sure your character is not a Mary Sue. The ultimate decision about your characters is always yours.

If your character ticks the boxes of all the adjectives below they are certainly crossing into Mary Sue territory. If you have created a Mary Sue then at least put her up against an equally perfect villain to make your story interesting.

Here is a list of some of tests and articles offering tips for avoiding creating Mary Sues.

The Universal Mary Sue Litmus Test - This is very detailed questionnaire that will give you a score and tell you the chance your character is a Mary Sue. If you score very low you might even have an Anti-Sue.

Is Your Protagnist A Mary Sue? - 40 questions that can help you determine whether you have created a Mary Sue or not

Mary Sue Test - this type provides 42 questions to analyze whether or not you have created a Mary Sue.

Is Your Character a Mary Sue? - This is article helps you identify signs that you character might by a Mary Sue and offers advice for making your characters more realistic.

OC Mary-Sue Test 2.1 - a Mary Sue test for original characters

Character Flaws

Understanding Mary Sue character, we understand that nobody is perfect and neither are your characters. Our flaws make us human and flaws make your characters more human and more real.

Author Stephen J. Cannell, "The flaws in a character are always more interesting than the strengths."

Many writers gather much of their material from their own lives (sometimes without realizing it). You already know some character flaws from living your life.

You know your own weaknesses and you know the flaws of your friends and family members. You have seen people overcome their flaws and seen them fail. This life knowledge can be applied, adapted and modified for use in fiction. It can also be helpful to read up on personality flaws for inspiration and to get a deeper understanding of characterization.

A very basic 3-step look at character flaw arc in a story is this:

1. Determine your character's flaw or flaws 2. Put your character into situations where these flaws will be exacerbated and stressed. 3. Figure out how your character is able to overcome their flaws to better themselves or save the day.

I have provided resources at the end of the book to help get you started.

Choose a point of view

Point of view is the narration of the story from the perspective of first, second, or third person. As a writer, you need to determine who is going to tell the story and how much information is available for the narrator to reveal in the short story. The narrator can be directly involved in the action subjectively, or the narrator might only report the action objectively.

First Person. The story is told from the view of “I.” The narrator is either the protagonist (main character) and directly affected by unfolding events, or the narrator is a secondary character telling the story revolving around the protagonist.28

I saw a tear roll down his cheek. I had never seen my father cry before. I looked away while he brushed the offending cheek with his hand.

This is a good choice for beginning writers because it is the easiest to write. (But if your viewpoint character is too much like you, a first-person story might end up being a too-transparent exercise in wish-fulfillment, or score-settling.)

28 https://www.16personalities.com/personality-types

Second Person. The story is told directly to “you”, with the reader as a participant in the action.

You laughed loudly at the antics of the clown. You clapped your hands with joy. .

Third Person. The story tells what “he”, “she,” or “it” does. The third-person narrator’s perspective can be limited (telling the story from one character’s viewpoint) or omniscient (where the narrator knows everything about all of the characters).

He ran to the big yellow loader sitting on the other side of the gravel pit shack.

Your narrator might take sides in the conflict you present, might be as transparent as possible, or might advocate a position that you want your reader to challenge (this is the “unreliable narrator” strategy).

On point of view:

• First Person. “Unites narrator and reader through a series of secrets” when they enter one character’s perceptions. However, it can “lead to telling” and limits readers connections to other characters in the short story. • Second Person. “Puts readers within the actual scene so that readers confront possibilities directly.” However, it is important to place your characters “in a tangible environment” so you don’t “omit the details readers need for clarity.” • Third Person Omniscient. Allows you to explore all of the characters’ thoughts and motivations. Transitions are extremely important as you move from character to character. • Third Person Limited. “Offers the intimacy of one character’s perceptions.” However, the writer must “deal with character absence from particular scenes.”29

Living through our character’s eyes

One of the most common questions asked of a writer is: where do your characters come from, how do you make them live and breathe? Why do some characters come to us as rich and real, vibrant, but others as dull, uninteresting, or worse, stereotypes, stock characters, or sadder still, as cold chess-pieces manipulated by plot, devoid of humanity?

Sometimes I'm tempted to say, "I don't know" when asked where do I find my characters. I'm also tempted to say I don't know how I make them live -- let's maintain the myths, let's keep up the pretence that fiction writers are crystals, channels from the unknown, mediums for the muse.

29 https://jerz.setonhill.edu/writing/creative1/shortstory/#paragraph Sometimes I think lying would be easier. It certainly makes my profession sexier, no bad thing at a party...

But we do know where characters come from, and I know how to make them live. It's easy. All my characters are me and all the people I've known, little bit of this, little bit of that, a lie here, a truth there, some good points, some bad.

I can see my mother, my father, my sisters, my brother, myself, all of us oozing from the pages of anthologies, seeping from literary magazines. I can see John F Kennedy, an old girlfriend, my children, wives I & II, John Wayne, an ancestor, all-sepia and wrinkles spotted on a journey to the Welsh Valleys, cousins, friends, teachers, Furillo from Hill Street Blues, a cow in a field, a magician, a killer, a drill-sergeant, a soccer-player, half the bouncing people from an aerobics class, the people I might have been, the man I'd like to be.

I have been (and later, this is the crucial point). I have been my mother (or someone my mother gave me the idea for), I've been an old lady with a magic credit card, a car-salesman accused of murder, a young woman cop called Caz, a prairie-dog, an ex rugby-player dying of heart-failure (then I became his wife), a vicious, selfish investigative journalist, a man in a coma, a Welsh archer at Agincourt, a psychopath, a woman in her late forties finally coming to terms with an incest-ravaged childhood, and so it goes. I am me, people like me, my family, people like my family, characters from books and films, characters like them.

And every one is a mixture of my memories, my dreams, my self-image, my mood, memory and image piling on memory and image, appearing almost spontaneously, demanded by the point (theme) of my stories, and all, always, filtered through my psyche, that same psyche which has been shaped by all those memories and images.

I have heard the family stories, seen the pictures of fathers, grandfathers, their fathers, men of depth and character -- one a philandering Deacon, another a hero, one lost in a pit, one saved. All these things and a million more have helped to form my psyche, one shaped and mis-shaped by the real and the fictional, the truth and the lies of my history. It's a mess in there, seething, worms, acid, heat and light, occasional beauty.

But it's all me, not you. Never in a million years can you get to think my thoughts, no-one can get as close as I to the absolute and unique, never-to-be-repeated me of my me-ness. Just how lucky are we all to each be given a unique insight into life? No doubt a 99% incorrect insight, a false view, a distorted, twisted, misled view, but no less beautiful for all that. The trick is expressing that unique world-view.

Through this book, I have I've talked about how approaching a story head-on, making decisions, thinking with the left side of the brain, deciding, arranging, almost always produces a less-rich, less- unpredictable result, in the worst cases, just more me-too work, full of the signalled stereotypicality of much of genre writing. The trick to avoiding this is to find a way to be surprised. The trick is to access the psychic soup.

Writers of the romantic bent, those who wish to keep pretending they are connected to the Gods, may talk to us of the muse, the muses, those ladies of the unknown who sit in the cosmos somewhere doling out their favours. Not me. I don't believe in fiction-fairies.

Instead I believe that deep within everyone of us are all-things-beautiful and all-things-dark. I believe that when something comes to us which seems amazing -- a gift -- it's because we've accessed those places we don't easily access, the place where all our inconsistencies continually interact making sense of our liquid nonsenses.

We're all a mess. We weren't programmed to look directly at the sun or directly into the slow whirlpool of our ever-connecting and reconnecting memories, fears, hopes, dreams. For those of us who try to look, the mind has worked out lots of diversions. It even knows ways to trick us into thinking we've dodged the sentinels. We don't. We can't. It's like wanting to be inside the chemical reactions which power the heart. No can do, no can go.

But we can allow the inner workings to affect us. We can put ourselves into the mode where the threshing sluices leak upwards. We do it automatically every day when we are simply being, we live as manifestations of id, ego, super-ego, so why not use the same technique to "be" through our characters?

Previously I've mentioned that as writers we create a character and a problem. Plotting writers, knowing how they want their results to go, also invent the solution. Now if decide for my character, a young English policewoman, a Peruvian tribesman, how in Heaven's name can I expect authenticity, naturalness, believability, surprise? From outside, from a crude male perspective I'm supposed to "understand" Caz Flood, and coldly as an observer I'm going to fairly represent her inner-being? Impossible!

Caz is supposed to be a human being, with all the complexities, plusses, minuses, inconsistencies I have. (She's better looking though...) If I am going to do her justice, I have to find a way to look at her world (the fictional situation I invented) through her eyes.

And that is what I do. I don't make Caz's decisions. I invent situations and immerse Caz in them, but then I stop being the writer and become Caz. I go with Caz, I try to think like Caz. I am Caz.

Working from outside, nothing is ever a surprise, nothing ever shocks, everything is artificial. But from the inside, literally living, breathing, thinking as Caz, I have no idea what "I" will decide. Suddenly I'm in a new world, exciting, surprising, but most importantly, totally real and honest.

In my crime novel, Caz is part of a team sent to flush some "heavy-duty" villains from a house into a waiting trap. The squad expects the villains to run and they should run after them, but like all those with still-pretty faces, Caz and her colleagues aren't overly keen to actually catch the villains. When I was writing the scenes, the totality of my plotting involved placing the team at the front door, ready to make a noise. Stop. That was it! I developed no further plans, had no idea, didn't know who would do what, how or to whom. That is, in metaphorical terms, "I let the characters make their own decisions".

I did this because I, the author wanted surprises. I did this to represent the uncertainties of just such a raid-cum-trap. I wanted not to know what came next. Caz chases one of the McLintocks through a window. McLintock is huge, Caz isn't. But that's OK because McLintock is going to keep running, isn't he?

Caz leapt up on the fitted kitchen worktop and followed the butt through the open window. She didn't know which McLintock it was but he was big and he had a baseball bat in a thick fist.

"The door!" Peter Mason was shouting as she dropped into the garden; later she worked out he meant "I'm unlocking it." She hit the yard, a bit of wet grass, dog mess, just as McLintock Four reached the back gate, threw it open, changed his mind and turned. Mason was shouting. He couldn't get out of the door. "Oh, f-ck!" Caz said.

This was the end of a chapter. Now I'm Caz, and now I'm in trouble. But importantly, author Alex Keegan is nowhere to be seen, (he ran off ages ago). I'm on my own. And I don't know what I'm going to do.

What would you do? Note the question. Not, what do you think the officer should do (she's unarmed). What would you do, reader? You're a six-feet-three karate black-belt? Not any more you're not! You're Caz Flood, 5'7", 120 pounds. Well?

The nearest thing to Caz was a garden rake. She grabbed it just as Frank McLintock turned round to discover he was being chased by a woman four inches shorter and seventy pounds lighter than him. The grin that spread across his face was disgusting.

If this had been a dark alley and one-on-one, Caz would be running already. McLintock was in vest and jeans, no shoes. He had the lot, scars, broken nose, shaved head, like a very bad photo-fit of a bank-blagger. Caz was terrified. She was thinking, "Jeez, this lump could pick me up, eat me and spit out the pieces before Mason is through the window." She decided to attack, throw in a bit of verbal to give him time to think. She was holding the rake diagonally across her chest. "Only a pissy little bird, Frankie," she said. "That what you're thinking? You fancy your chances, do yer?" She spun the rake so the prongs were forward. Did he fancy his chances? Who was she kidding? And where the f- ck was Mason?

The point is, Caz is "thinking on her feet", responding instantaneously to events. What I wanted to do was be the same. Instead of planning, instead of plotting, I simply let things happen, then, as Caz, "I" reacted. If we work like this, our characters will live. They are bound to. Because we work from inside, because by working from the inside the characters become real to us, act with the consistency of human beings, don't conform, don't drop into line, don't behave like automatons.

The title of this article was Left-Right, Character. If we use our left-brains we impose in a formal, structured, almost always predictable way, without emotion. If we live through our characters, like a method actor acts, the characters will be, they will become, they will be us-as-woman, us-as-man, they will reflect our perceptions, all our complexities but instinctively and intuitively, spontaneously and naturally. They will be more real than we could dream of. Character Profile Worksheet

Basic Statistics Name: Age: Nationality: Socioeconomic Level as a child: Socioeconomic Level as an adult: Hometown: Current Residence: Occupation: Income: Talents/Skills: Salary: Birth order: Siblings (describe relationship): Spouse (describe relationship): Children (describe relationship): Grandparents (describe relationship): Grandchildren (describe relationship): Significant Others (describe relationship): Relationship skills:

Physical Characteristics: Height: Weight: Race: Eye Color: Hair Color: Glasses or contact lenses? Skin color: Shape of Face: Distinguishing features: How does he/she dress? Mannerisms: Habits: (smoking, drinking etc.) Health: Hobbies: Favorite Sayings: Speech patterns: Disabilities: Style (Elegant, shabby etc.): Greatest flaw: Best quality: Intellectual/Mental/Personality Attributes and Attitudes: Educational Background: Intelligence Level: Any Mental Illnesses? Learning Experiences: Character's short-term goals in life: Character's long-term goals in life: How does Character see himself/herself? How does Character believe he/she is perceived by others? How self-confident is the character? Does the character seem ruled by emotion or logic or some combination thereof? What would most embarrass this character?

Emotional Characteristics Strengths/Weaknesses: Introvert or Extrovert? How does the character deal with anger? With sadness? With conflict? With change? With loss? What does the character want out of life? What would the character like to change in his/her life? What motivates this character? What frightens this character? What makes this character happy? Is the character judgmental of others? Is the character generous or stingy? Is the character generally polite or rude?

Spiritual Characteristics: Does the character believe in God? What are the character's spiritual beliefs? Is religion or spirituality a part of this character's life? If so, what role does it play?

How the Character is Involved in the Story: Character's role in the novel (main character? hero? heroine? Romantic interest? etc.): Scene where character first appears: Relationships with other characters:

1. Character's Name: -- (Describe relationship with this character and changes to relationship over the course of the novel). 2. Character's Name: -- (Describe relationship with this character and changes to relationship over the course of the novel). 3. Character's Name: -- (Describe relationship with this character and changes to relationship over the course of the novel). 4. Character's Name: -- (Describe relationship with this character and changes to relationship over the course of the novel).30

30 https://www.writerswrite.com/journal/jun98/how-to-create-a-character-profile-6986 Telling your story

Generating a plot It really isn't too hard to come up with a plot for a story. There are ideas everywhere you look.

As Michael Banks explains ideas are "free...and easy." He says, "Just about anything we see, hear, read, or experience can spark an idea."

The main events that make up short stories and novels are called the plot. It would be difficult to have an interesting story about characters that are just standing around. There has to be something to motivate them, some problem for them to solve or some obstacle for them to overcome. Many authors argue that great stories and novels are character driven.

If you have some great characters that you are fond of but you are having trouble thinking of an adventure or situation to put them than a plot generator might help. Plot generators will randomly generate many plot ideas for you. You can use them by modifying them to make them unique so the plot can work with your characters. A plot generator may also help you to start thinking creatively again. See end of the book for full genres and sub genres

Here are some useful plot generators:

Plot-Generator.org.uk - This plot generator features plots for short stories, plot twists, fairytales and more. Use the Story Ideas option if you want a quick random story idea. Some of the other options have more involved forms. You can fill the form with random ideas to speed it up.

Big Huge Thesaurus Plot Generator - Big Huge Thesaurus says its plot generator will generator over 5.1 million possible plot ideas. They range from plausible to zany fantasy/sf plot. A couple we generated include "A corrupt politician must return money stolen from the mob" and "Brothers struggle to survive against zombies at the circus."

RanGen Plot Generator - RanGen has a plot generator that includes toggles for genre (action, fantasy and romance). RanGen generates a plot for you after you select the genre and hit the generate button.

Springhole Plot Generators - You will a couple dozen plot generators on this site including generators for horror plots, romance plots, mysterious findings for mystery plots and more.

Seventh Sanctum - Seventh Sanctum has several fun and interesting generators that can be used for plot and story ideas. They include generators called Quick Story Ideas, Punk Genre Generator, Romance Stories generator, Plot Twists, Symbolitron and more. Each one generators multiple ideas at a time.

Chaotic Shiny - Chaotic Shiny offers a number of writing and gaming generators. For writers there is a Story Arc generator, Prophecy generator, Situation generator, the Mashup Masher and several other tools. WritingExercises Plot Generator - This plot generator creates some quick plot ideas for you. If you click just the Situation button you will get interesting basic situations like "someone is wrongly accused of a crime" and "something precious has been lost."

TV Tropes Story Generator - The TV Tropes generator will give you a setting, plot, narrative device, hero, villain and other story components.

Rory's Story Cubes - This is not an online generator. It is a physical story generator that uses a set of nine six-sided dice. Collectively the dice contain a total of 54 different images. It is a game but it can also be used for individual creative inspiration.

The Amazing Story Generator - This is a spiral-bound flipbook that can be used to create thousand of plot ideas. The book is made so you randomly select three different parts of the story. It is like a book version of a plot generator program.

Writing Prompts - Plot generators are good for story writing inspiration. You can also use writing prompts to help you brainstorm a good plot idea.

Story title Among all those fantasy, science fiction books, what are the most common terms in use? And the results are fairly predictable, but also pretty hilarious. In fact, if you assembled the most generic fantasy trilogy statistically possible, it’d look like this:

• The Shadow War of the Night Dragon, Book One: The Dead City • The Shadow War of the Night Dragon, Book Two: Dark Blood Magic • The Shadow War of the Night Dragon, Book Three: Dream World of the Fire Wolf

Below the cut, take a look at some amusing juxtapositions we noticed in the common word data!

Some notes on how we counted: words like “war,” “night,” “dream,” “man,” “water” were counted if they were part of a compound word in which the meaning is the same. We also included plurals in the count for a singular word.

Here are the most commonly used words in the book titles voted on in the Reader’s Poll. All the words below were present 10 or more times in a title:

We didn’t stop there in our word hunt, though. Curiousity took hold. These are the most popular occupation:

And what did those most popular occupations love to fight?

Evil vs good was something we looked out for, too. Unfortunately for these fictional worlds but fortunately for their sense of drama, evil handily wins the eyes of readers.

Although we couldn’t but notice how evenly matched the ‘Above and the Below’ were:

Fantasy was vastly outweighing science fiction results during our search, so to even it up a bit, we compared the (mostly) science fiction only terms. Science fiction is overwhelmingly looking ahead, while fantasy seems to be mostly looking back:

We also looked at gender comparisons:

And, for fun, elements and body parts:

Comb through the list and see if you can find any amusing juxtapositions that we missed!31 We love a tagline, see what works, and see what doesn’t! Research it, it’s all put there.

Opening lines and paragraphs

31 https://www.tor.com/2011/03/11/best-of-the-decade-data-common-words-in-titles/ Common mistake when storytelling We've told you before that all of us humans are natural born storytellers. We tell stories all the time. We've been doing it since we were small kids. Yet, sometimes, we try too hard and we end up doing a natural thing in an artificial way. Here are some common mistakes in storytelling you sure don't want to make. 32

Announce you're about to tell a story

OK so you’ve heard all around that storytelling is the new magic tool to engage your audience. You know that our brains are wired to live stories rather than process them as information. So you’ve decided to leverage storytelling in your management style. Every time you have to communicate something, you begin with “Let me tell you a story”.

Chances are for me, that the audience will think I an about to say something not important and get their attention on their smartphone. Or roll their eyes thinking: “Oh, this storytelling hype with…”

You need to be more subtle. For the magic of storytelling to happen, you have to casually slip into storytelling mode without telling in advance. Try formulas such as:

• I just remembered something funny (or crazy, or something that changed my views on blah blah)… • I knew this guy or girl who used to… • I’ve heard something very interesting… • You know [insert person or place or brand here]? Well, what you don’t know is… • …Make your own leeway

Having Way Too Many Characters

If you've got a piece that is less than 5 minutes and you're trying to have more than 3 characters, you're likely struggling with this one.

Now, by characters we mean a person in your film who is more than just background. You might have scenes with a host of people, but if we don't spend any time or get to know any of the others, then they aren't characters.

If, however, you're interviewing a handful of people and trying to fit in lines from each one of them, then you're likely falling victim to this major mistake.

As your story gets longer, you have more room to bring in more characters and develop them for the audience. Feature films, as an example, often have a cast of characters and we get to know several of them.

32 https://enigma.swiss/en/2017/08/23/fail-storytelling-seven-common-mistakes/

WHY IS THIS SO BAD?

Well, in short, if you have too many people in your story, it's much harder for the audience to form a real connection with any of them.

Here's another way to think about it: Imagine you go to a friend's party and stay for a couple hours. You spend that whole time moving through the room, trying to meet as many people as you can, not wanting to offend anybody you don't say hi to. By the time you leave, you find that you spent only a couple of minutes with each person there.

How many deep and meaningful conversations do you think you'd have? Or, in story language, how many characters would you really get to know and form a connection with?

Likely zero.

Now imagine you spend the whole two hours with just one or two people. There is a good chance you'd really get to know somebody and form a much deeper and more lasting connection.

The same is true of your story: If you want your audience to really connect emotionally, you need to give them the time to get to know your main character(s), and having too many people often gets in the way of that.

THE SOLUTION?

Take the time to develop one main character for every story, what we here at Muse call the Heart. By finding one strong character and allowing your audience to get to know them, you've just skyrocketed your chances that your story will be felt.

You can have more than one character, sure, but take the time to define the Heart, and ensure that you find ways to develop them as a character for your audience.

Great stories have suspense, right?

You’ve decided to leverage the power of storytelling in your management style, but you want to give it a Hitchcockian touch. So you tell your stories with lots of suspense, hoping to keep your audience immersed and wanting for more.

Well, you should be careful. Using too much suspense might upset your audience, especially if they don’t know where you’re going.

So, the important thing here is to make your point first, and then tell a story to illustrate it. It allows the audience to give context to your story. It will keep them engaged throughout the story because they’ll want to understand the link between your point and the story.

Look at the starting few pages of books, speeches, talks, lectures… etc.

Abstractify your story

You’re ok to use stories. In an effort to make it universal, you make it lean, you don’t get too much into details, you’re very rational about the outline. Chances are, you’ll get rid of the context and cut out descriptions to only keep the key mechanisms.

This is wrong. Storytelling is a part of human communication. It’s from human to human, not robot to robot.

The magic of storytelling only works if you become a storyteller. Don’t be too abstract, give your story a context, give your characters names, don’t be afraid to get into descriptions so you can immerse your audience.

Too much information

So you’ve heard about storytelling being about context and descriptions and events, lots of events. You’ve decided to be a great storyteller manager and tell long stories with lots of details about what happened and when and how and why.

You should be careful. In a business context, your story has to make a point, not only entertain. Remember the goal you had when you started telling the story If you give too much information, you audience has to process and make sense of it. It will drain their attention and you might lose them on the way. Giving too much information makes your story hard for them to follow and for you to keep in mind. Stick to what’s important for your conclusion.

Hide failures or skip the conflict

That’s one of the usual suspects in storytelling efforts. You’re ok to tell a story, but you want to make it short and informative.

You want to shine. So you end up telling a story like: “Gemma loves to cook scrambled eggs. But she never found a pan that she really liked. One day she discovered ePan, a pan stuffed with new technology. And now her life is great. The end.”

Boring! A story has to be about someone achieving something. Achievement implies obstacles. We like heroes because they try, and fail, and sometimes lose hope, but try again nonetheless.

It’s hard to go deep with a character, because to do so means testing them severely and showing them at their best – and worst. At moments of extreme struggle, failure, and uncertainty. Those are the embarrassing moments and the ones we instinctively shy away from. But those are the ones the rest of us want to hear about. We humans are a bit perverse like that.

When you tell a story, don’t be afraid to tell about the failures, the obstacles, the conflicts. It’s what will make your story more human, more credible, more engaging.

Pick the wrong hero

You’re thinking: “Wow, this storytelling thing is great. I’ll use that.” And you decide to tell the story of how you went on a crusade to defeat the mediocrity of the world. We see lots of these stories.

Well… you’re basically saying. “Me, me, me! Love me! Dream you are me!”. The best hero is an unexpected character, or your listener! Don’t try to be the hero of the stories you tell. You’ll have a much more valuable role as the mentor.

Think of your clients as Frodo and you as Gandalf. Be a great artefact to help the hero achieve his goals. In our example, your hero would be the one ring worn by Frodo.

Trying for shock value and depriving listeners of interest.

Rookie storytellers want to shock their audiences. Perhaps it’s the fear of losing their audiences, or perhaps it’s a diet of too many long-form TV shows where the writers feel the need to introduce shocker after shocker in order to keep us watching for hours and hours and hours.

Whatever the cause, I see the result all the time – the sudden veer in one direction, or another, without any kind of preparation. Like the TV writer who suddenly reveals that a character has been dead for the entire series, or that it was all a dream or the like.

But what makes a story? It is interesting over its entire length is the tension between fulfilment of expectation and the twist on convention. In other words, and again, you want to signal where you’re headed so that your audience can have the pleasure of anticipating it. Deprive them of that pleasure and they have little reason to hang in there for the long haul with you.

Get it over with too fast

OK now you know about the power of stories. You want to use it right. You don’t want to go over the top. So you casually slip into a story, tell it without too much information, end it quickly before you make any of the mistakes listed in this post… and go on with your speech.

Well, you should take your time. Don’t feel ashamed because you’re telling a story. It’s called storytelling for a reason. It’s not only about the story: it’s about how you tell it.

Take your time. Pause here and there when you want to emphasize something important. Give your audience the time to process the information, to understand your point, to reflect about what it implies for them.

Off on a tangent, if toy are telling a story? 10 storytelling mistake infographic:

C:\Users\mousuf\Documents\Business\3 - Story Telling\Images

Characterisation techniques for storytelling Characterisation: To identify, understand, and reproduce the distinguishing verbal and physical characteristics or mannerisms separating one character from another.33

Characterisation techniques breathe life into storytelling. They'll take your story from passive to active allowing your audience to see, hear, and feel more clearly whatever it is you want them to.

If you're telling a tale in which a character talks angrily, they'll see anger in your body language and hear anger in your voice.

Basic characterisation techniques are fun to learn and very effective. Basic characterisation techniques are fun to learn and very effective.

33 https://www.write-out-loud.com/characterization-techniques.html Let's begin

Most stories have, as well as a narrator, characters who talk and interact. Even if they are small 30 second tales they will still have those elements. The key to successfully telling a story, regardless of its size, is establishing credibility instantly. You do that using characterisation techniques.

In my storytelling page I said if you are talking about a character being happy, sad, angry, jealous, shy etc, the way to make that believable was to "be" it.

Mastering basic characterisation techniques ...

... means you need to know:

1. what emotions do to your body language and your voice and, 2. how to drop into and out of those emotive states very quickly to follow the flow of your story line.

Matching mood and body language It's easier to begin with if you concentrate on your own body. Learn to consciously know what you do when you're experiencing differing emotions for example, excited, ashamed, or confused. A quick way of getting this awareness is to remember times when you experienced those emotions. Put yourself back into the situation and holding that state, look at what your body does to express it in the mirror.

The trick is do this exercise wholeheartedly. Do it without reservation. No holding back! Remember small or subtle changes won't communicate rapidly to an audience. This is not film. You don't have the benefit of close-ups or lingering shots. You need to convey the mood immediately and unambiguously.

Once you've established what one mood feels like; where it is centered in your body, what it does to your posture, how it reflects on your face, change it for another.

Make these shifts between two opposite emotions, like 'happy' to 'sad' so the differences between them are easily observed and remembered.

Crossing the line The next step is to practice shifting states rapidly. A technique I've used successfully in classes is to draw a line on the floor.

One side of the line, for example, is 'happy' and the other 'sad'. I have students walk toward it holding 'happy' body language and immediately they step over it they must assume 'sad'.

We start slowly and build up speed until the changes occur almost instantly. There are several body language books out, different for each reader’s needs. Do some research for the right book.

Characterisation techniques for voice You know that tone, pitch, volume, and the speaking rate of words changes according to how we feel.

For example, if we're irate then the volume is likely to be raised, as is the pitch, the tone will be harsh and the rate the words come from our mouth will probably be much faster than usual.

The task is to figure out how to accurately and quickly characterise mood shifts with our voice.

• Do we need to alter pitch, tone or rate of speech? • Do we need to stress some words or parts of them more than others? • Do we need to hold some up or pause? • And what breathing patterns do we need to underpin their delivery?

Begin with the body A simple way of getting into character voice is to begin with the body. Assume the emotion first and then add voice.

For example:

My character is tired and bored. I show that by slumping my shoulders forward. I let my center of gravity slip so my weight is mostly being carried through my legs. My arms may hang loose at my sides. My head is heavy on my neck and my face says, 'Yeah, so what!' I sigh heavily.

Add voice

Now speak.

Holding the body language and say whatever comes first into your mind.

Listen to hear if the emotion of your body carries through to your voice. It should sound 'flattish' and slightly held back as if speaking was an effort. If there are inflections they will tend to fall rather than rise.

Once you've heard and passed yourself as reasonably accurate for one mood - swap to another. Keep using the mirror, noting the differences as you go so you can easily return and replicate what you've done.

Integrating techniques into a story To do that well, we need to refine them a little more.

Who is talking?

We need to know 'who' is doing the talking. So far we've looked at mood and how mood informs body and then voice.

Now we need to look at exactly 'who' the person is experiencing the mood.

• Are they old, young, male, female, rich, poor etc, etc.? • What physical mannerisms (stance, habit, way of talking) distinguishes them from anybody else?

Use simple recognizable stereotypes Characterisation doesn't need to be complicated - simple is better. Try thinking stereotypes rather than 'real' people.

You need an easily identifiable gesture or body stance marking one character from another. For example:

The older rich man impressed with his own power, quite literally stands as if he were full of himself. Feet apart, chest out, and head high. He looks down on those beneath him.

In contrast, the young flirty girl stands with one leg behind the other, raises a hand to her brow, leans her head to one side, thrusts her chest out and sways.

Once you've found your key gesture for each character practice them. Use the mirror to help you and watch yourself go cleanly from one to another.

Adding mood & voice to character With the characters established you are ready to add mood and voice. In the first part of characterisation techniques we focused on learning the body language for varying emotions. Now we'll deepen that.

While holding your key gesture denoting character, add an emotional state.

For example, what would the flirty girl do with her body to show anger, happiness, or sadness? You'll need to experiment until you find what feels and looks right. Once you have, add voice.

And now you're ready to apply your characterisation techniques to a story. Anything that is direct dialogue gets the characterisation techniques treatment.

That means if you've got a salesman talking you become him. You also become the customer, the bystander or anybody else in your story. You play all the characters, including yourself, the narrator, linking all the players together.

As the narrator you stop acting and assume your normal speaking pose and voice.

Using illusion Because you are playing two or more people as part of your story doesn't mean you need to rush all over the stage from one speaking place to another to show who is talking. You can achieve this through illusion. For each character establish a place they look to whenever they speak or react. For example, the salesman looks straight ahead. The girl looks up to her right and the boy looks to his left.

The audience will very quickly understand what you're doing and follow without confusion providing your transitions between characters (including narrator) are crisp and clean.

As with most things, practice makes perfect. These characterisation techniques will add vibrancy and life to your stories. I hope you enjoy the process of getting better and better at telling them.

Speech, presentation and talks

Some storytelling setups, (the way you lead in, or introduce a story as part of a speech), are much more successful than others. They'll have your audience enthralled, hanging off your every word. The worst will have turned their ears off as fast as if you'd flicked a switch.

If you've had the experience of a story failing to fire, and yet you know it was relevant within the context of your speech, maybe your story introductions need fine tuning.

The best storytelling setups sneak up on an audience capturing their attention before they've had an opportunity to zone out. They do it without fanfare. The drums do not beat loudly. The trumpets do not herald their arrival.34

What’s the difference between a presentation and a speech? Many people use the words interchangeably, but there are two main areas of difference according to the dictionary definitions. 35

Speech

According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), a speech is defined as: a formal address or discourse delivered to an audience

According to the Collins English Dictionary – a speech is: a talk or address delivered to an audience

Presentation

Both the Oxford English and Collins dictionaries define presentation as including some sort of visual element. The OED definition is: a speech or talk in which a new product, idea, or piece of work is shown and explained to an audience

Note that this includes the word ‘shown’. The Collins definition is even clearer in explicitly mentioning the use of illustrative material: a verbal report presented with illustrative material, such as slides, graphs, etc

The Collins Dictionary also notes how the word presentation is used more generally to talk about how things are shown – ‘the manner of presenting, esp the organisation of visual details to create an overall impression’.

Presentations and speeches

34 https://www.write-out-loud.com/storytelling-setups.html 35 https://www.brightcarbon.com/blog/speech-vs-presentation/ Does the distinction hold perfectly? No. Firstly, people use the terms interchangeably, so of course the real world is full of speeches that are called presentations and presentations that are called speeches. Which leads to a natural blurring of the boundaries. Second, some presentations are very formal indeed, and some set-piece speeches can have visuals added to them but without the orator interacting with them.

The boundaries aren’t sharp. But, according to the definition, a speech is a talk or address, and a presentation is a talk with the use of some sort of visual aid.

Speech vs. presentation

Why does this matter? Because giving a speech – for a lot of people – seems harder than giving a presentation. Bad slides are actually worse than no slides. But the reason so many speakers want slides or props is because they find it too hard to deliver speeches, and because effective visual aids makes it easier for them to get their points across.

Effective visuals – that support a speaker – make delivering presentations easier than delivering speeches for most people. Not everyone feels they can hold an audience with simply the sound of their own voice.

Great speeches are, well… great. But they aren’t the same as presentations, and shouldn’t be held up as examples of what those giving presentations should emulate.

Quick few points Begin with your audience

You need to know who they are, what their likes and dislikes are, to get an idea of what you can, and can't tell them.

The treatment or how you tell your story will vary between audiences, just as humour does. What is funny to one group may not be to another. It is safer to know rather than guess and risk silence.

Fit your story to your theme or topic

Storytelling without purpose will go down like the proverbial lead balloon. Tell stories that provide examples for the points you are making.

Research Your Topic

In the example we've been going over, you probably don't need to do a lot of research. And you've already narrowed your topic down. But some public speaking situations may require that that you cover a topic that you are less familiar with.

Make your stories personal

The audience will love you for it. Use your own experiences to poke a little fun at yourself. Exposing your fears, habits, or misunderstandings lets the audience identify with you. You stop being the remote expert and become one of them.

Here's an example from me to illustrate, this is a true story from my youth. I've told it to students as part of preparing them for formal job interviews. It's from the what-not-to-do department. It had the effect of making them laugh, relax, and learn from my naivety.

I was 19 and at my first real job interview - hair clean, best clothes, shoes polished. I'd brought my CV, references and my certificates and I really wanted the job. I sat upright, listening very carefully to the questions and answering thoroughly.

Suddenly towards the end, the interviewer leaned forward, fixed his eyes on mine and said quietly, "Have you any convictions?"

I blushed. He waited.

Taking a deep breath, I began. "I've got lots of *convictions."

He stared but I plunged boldly on. "Yes", I said. "I believe in 'do unto others as you would have done to yourself'. I think it's really important to try to understand what it's like to be in another person's shoes. I also believe ..."

I never finished the sentence because the interviewer was snorting with laughter.

*The word "convictions" has several meanings. One is to have been found guilty or convicted of a crime by a court of law which is the meaning the interviewer intended. Another is to hold strong beliefs which was how I interpreted the word.

The moral of the story: get clarification if you don't understand the question or it seems out of context. Ask the interviewer to rephrase it in words you know.

Keeping it short If you go on too long, the impact is lost and you stray too far from your original purpose which was to give an effective example of a point you were making.

Eliminating all the inconsequential detail The rule is if it doesn't add to the story - cut it out. Too much fluff weakens the impact.

Practice Learn it rather than read it. Good storytelling is active and direct. Reading will not give you immediate contact with your audience because you have to keep returning to a text. Without it, you're free to deliver one line to the man at the back, an aside to the woman at the front etc. etc.

The more practice you give yourself the better you'll become.

Varying your voice Try different voices for different characters. Find where to pause, where to stress a word and where to go faster and do what you're saying.

For example, if you're talking about being happy then reflect it in your body, in your voice. Show it as well as tell it!

Remember great storytelling is active rather than passive. Rehearsing in front of a few trusted friends to get their feedback. Find out if your story works before trying it out in a more public arena.

Introducing your story well Did you know there are more effective ways than others to introduce or lead into your story?

Get Your Facts Together You want people to believe that you know what you're talking about! So you'll need to do some research. For instance, let's say your big issue is the environment. You promise to pass a law that says all new cars must run on electricity, not gas.

That will cut down on air pollution! But it would help if you had a few facts: How much bad air does one car create each year? How many new cars are sold in the U.S. every year? So how much will pollution be cut every year? Use the library or the Internet to do research. Your new policy proposal will sound really strong if you have the facts to back it up.

Select a presentation tool For most presentations, you'll want to use a professional presentation tool such as PowerPoint, Google Slides, or a similar package. A presentation tool allows you to add visual interest to your public speaking speech. Many of them allow you to add video or audio to further engage your audience. Choose carefully to suite your presentation style.

Template and the slick finish A presentation template controls the look and feel of your presentation. A good template design can make the difference between a memorable public speech with eye-catching graphics and a dull, forgettable talk.

You could design your own presentation template from scratch. But, if you've never designed a presentation template before, the result might look less than professional. And it could take a long time to get a good template.

Now that you've completed all of the steps above, you're ready to give your speech. Before you give your speech publicly, though, there are a few things you should remember:

• Don't read your speech. If you can, memorize your speech. If you can't, it's okay to use note cards or even your outline--but don't read those either. Just refer to them if you get stuck. • Practice. Not only will practice help you get more comfortable with your speech, it'll will also help you determine how your speech fits into the time slot you've been allotted. • Do use visual aids. Of course, your presentation template adds a visual element to your public speech, but if other visual aids work with your presentation they can be helpful as well. • Dress comfortably, but professionally. The key is to fit in. If you're not sure how others at your meeting will be dressed, contact the organizer and ask. • Speak and stand naturally. It's normal to be a little nervous, but try to act as naturally as you can. Even if you make a mistake, keep going. Your audience probably won't even notice. • Be enthusiastic. Excitement is contagious. If you're excited about your topic, your audience will likely be excited too.

From the what NOT to do department Speakers who skilfully weave storytelling into their speeches and presentations do not say by way of introduction:

• That reminds me of a really funny story... • Have you heard the one about ...? • I heard a great joke the other day. You'll really love it. • I don't know whether I should tell you this but ...

All of those are big red warning flags - "Hey!", they shout at the audience, "There's a story coming up ... Get ready to laugh, to be amused."

The problem is that they give the audience a chance to pit themselves against you. Let me show you how. In the first example, "That reminds me of a very funny story", you've created two hurdles to get over before you even get to telling your story.

The first is that you have said you are "telling a story". Your audience may interpret that as you are telling them something at best, fictional, and at worst, a lie.

The second hurdle is that you've told them it's "funny". Some people don't want to listen to "make believe" and many more don't want to be told something is funny before they experience the funniness for themselves. They want to make up their own minds.

"Have you heard the one about ..." as an opener sets your story up as a yarn or joke that is going the rounds. Someone told it to me and now I'm telling it to you. It's not personal experience, or even a new story, and therefore can be dismissed easily.

"I heard a great joke the other day ..." fits into the same slot as the starter above with the added loaded inference that the word "joke" carries. This is funny. You will laugh.

The last example, "I don't know whether I should tell you this ..." invites the response, "No, you shouldn't", in the mind of your audience before your story has begun.

The ideal is an opener that doesn't appear to be one. It has the audience involved, listening attentively without pausing to consider whether they want to, or not.

Even though it precedes the actual story, it does not set up the same resistance as the examples above.

1. Invitations to imagine Openers actively engaging the audience's imagination are effective. They invite partnership - togetherness - a shared journey. Try: a. I want you to visualize ... b. Imagine ... c. Let's step back in time ... d. Come with me ...

2. Making it personal Setting your story as part of your personal experience works well. These invite your audience to share an aspect of your life, to trust and to identify with you. Consider these:

a. Just yesterday I was talking with a friend ... b. On my way to work this morning ... c. My wife thinks I ... d. My phone rang. It was ... e. I was in XXXX (insert name of local shop/restaurant etc) when... f. Last summer ...

3. Rhetorical questions - silly & serious If it fits your speech you could also experiment with storytelling setups based on rhetorical questions. As well as the straight or serious, try some obviously ridiculous ones to grab your audience's attention.

Examples of both are: a. How many years have you been 40? b. Is it true that diamonds are a girls best friend? c. Do you remember when the sky was always blue and summer was endless? d. Why is it that whenever you're late, you can never find a car park? e. Why should we care about others? f. Who decides what is fashionable and what is not? g. How come it always rains when it's holiday time? h. How come so many people are described as "average"?

When you're writing or rehearsing your speech try several setups before settling on the one you're definitely going to use. Listen for "rightness" of fit to your story, speech and audience.

Just as there are seamless ways of entering a story, so too there are slicker ways to exist. You do not have to announce, "By the way, that's the end of the story". Instead try a pause, a change of tone, a shift in body language or speaking rate. All of these signal the start of a new segment without saying anything.

How to prepare and deliver a presentation36

[see attached presentation]

C:\Users\mousuf\Documents\Business\3 - Story Telling\Speech and presentation

36 http://mi.eng.cam.ac.uk/~cipolla/archive/Presentations/MakingPresentations.pdf Structure You need to plan the structure of very carefully. Consider:

• the time limit • the amount of information available, then determine how much of it you will cover • how much detail you can include37

Structuring your way Have a clear, organised structure for your presentation. Structuring a presentation/talk is no different from writing an essay or a report; it requires an introduction, body and conclusion. These sections of your talk need to fit together, and be linked clearly. A poorly structured talk will confuse and frustrate an audience.

Persuade With a Classic Structure In a speech where you're trying to persuade someone, the classic structure is called "Problem- Solution." In the first part of your speech you say, "Here's a problem, here's why things are so terrible." Then, in the second part of your speech you say, "Here's what we can do to make things better." Sometimes it helps to persuade people if you have statistics or other facts in your speech. And sometimes you can persuade people by quoting someone else that the audience likes and respects.38

Introduction An introduction is like a road map that tells your audience the direction your presentation will take.

State your topic and tell the audience what your presentation will cover.

A good introduction will capture an audience’s attention. Start your talk by greeting the audience and introducing yourself.

State your topic clearly. For example:

• ‘I’m going to talk about...’ • ‘Today I’d like to discuss…’

Provide an outline of the main points. Provide any necessary background or definition of terms.

Other examples

• a positive start: “Good afternoon, my name is Adam and …”; • a statement of what will be discussed: “I am going to explore …”; • a statement of the treatment to be applied to the topic (e.g. to compare, contrast, evaluate, describe): “I will be comparing the four main principles of …”; • a statement of the outcomes of the presentation: “I hope this will provide us with …”;

37 https://student.unsw.edu.au/planning-and-structure 38 http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/speech/tips.htm • a statement of what the audience will need to do (e.g. when they can ask questions or whether or not they will need to take notes): “I will pass round a handout that summarises my presentation before taking questions at the end.”

Body The body of your presentation is where you develop the main points and present examples and evidence.

The information in the body needs to be well-structured. Decide on an organising principle. It could be by chronological order, theme or order of importance.

Make sure you provide clear links between main points, explanations and examples.

Use visual aids to engage the interest of your audience and ‘show’ instead of just ‘tell’.

Emphasise important information. Tell your audience when information is particularly important or interesting. Tell them why.

Use verbal ‘signposts’ to guide your audience through the presentation, highlight key points and indicate the different sections of your presentation.

• ‘Another point is...’ • ‘A contrary view to consider is’ • ‘In conclusion’

Move from one point to the next by using phrases (such as ‘Firstly ... secondly’ ... ‘finally’).

Introduce supporting evidence:

• ‘For example ...’ • ‘[Author name] states that ...’

Transition examples

• “I will begin by discussing …”; • “Now that we have explored the ... I would like to move on to …”; • “In contrast to my earlier statements concerning …”; • “Moving away from a focus on .…”;

Conclusion The conclusion is usually a summary of the main points made in the body of the talk.

• Restate the main points. • Re-answer the question. Don’t introduce any new information in the conclusion. Take the opportunity to show that you have covered all the points you made in your introduction.

Work out how you will finish your talk. You can signal your conclusion with the phrase ‘In conclusion ...’

Restate the purpose of your talk, and say that you have achieved your aim:

• ‘I think it’s now clear that ...’

Thank the audience, and invite questions/ comments. Other examples are:

• a review of the topic and purpose of your presentation: “In this presentation I wanted to explore …”; • a statement of the conclusions or recommendations to be drawn from your work: “I hope to have been able to show that the effect of ....”; • an indication of the next stages (what might be done to take this work further?): “This does of course highlight the need for further research in the area of …”; • an instruction as to what happens next (questions, discussion or group work?): “I would now like to give you the opportunity to ask questions …”; • a thank you to the audience for their attention and participation: “That’s all I have time for. Thank you very much for listening.”

As with your introduction, you should try to address the audience directly during your conclusion, consolidating the impression of a confident and useful presentation.

Summary A presentation needs a carefully defined structure to make the most impact. This should centre on a series of identifiable main points that are supported by appropriate detail.

Use transitions to link and move between points, helping your audience to understand the development or your argument. An introduction and conclusion are essential elements of your presentation. They enable you to establish a clear purpose for your talk at the start and summarise your main points before you finish speaking.

[INSTERT TEMPLATES]

Opening with a spark and closing with a bang After hours of preparation, the moment to deliver your speech has arrived. You’re standing before the podium, all eyes on you, with confidence that no one could take away. Then you begin…

“Hello, everyone. Thank you for having me. My name is ______, and I am going to be speaking to you today about ______. To begin, ______is important because…” Suddenly people begin shifting in their seats, checking their phones, reading the program, talking to one another and doing anything but paying attention to you.

Your opening often determines how long the audience will “tune in” to your presentation. If you bore your audience right from the start, there is little chance that your message will effectively get across.

Did you know most people only remember the first and last things you tell them? So, how do you effectively open a speech or presentation to prevent this from happening?39

Opening a speech Break the bad habit of weak beginnings. Use these powerful ways to start a speech or presentation:

Tell a story

Is there a short relevant anecdote that you could open with? If you can, use a local or topical angle. Your audience will know that you have tailored your talk for them. This will help to keep things fresh for you, too, particularly if you are delivering the same talk or presentation several times.40

Or perhaps you could keep your audience in suspense with this one simple trick:

• Start a story at the beginning of your speech or presentation. • Go into the main part of your talk

Ask a question

This could be a rhetorical question to make the audience think, or it could involve asking the audience to respond, usually by raising their hands if something applies to them. Alternatively, you could set out the question that your talk will address.

When someone is posed with a question, whether an answer is called for or not, that person intuitively answers.

“Who wouldn’t want to live on an exotic island?”

Describe a scenario

This technique blends the first two approaches. It sets a scene and prompts the audience to imagine what they would do or think in those circumstances. Scenarios are an effective way of demonstrating the relevance of abstract topics to the lives of the audience.

To use this technique:

39 https://www.ypo.org/2015/04/7-memorable-ways-to-open-a-speech-or-presentation/ 40 https://benjaminball.com/blog/start-speech-presentation/ • Give an everyday example. • Get the audience to consider their own viewpoint • Then set out to change or challenge it.

Do something completely unexpected Will your audience have certain expectations about you or your talk, before you even begin? Then Start with something unexpected – or even shocking – to make them reconsider their preconceived ideas.

The way you do this needs to be relevant to avoid being gimmicky. When done well, it can be memorable, potentially humorous and even remarkable – with audience members sharing and reliving their reactions afterwards.

Leave the housekeeping, introductions or pleasantries to the person who welcomes you to the front of the room.

If you need to cover some low impact but essential content, or if you won’t be introduced by anyone, it’s still important to begin with a high impact first minute. You can then loop back to the housekeeping, introductions or pleasantries once you have successfully engaged your audience.

One of my fav opening is by Mohammed Qahtani, the winner of the 2015 Toastmasters Championship. Watch how he starts his thought provoking speech on the power of words. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qasE4ecA57Y

Quote Opening with a relevant quote can help set the tone for the rest of your speech. For example, one that I often use to open a presentation dealing with public speaking: “It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.” Mark Twain

“What If” scenario Immediately drawing your audience into your speech works wonders. Asking a “what if” question invites the audience to follow your thought process. “What if we were all blunt? How different would our everyday lives be? What would happen if we said what was on our minds, all day every day?”

“Imagine” scenario A similar method, but more relevant for sensational examples. It puts your audience members directly into the presentation by allowing each member to visualise an extraordinary scenario. “Imagine jumping out of a skydiving plane and discovering your parachute doesn’t work. What memories would flash before you? Now imagine the parachute opened. How differently would you act when you landed?”

Silence A pause, whether two seconds or 10 seconds, allows your audience to sit and quiet down. Most audiences expect a speaker to begin immediately. An extra pause brings all the attention right where you should want it – on you.

Statistic Use a surprising, powerful, personalized statistic that will resonate with the audience to get your message across right away. It has the potential to trigger the audiences’ emotional appeal. “Look to your left. Now look to your right. One of your seatmates will ______.”

“In this room, over 90 percent of us are going to ______.”

Powerful statement/phrase A statement or phrase can catch the audience’s attention by keeping them guessing as to what you’re about to say next. Implementing the silence technique afterwards also adds to the effect. “We can not win. We can’t win…”

(Pause)

“… That’s what every newspaper in the country is saying.”

Thank the organizers and audience You can start by thanking the audience for coming and thanking the organization for inviting you to speak. Refer to the person who introduced you or to one or more of the senior people in the organization in the audience.

This compliments them, makes the feel proud and happy about your presence, and connects you to the audience like an electrical plug in a socket.

Start with a positive statement You can begin by telling the audience members how much they will like and enjoy what you have to say.

For example, you might say:

“You’re really going to enjoy the time we spend together this evening. I’m going to share with you some of the most important ideas that have ever been discovered in this area.”

Compliment the audience You can begin by complimenting the audience members sincerely and with great respect. Smile as if you are really glad to see them as if they are all old friends of yours that you have not seen for quite a while.

You can tell them that it is a great honour for you to be here, that they are some of the most important people in this business or industry, and that you are looking forward to sharing some key ideas with them. You could say something like:

“It is an honour to be here with you today. You are the elite, the top 10 percent of people in this industry. Only the very best people in any field will take the time and make the sacrifice to come so far for a conference like this.”

Start your speech by referring to current events Use a current event front-page news story to transition into your subject and to illustrate or prove your point. You can bring a copy of the newspaper and hold it up as you refer to it in your introduction.

This visual image of you holding the paper and reciting or reading a key point rivets the audience’s attention and causes people to lean forward to hear what you have to say.

Start your speech by referring to current events Use a current event front-page news story to transition into your subject and to illustrate or prove your point. You can bring a copy of the newspaper and hold it up as you refer to it in your introduction.

This visual image of you holding the paper and reciting or reading a key point rivets the audience’s attention and causes people to lean forward to hear what you have to say.

Refer to a recent conversation Start by telling a story about a recent conversation with someone in attendance. For instance, I might say, “A few minutes ago, I was taking with Tom Robinson in the lobby. He told me that this is one of the very best times to be working in this industry, and I agree.”

Make a shocking statement You can start your talk by making a shocking statement of some kind. For example, you might say something like:

“According to a recent study, there will be more change, more competition, and more opportunities in this industry in the next year than ever before. And 72 percent of the people in this room will be doing something different within two years if they do not rapidly adapt top these changes.”

Start your speech by giving them hope The French philosopher Gustav Le Bon once wrote, “The only religion of mankind is, and always has been hope.” When you speak effectively, you give people hope of some kind.

Remember, the ultimate purpose of speaking is to inspire people to do things that they would not have done in the absence of your comments.

Everything you say should relate to the actions you want people to take and the reasons that they should take those actions.

Show a gripping photo A picture is worth a thousand words — "maybe even more," Price says.

Use photos instead of text, when possible A quality photo adds aesthetic appeal, increases comprehension, engages the audience's imagination, and makes the message more memorable.

Tell a story

You can start your talk with a story. Some of the most powerful words grab the complete attention of the audience are, “Once upon a time…”

From infancy and early childhood, people love stories of any kind. When you start off with the words, “Once upon a time…” you tell the audience that a story is coming. People immediately settle down, become quiet, and lean forward like kids around a campfire.

When I conduct full-day seminars and I want to bring people back to their seats after a break, I will say loudly, “Once upon a time there was a man, right here in this city…”

As soon as I say these words, people hurry back to their seats and begin to listen attentively to the rest of the story.

The story technique is very effective.

Tell them about yourself

Very often, I will start a speech to a business, sales, or entrepreneurial group by saying, “I started off without graduating from high school. My family had no money. Everything I accomplished in life I had to do on my own with very little help from anyone else.”

It is amazing how many people come up to me after a talk that began with those words and tells me that was their experience as well.

They tell me that they could immediately identify with me because they too had started with poor grades and limited funds, as most people do. As a result, they were open to the rest of my talk, even a full-day seminar, and felt that everything I said was more valid and authentic than if I had been a person who started off with a successful background.

Building a bridge like this is very helpful in bringing the audience onto your side.

One last point

State how you want to deal with questions

Always remember to let the audience know how you will handle questions. If you are in a marketing or sales presentation, I would not bring this up. Simply give them the free will to ask questions when they best see fit.

Memorize Your First Opening Line In general it is not a good idea to memorize your entire speech. It is however a good idea to memorize the beginning 4 – 10 sentences.

This is critical because it allows you to feel confident and ride the wave of confidence as you continue your presentation.

Even marketers and sales people can benefit from this approach with slides they use to further buttress their messaging. Most people think the best presenters wing it.

While this is true, they typically practice and memorize the beginning and ending of their talks. This is a professional practice you should always leverage to your advantage.

Maya Angelou “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Bill Clinton, 1993 speech in Memphis to ministers (after having heard himself introduced as "Bishop Clinton"): "You know, in the last ten months, I've been called a lot of things, but nobody's called me a bishop yet. When I was about nine years old, my beloved and now departed grandmother, who was a very wise woman, looked at me and she said, 'You know, I believe you could be a preacher if you were just a little better boy.'"

"I’m talking to you about the worst form of human rights violation, the third-largest organized crime, a $10 billion industry. I’m talking to you about modern-day slavery." Sunitha Krishnan, TED Talk

Jane Fonda in "Life's Third Act," a recent TED talk: "There have been many revolutions over the last century, but perhaps none as significant as the longevity revolution. We are living on average today 34 years longer than our great-grandparents did. Think about that: that's an entire second adult lifetime that's been added to our lifespan."

"Imagine, if you will -- a gift. I'd like for you to picture it in your mind. It's not too big -- about the size of a golf ball." Stacey Kramer TED Talk

"Imagine a big explosion as you climb through 3,000 ft. Imagine a plane full of smoke. Imagine an engine going clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack. It sounds scary. Well I had a unique seat that day. I was sitting in 1D." Ric Elias, TED Talk

Steve Jobs, 2005 Commencement Address at Stanford University: "Truth be told, I never graduated from college, and this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation. Today, I want to tell you three stories from my life. That's it, no big deal—just three stories. The first story is about connecting the dots. I dropped out of Reed College after the first six months, but then stayed around as a drop- in for another eighteen months or so before I really quit. So why'd I drop out? It started before I was born."

How do you explain why some people are able to achieve things that seem impossible?" ~ Simon Sinek, TEDx Talk41

"What do I know that would cause me, a reticent, Midwestern scientist, to get myself arrested in front of the White House protesting? And what would you do if you knew what I know?" James Hansen, TED Talk

"Sadly, in the next 18 minutes when I do our chat, four Americans that are alive will be dead from the food that they eat.”

41 https://www.gingerpublicspeaking.com/article/how-to-start-a-speech-with-power-and-confidence Jamie Oliver, TED Talk

"Good morning. How are you? It’s been great, hasn’t it? I’ve been blown away by the whole thing. In fact, I’m leaving." Ken Robinson, TED Talk

"Okay, now I don’t want to alarm anybody in this room, but it’s just come to my attention that the person to your right is a liar." Pamela Mayer, TED Talk

Closing a speech The truth is, if you don’t know how to end a speech your key points may get lost. Some of the great speeches in history have ended with powerful, stirring words that live on in memory.

How do you end a speech and get the standing ovation that you deserve?42

Plan Your Closing Remarks Word For Word To ensure that your conclusion is as powerful as it can be, you must plan it word for word. Ask yourself, “What is the purpose of this talk?”

Your answer should involve the actions that you want your listeners to take after hearing you speak on this subject. When you are clear about the end result you desire, it becomes much easier to design a conclusion that asks your listeners to take that action.

The best strategy for ending with a BANG is to plan your close before you plan the rest of your speech. You then go back and design your opening so that it sets the stage for your conclusion.

The body of your talk is where you present your ideas and make your case for what you want the audience to think, remember, and do after hearing you speak.

Closing with a bang Always end a speech with a call to action

It is especially important to tell the audience what you want it to do as a result of hearing you speak. A call to action is the best way to wrap up your talk with strength and power.

Here is a speech conclusion call to action example “We have great challenges and great opportunities, and with your help, we will meet them and make this next year the best year in our history!” Whatever you say, imagine an exclamation point at the end. As you approach the conclusion, pick up your energy and tempo. Speak with strength and emphasis. Drive the final point home.

Regardless of whether the audience participants agree with your or are willing to do what you ask, it should be perfectly clear to them what you are requesting.

End a speech with a summary There is a simple formula for any talk:

1. Tell them what you are going to tell them. 2. Tell them. 3. Then, tell them what you told them.

42 https://www.briantracy.com/blog/public-speaking/how-to-end-a-speech-the-right-way/ As you approach the end of your talk, say something like,

“Let me briefly restate these main points…”

You then list your key points, one by one, and repeat them to the audience, showing how each of them links to the other points. Audiences appreciate a linear repetition of what they have just heard.

This makes it clear that you are coming to the end of your talk.

The power of three

The rule of three is a simple yet powerful method of communication and we use it often in both written and verbal communication. Using information in patterns of three makes it more memorable for the audience.

Examples of the power of three being used:

• This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning Winston Churchill

• Blood, sweat and tears General Patton

• I came, I saw, I conquered Julius Caesar

Close With A Story As you reach the end of your talk, you can say,

“Let me tell you a story that illustrates what I have been talking about…”

You then tell a brief story with a moral, and then tell the audience what the moral is. Don’t leave it to them to figure out for themselves.

Often you can close with a story that illustrates your key points and then clearly links to the key message that you are making with your speech.

Make Them Laugh You can close with humor. You can tell a joke that loops back into your subject and repeats the lesson or main point you are making with a story that makes everyone laugh.

Make It Rhyme You can close with a poem.

There are many fine poems that contain messages that summarize the key points you want to make. You can select a poem that is moving, dramatic, or emotional.

For years I ended seminars with the poem, “Don’t Quit,” or “Carry On!” by Robert W. Service. It was always well received by the audience.

The Title Close Use the title of your speech as your closing words. Last words linger, crystallizing your thoughts, galvanizing your message and mobilizing your audience. Just as comedians should "leave 'em laughing," speakers should "leave 'em thinking." (Hint: Try writing the ending of your speech first to better construct the title.)

The Circular Close Refer back to your opening anecdote or quote and say: "We have arrived now at the close where we began." Reiterate the message you want your audience to remember. Summarize the main points in the classic: "Tell 'em what you are going to tell 'em; tell 'em, then tell 'em what you just told 'em."

The Suggestive Close "Before I take questions, let me conclude with this point...."

The Demonstration Close43 Use a prop to signal the close of your speech. For example you could close a book and say: "This concludes this chapter in my life and now I stand firm to write my next chapter." Or don a cap as you conclude your speech and say: "It is time for me to head out and find the road to success."

Use a summary slide instead of a ‘thank you’ slide ‘Thank You’ slides don’t really help the audience. You should be verbally saying ‘Thank you’, with a smile and with positive eye contact, putting it on a slide removes the sentiment.

Instead of a ‘Thank You’ slide, you can use a summary slide showing all the key points you have made along with your call to action. It can also show your name and contact details.

This slide is the only slide you use that can contain a lot of text, use bullet points to separate the text. Having all this information visible during the Q&A session will also help the audience think of

43 http://westsidetoastmasters.com/article_reference/12_ways_to_end_your_speech.html questions to ask you. They may also choose to take photos of this slide with their phone to take home as a summary of your talk and to have your contact details.44

Contrast One of my favorites; this one is even more effective when tied directly to the closing call to action:

"We can have____, or we can have ______. The choice is ours, and is based entirely on the decision we each individually make today. _____ or _____. ( I know I'm choosing _____.)"45

Close With Inspiration You can end a speech with something inspirational as well.

If you have given an uplifting talk, remember that hope is, and has always been, the main religion of mankind. People love to be motivated and inspired to be or do something different and better in the future.

Make It Clear That You’re Done When you say your final words, it should be clear to everyone that you have ended. There should be no ambiguity or confusion in the mind of your audience. The audience members should know that this is the end.

Many speakers just allow their talks to wind down. They say something like:

44 https://virtualspeech.com/blog/different-ways-to-end-presentation-speech 45 https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/business-career/public-speaking/5-great-ways-to-end-a-speech

“Well, that just about covers it. Thank you.”

This isn’t a good idea… It’s not powerful…

It’s not an authoritative ending and thus detracts from your credibility and influence. When you have concluded, discipline yourself to stand perfectly still. Select a friendly face in the audience and look straight at that person.

If it is appropriate, smile warmly at that person to signal that your speech has come to an end. Resist the temptation to:

• Shuffle papers. • Fidget with your clothes or microphone. • Move forward, backward, or sideways. • Do anything else except stand solidly, like a tree.

Let Them Applaud

When you have finished your talk, the audience members will want to applaud… What they need from you is a clear signal that now is the time to begin clapping.

How do you signal this?

Some people will recognize sooner than others that you have concluded your remarks.

In many cases, when you make your concluding comments and stop talking, the audience members will be completely silent. They may be unsure whether you are finished.

They may be processing your final remarks and thinking them over. They may not know what to do until someone else does something.

In a few seconds, which will often feel like several minutes, people will applaud.

First one…

Then another…

Then the entire audience will begin clapping.

When someone begins to applaud, look directly at that person, smile, and mouth the words thank you. As more and more people applaud, sweep slowly from person to person, nodding, smiling and saying, “Thank You.” Eventually the whole room will be clapping. There’s no better reward for overcoming your fear of public speaking than enjoying a round of applause.

How To Handle A Standing Ovation

If you have given a moving talk and really connected with your audience, someone will stand up and applaud. When this happens, encourage others by looking directly at the clapper and saying, “Thank you.”

This will often prompt other members of the audience to stand. As people see others standing, they will stand as well, applauding the whole time.

It is not uncommon for a speaker to conclude his or her remarks, stand silently, and have the entire audience sit silently in response. Whether you receive a standing ovation or not, if your introducer comes back on to thank you on behalf of the audience, smile and shake their hand warmly.

If it’s appropriate, give the introducer a hug of thanks, wave in a friendly way to the audience, and then move aside and give the introducer the stage.

How not to end a call “Well, that’s my time gone, so I’ll wrap up there.” You mean, you had a lot more to say but can’t tell us because of bad planning?

“Finally, I just want to thank my awesome team, who are pictured here: David, Joanna, Gavin, Samantha, Lee, Abdul, and Hezekiah. Also, my university, and my sponsors.” Lovely, but do you care about them more than your idea, and more than us, your audience?!

“So, given the importance of this issue, I hope we can start a new conversation about it together.” A conversation?! Isn’t that a little lame? What should be the outcome of that conversation?

“The future is full of challenges and opportunities. Everyone here has it in their heart to make a difference. Let’s dream together. Let’s be the change we want to see in the world.” Beautiful sentiment, but the clichés really don’t help anyone.

“I’ll close with this video which summarizes my points.” No! Never end with a video. End with you!

“So that concludes my argument, now are there any questions?” Or, how to preempt your own applause.

“I’m sorry I haven’t had time to discuss some of the major issues here, but hopefully this has at least given you a flavor of the topic.”

Don’t apologize! Plan more carefully! Your job was to give the best talk you could in the time available.

“In closing, I should just point out that my organization could probably solve this problem if we were adequately funded. You have it in your power to change the world with us.” Ah, so this was a fundraising pitch all along?

“Thanks for being such an amazing audience. I have loved every moment, standing here, talking to you. I’ll carry this experience with me for a long, long time. You’ve been so patient, and I know that you’ll take what you’ve heard today and do something wonderful with it.”

“Thank you” would have been just fine.

It’s amazing how many talks simply fizzle out–and how many more go through a series of false endings, as if the speaker can’t bear to leave the stage.

Unless you plan your ending carefully, you may well find yourself adding paragraph after paragraph: “Finally, the key point, as I said . . . So, in conclusion . . . And just to emphasize again, the reason this matters . . . And of course it’s important to still bear in mind . . . Oh, and one last thing . . .”

It’s exhausting. And it will damage the talk’s impact. Here are three better ways to end.

Example of endings Camera pull-back

You’ve spent the talk explaining a particular piece of work. At the end, why not show us the bigger picture, a broader set of possibilities implied by your work?46

David Eagleman showed that the human brain could be thought of as a pattern recognizer, to connect new electrical data to a brain, it could come to interpret that data as if coming from a brand-new sense organ–so that you could intuitively sense brand-new aspects of the world in real time. He ended by hinting at the limitless possibilities this brought with it:

“Just imagine an astronaut being able to feel the overall health of the International Space Station, or, for that matter, having you feel the invisible states of your own health, like your blood sugar and the state of your microbiome, or having 360-degree vision or seeing in infrared or ultraviolet.

46 https://akashkaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/HowtoOpenandCloseaTEDTalk.pdf So the key is this: As we move into the future, we’re going to increasingly be able to choose our own peripheral devices. We no longer have to wait for Mother Nature’s sensory gifts on her timescales, but instead, like any good parent, she’s given us the tools that we need to go out and define our own trajectory. So the question now is, how do you want to go out and experience your universe?”

Call to action

If you’ve given your audience a powerful idea, why not end by nudging them to act on it?

Harvard Business School professor Amy Cuddy concluded her talk on power posing by inviting people to try it in their own lives, and to pass it on to others:

“Give it away. Share it with people, because the people who can use it the most are the ones with no resources and no technology and no status and no power. Give it to them because they can do it in private. They need their bodies, privacy, and two minutes, and it can significantly change the outcomes of their life.”

In his talk on public shaming, author Jon Ronson’s final call to action was admirably succinct:

“The great thing about social media was how it gave a voice to voiceless people, but we’re now creating a surveillance society, where the smartest way to survive is to go back to being voiceless. Let’s not do that.”

Personal commitment

It’s one thing to call on the audience to act, but sometimes speakers score by making a giant commitment of their own.

The most dramatic example of this at TED was when Bill Stone spoke of the possibilities of humans returning to the moon, and his conviction that an expedition could create a massive new industry and open up space exploration for a new generation. Then he said this:

“I would like to close here by putting a stake in the sand at TED. I intend to lead that expedition.”

A personal commitment like that can be incredibly compelling.

In 2011, the swimmer Diana Nyad gave a TED Talk in which she described how she had tried to do what no one had ever achieved–to swim from Cuba to Florida. She had tried on three occasions, sometimes persisting for 50 hours of constant swimming, braving dangerous currents and near-lethal jellyfish stings, but ultimately failing. At the end of her talk she electrified the audience by saying this:

“That ocean’s still there. This hope is still alive. And I don’t want to be the crazy woman who does it for years and years and years, and tries and fails and tries and fails and tries and fails . . . I can swim from Cuba to Florida, and I will swim from Cuba to Florida.” And sure enough, two years later she returned to the TED stage to describe how, at age 64, she had finally done it. As with everything, making a major commitment requires judgment.

Done wrong, it could lead to awkwardness in the moment, and a loss of credibility later. But if you’re passionate about turning an idea into action, it may well be worth stepping up to.47

47 https://akashkaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/HowtoOpenandCloseaTEDTalk.pdf Conclusion Perhaps most importantly, storytelling is central to meaning-making and sense-making. It is through story that our minds form and examine our own truths and beliefs, as well as discern how they correlate with the truths and beliefs of others.

Through story listening, we gain new perspectives and a better understanding of the world around us. We challenge and expand our own understanding by exploring how others see and understand the world through their lens.

By sharing and listening to each other’s stories, we all get a little bit closer to what’s true.

Ultimately, storytelling is about the exchange of ideas, about growth – and that’s learning. That’s why we believe that it’s important that we embed storytelling in our organizational cultures and in our learning programs. Storytelling is essential. If you’re trying to engage, influence, teach, or inspire others, you should be telling or listening to a story, and encouraging others to tell a story with you. You’ll have plenty of science to back you up.

Additional Materials

200 most common verbs

PAST BASE FORM PAST PARTICIPLE GERUND SIMPLE

1 Abide Abode/Abided Abode/Abided/Abidden Abiding

2 Alight Alit Alit/Alighted Alighting

3 Arise Arose Arisen Arising

4 Awake Awoke Awoken Awaking

5 Be Was/Were Been Being

6 Bear Bore Borne Bearing

7 Beat Beat Beaten Beating

8 Become Became Become Becoming

9 Begin Began Begun Beginning

10 Behold Beheld Beheld Beholding

11 Bend Bent Bent Bending

12 Bet Bet Bet Betting

13 Bid Bade Bidden Bidding

14 Bind Bind Bound Binding

15 Bite Bit Bitten Biting

16 Bleed Bled Bled Bleeding

17 Blow Blew Blown Blowing

18 Break Broke Broken Breaking

19 Breed Bred Bred Breeding

20 Bring Brought Brought Bringing

21 Build Built Built Building PAST BASE FORM PAST PARTICIPLE GERUND SIMPLE

22 Burn Burnt Burnt Burning

23 Burst Burst Burst Bursting

24 Bust Bust Bust Busting

25 Buy Bought Bought Buying

26 Cast Cast Cast Casting

27 Catch Caught Caught Catching

28 Choose Chose Chosen Choosing

29 Cling Clung Clung Clinging

30 Clothe Clad Clad Clothing

31 Come Came Come Coming

32 Cost Cost Cost Costing

33 Creep Crept Crept Creeping

34 Cut Cut Cut Cutting

35 Deal Dealt Dealt Dealing

36 Dig Dug Dug Digging

37 Dive Dove/Dived Dove/Dived Diving

38 Do Did Done Doing

39 Draw Drew Drawn Drawing

40 Dream Dreamt Dreamt Dreaming

41 Drink Drank Drunk Drinking

42 Drive Drove Driven Driving

43 Dwell Dwelt Dwelt Dwelling

44 Eat Ate Eaten Eating

45 Fall Fell Fallen Falling PAST BASE FORM PAST PARTICIPLE GERUND SIMPLE

46 Feed Fed Fed Feeding

47 Feel Felt Felt Feeling

48 Fight Fought Fought Fighting

49 Find Found Found Finding

50 Fit Fit Fit Fitting

51 Flee Fled Fled Fleeing

52 Fling Flung Flung Flinging

53 Fly Flew Flown Flying

54 Forbid Forbade Forbidden Forbidding

55 Foresee Foresaw Foreseen Foreseeing

56 Forget Forgot Forgotten Forgetting

57 Forgive Forgave Forgiven Forgiving

58 Forsake Forsook Forsaken Forsaking

59 Freeze Froze Frozen Freezing

60 Frostbite Frostbit Frostbitten Frostbiting

61 Get Got Got Getting

62 Give Gave Given Giving

63 Go Went Gone Going

64 Grind Ground Ground Grinding

65 Grow Grew Grown Growing

66 Handwrite Handwrote Handwritten Handwriting

67 Hang Hung Hung Hanging

68 Have Had Had Having

69 Hear Heard Heard Hearing PAST BASE FORM PAST PARTICIPLE GERUND SIMPLE

70 Hide Hid Hidden Hiding

71 Hit Hit Hit Hitting

72 Hold Held Held Holding

73 Hurt Hurt Hurt Hurting

74 Inlay Inlaid Inlaid Inlaying

75 Keep Kept Kept Keeping

76 Kneel Knelt Knelt Kneeling

77 Knit Knit Knit Knitting

78 Know Knew Known Knowing

79 Lay Laid Laid Laying

80 Lead Led Led Leading

81 Lean Leant Leant Leaning

82 Leap Leapt Leapt Leaping

83 Learn Learnt Learnt Learning

84 Leave Left Left Leaving

85 Lend Lent Lent Lending

86 Let Let Let Letting

87 Lie Lay Lain Lying

88 Light Lit Lit Lighting

89 Lose Lost Lost Losing

90 Make Made Made Making

91 Mean Meant Meant Meaning

92 Meet Met Met Meeting

93 Melt Melted Molten Melting PAST BASE FORM PAST PARTICIPLE GERUND SIMPLE

94 Mislead Misled Misled Misleading

95 Mistake Mistook Mistaken Mistaking

96 Misunderstand Misunderstood Misunderstood Misunderstanding

97 Mow Mowed Mown Mowing

98 Overdraw Overdrew Overdrawn Overdrawing

99 Overhear Overheard Overheard Overhearing

100 Overtake Overtook Overtaken Overtaking

101 Pay Paid Paid Paying

102 Preset Preset Preset Presetting

103 Prove Proved Proven Proving

104 Put Put Put Putting

105 Quit Quit Quit Quitting

106 Read Read Read Reading

107 Rid Rid Rid Ridding

108 Ride Rode Ridden Riding

109 Ring Rang Rung Ringing

110 Rise Rose Risen Rising

111 Rive Rived Riven Riving

112 Run Ran Run Running

113 Saw Sawed Sawn Sawing

114 Say Said Said Saying

115 See Saw Seen Seeing

116 Seek Sought Sought Seeking

117 Sell Sold Sold Selling PAST BASE FORM PAST PARTICIPLE GERUND SIMPLE

118 Send Sent Sent Sending

119 Set Set Set Setting

120 Sew Sewed Sewn Sewing

121 Shake Shook Shaken Shaking

122 Shave Shaved Shaven Shaving

123 Shear Shore Shorn Shearing

124 Shed Shed Shed Shedding

125 Shine Shone Shone Shining

126 Shoe Shod Shod Shoeing

127 Shoot Shot Shot Shooting

128 Show Showed Shown Showing

129 Shrink Shrank Shrunk Shrinking

130 Shut Shut Shut Shutting

131 Sing Sang Sung Singing

132 Sink Sank Sunk Sinking

133 Sit Sat Sat Sitting

134 Slay Slew Slain Slaying

135 Sleep Slept Slept Sleeping

136 Slide Slid Slid Sliding

137 Sling Slung Slung Slinging

138 Slink Slunk Slunk Slinking

139 Slit Slit Slit Slitting

140 Smell Smelt Smelt Smelling

141 Sneak Snuck Snuck Sneaking PAST BASE FORM PAST PARTICIPLE GERUND SIMPLE

142 Sow Sowed Sown Sowing

143 Speak Spoke Spoken Speaking

144 Speed Sped Sped Speeding

145 Spell Spelt Spelt Spelling

146 Spend Spent Spent Spending

147 Spill Spilt Spilt Spilling

148 Spin Span Spun Spinning

149 Spit Spat Spat Spitting

150 Split Split Split Splitting

151 Spoil Spoilt Spoilt Spoiling

152 Spread Spread Spread Spreading

153 Spring Sprang Sprung Springing

154 Stand Stood Stood Standing

155 Steal Stole Stolen Stealing

156 Stick Stick Stuck Sticking

157 Sting Stung Stung Stinging

158 Stink Stank Stunk Stinking

159 Stride Strode Stridden Striding

160 Strike Struck Struck Striking

161 String Strung Strung Stringing

162 Strip Stripped/Stript Stripped/Stript Stripping

163 Strive Strove Striven Striving

164 Sublet Sublet Sublet Subletting

165 Sunburn Sunburnt Sunburnt Sunburning PAST BASE FORM PAST PARTICIPLE GERUND SIMPLE

166 Swear Swore Sworn Swearing

167 Sweat Sweat Sweat Sweating

168 Sweep Swept Swept Sweeping

169 Swell Swelled Swollen Swelling

170 Swim Swam Swum Swimming

171 Swing Swung Swung Swinging

172 Take Took Taken Taking

173 Teach Taught Taught Teaching

174 Tear Tore Torn Tearing

175 Tell Told Told Telling

176 Think Thought Thought Thinking

177 Thrive Throve Thriven Thriving

178 Throw Threw Thrown Throwing

179 Thrust Thrust Thrust Thrusting

180 Tread Trod Trodden Treading

181 Undergo Underwent Undergone Undergoing

182 Understand Understood Understood Understanding

183 Undertake Undertook Undertaken Undertaking

184 Upset Upset Upset Upsetting

185 Vex Vext/Vexed Vext/Vexed Vexing

186 Wake Woke Woken Waking

187 Wear Wore Worn Wearing

188 Weave Wove Woven Weaving

189 Wed Wed Wed Wedding PAST BASE FORM PAST PARTICIPLE GERUND SIMPLE

190 Weep Wept Wept Weeping

191 Wend Went Went Wending

192 Wet Wet Wet Wetting

193 Win Won Won Winning

194 Wind Wound Wound Winding

195 Withdraw Withdrew Withdrawn Withdrawing

196 Withhold Withheld Withheld Withholding

197 Withstand Withstood Withstood Withstanding

198 Wring Wrung Wrung Wringing

199 Write Wrote Written Writing

200 Zinc Zincked Zincked Zincking

2000 most common words Word Frequency Type

the 9243 (definite article, adverb)

of 5220 (preposition, auxiliary verb)

and 5196 (conjunction)

to 4951 (preposition, adverb)

a 4506 (indefinite article, noun, preposition)

in 2822 (preposition, adverb)

is 2699 (verb)

you 2041 (pronoun, noun)

are 1843 (verb)

for 1752 (preposition, conjunction)

that 1743 (pronoun, adjective, adverb, conjunction)

or 1487 (conjunction)

it 1386 (pronoun, noun)

as 1363 (adverb, conjunction, pronoun, preposition)

be 1145 (verb, auxiliary verb)

on 1087 (preposition, adverb, adjective)

your 1067 (pronoun)

with 1062 (preposition)

can 895 (auxiliary verb, noun)

have 891 (verb, auxiliary verb)

this 864 (pronoun, adjective, adverb)

an 754 (indefinite article)

by 706 (preposition, adverb) not 658 (adverb)

but 626 (conjunction, preposition, adverb, noun)

at 624 (preposition)

from 622 (preposition)

I 621 (pronoun)

they 617 (pronoun)

more 597 (adjective, adverb)

will 577 (auxiliary verb, noun)

if 546 (conjunction, noun)

some 501 (adjective, pronoun, adverb)

there 470 (adverb, pronoun, noun, adjective)

what 461 (pronoun, adjective, adverb, interjection)

about 451 (preposition, adverb, adjective)

which 449 (pronoun, adjective)

when 442 (adverb, conjunction) one 441 (adjective, noun, pronoun)

their 439 (pronoun)

all 438 (adjective, pronoun, noun, adverb)

also 419 (adverb)

how 412 (adverb, conjunction)

many 397 (adjective, noun, pronoun)

do 389 (auxiliary verb)

has 384 (verb)

most 378 (adjective, noun, adverb)

people 372 (noun) other 369 (adjective, noun, pronoun, adverb)

time 369 (noun, adjective, verb)

so 352 (adverb, conjunction, pronoun, adjective)

was 352 (past, verb)

we 352 (pronoun)

these 344 (pronoun, adjective)

may 336 (auxiliary verb)

like 324 (preposition, verb, conjunction, adverb)

use 319 (verb, noun)

into 301 (preposition)

than 301 (conjunction)

up 296 (adverb, preposition, adjective, noun)

out 294 (adverb, preposition, adjective, interjection)

who 281 (pronoun)

them 269 (pronoun)

make 262 (verb, noun)

because 248 (conjunction)

such 236 (adjective, adverb)

through 235 (preposition, adverb, adjective)

get 233 (verb)

work 224 (noun, adjective, verb)

even 223 (adjective, verb, adverb)

different 215 (adjective)

its 215 (pronoun) no 213 (adverb, adjective, noun) our 213 (pronoun)

new 210 (adjective, adverb)

film 209 (noun, verb)

just 208 (adjective, adverb)

only 208 (adverb, adjective, conjunction)

see 204 (verb)

used 204 (adjective)

good 201 (adjective, noun, adverb, interjection)

water 201 (noun, verb, adjective)

been 200 (past, verb)

need 193 (verb)

should 191 (auxiliary verb)

very 191 (adverb)

any 190 (adjective, adverb)

history 187 (noun)

often 187 (adverb)

way 185 (noun)

well 184 (adverb, verb, noun, interjection)

art 183 (noun)

know 181 (verb)

were 180 (past, verb)

then 179 (adverb, adjective)

my 177 (pronoun)

first 176 (adverb, adjective)

would 176 (verb) money 174 (noun, adjective)

each 173 (adjective, adverb)

over 170 (preposition, adjective, noun)

world 169 (noun)

information 168 (noun)

map 167 (noun)

find 166 (verb)

where 166 (adverb, pronoun, noun)

much 165 (adjective, adverb)

take 164 (verb) two 164 (noun)

want 163 (verb)

important 160 (adjective)

family 159 (noun)

those 156 (pronoun)

example 147 (noun, verb)

while 147 (noun, conjunction, preposition, verb) he 144 (pronoun)

look 144 (verb, noun, interjection)

government 143 (noun)

before 141 (preposition, adverb, conjunction)

help 141 (verb, noun, interjection)

between 137 (preposition, adverb)

go 131 (verb, noun, adjective, interjection)

own 130 (adjective, verb) however 128 (adverb)

business 127 (noun, adjective) us 127 (pronoun)

great 126 (adjective, noun, adverb, interjection)

his 125 (pronoun, adjective)

being 124 (verb, noun)

another 123 (adjective, pronoun)

health 122 (noun)

same 120 (adjective, pronoun, adverb)

study 118 (noun, verb)

why 118 (adverb, conjunction, noun, interjection)

few 117 (adjective, noun, pronoun)

game 117 (noun, adjective, verb)

might 116 (auxiliary verb, noun)

think 116 (verb, adjective, noun)

free 115 (adjective, adverb, verb)

too 114 (adverb)

had 113 (auxiliary verb) hi 113 (interjection)

right 113 (adjective, adverb, noun, verb)

still 112 (adjective, noun, adverb, verb)

system 111 (noun)

after 110 (preposition, adjective, adverb)

computer 109 (noun)

best 108 (adjective, adverb, noun, verb) must 108 (auxiliary verb, verb, adjective, noun)

her 107 (pronoun)

life 107 (noun, adjective)

since 107 (preposition, adverb, conjunction)

could 105 (auxiliary verb)

does 104 (verb)

now 104 (adverb, conjunction, adjective)

during 103 (preposition)

learn 102 (verb)

around 101 (adverb, preposition)

usually 101 (adverb)

form 99 (noun, verb)

meat 99 (noun)

air 98 (noun, verb)

day 98 (noun, adjective)

place 98 (noun, verb)

become 97 (verb)

number 97 (noun, verb)

public 97 (adjective, noun)

read 97 (verb, noun)

keep 96 (verb, noun)

part 96 (noun, verb, adverb)

start 96 (verb, noun)

year 96 (noun)

every 95 (adjective) field 95 (noun, verb, adjective)

large 95 (adjective)

once 95 (adverb, conjunction)

available 94 (adjective)

down 94 (adverb, preposition, adjective, verb)

give 93 (verb, noun)

fish 92 (noun, verb)

human 92 (adjective, noun)

both 91 (adjective, adverb)

local 90 (adjective, noun)

sure 90 (adjective, adverb)

something 89 (pronoun)

without 89 (preposition, adverb, conjunction)

come 88 (verb)

me 88 (pronoun)

back 86 (noun, adverb, verb, adjective)

better 86 (adjective, adverb, noun, verb)

general 85 (adjective, noun)

process 85 (noun, verb)

she 85 (pronoun, noun)

heat 84 (noun, verb)

thanks 84 (noun)

specific 83 (adjective, noun)

enough 82 (adjective, adverb, interjection)

long 82 (adjective, noun, adverb, verb) lot 82 (pronoun, adverb, noun, verb)

hand 81 (noun, verb)

popular 81 (adjective)

small 81 (adjective, adverb)

though 81 (conjunction, adverb)

experience 80 (noun, verb)

include 80 (verb)

job 80 (noun, verb)

music 80 (noun)

person 80 (noun)

really 79 (adverb)

although 78 (conjunction)

thank 78 (verb)

book 77 (noun, verb)

early 77 (adverb)

reading 77 (noun)

end 76 (noun, verb)

method 76 (noun)

never 76 (adverb)

less 75 (adjective, adverb, preposition)

play 75 (verb, noun)

able 74 (adjective)

data 74 (noun)

feel 74 (verb, noun)

high 74 (adjective, noun, adverb) off 74 (adverb, preposition, adjective, noun)

point 74 (noun, verb)

type 74 (noun, verb)

whether 74 (conjunction)

food 73 (noun)

understanding 73 (noun)

here 72 (adverb, interjection)

home 72 (noun, adjective, adverb, verb)

certain 71 (adjective, pronoun)

economy 71 (noun, adjective)

little 71 (adjective, adverb)

theory 71 (noun)

tonight 71 (adverb, noun)

law 70 (noun)

put 70 (verb, noun)

under 70 (preposition, adverb, adjective)

value 70 (noun, verb)

always 69 (adverb)

body 69 (noun, verb)

common 69 (adjective, noun)

market 69 (noun, verb)

set 69 (verb, noun, adjective)

bird 68 (noun)

guide 68 (noun, verb)

provide 68 (verb) change 67 (verb, noun)

interest 67 (noun, verb)

literature 67 (noun)

sometimes 67 (adverb)

problem 66 (noun)

say 66 (verb, interjection, noun)

next 64 (adjective, adverb, noun)

create 63 (verb)

simple 63 (adjective, noun)

software 63 (noun)

state 63 (noun, verb)

together 63 (adverb)

control 62 (noun)

knowledge 62 (noun)

power 62 (noun)

radio 62 (noun, verb)

ability 61 (noun)

basic 61 (adjective)

course 61 (noun, verb)

economics 61 (noun)

hard 61 (adjective, adverb)

add 60 (verb)

company 60 (noun, verb)

known 60 (adjective)

love 60 (noun) past 60 (adjective, noun, preposition, adverb)

price 60 (noun, verb)

size 60 (noun, verb, adjective)

away 59 (adverb, adjective)

big 59 (adjective, noun)

internet 59 (noun)

possible 59 (adjective, noun)

television 59 (noun) three 59 (number)

understand 59 (verb)

various 59 (adjective)

yourself 59 (pronoun)

card 58 (noun, verb)

difficult 58 (adjective)

including 58 (preposition)

list 58 (noun, verb)

mind 58 (noun, verb)

particular 58 (adjective, noun)

real 58 (adjective, adverb, noun)

science 58 (noun)

trade 58 (noun, verb)

consider 57 (verb)

either 57 (conjunction, adjective)

library 57 (noun)

likely 57 (adverb) nature 57 (noun)

fact 56 (noun)

line 56 (noun, verb)

product 56 (noun)

care 55 (noun, verb)

group 55 (noun, verb)

idea 55 (noun)

risk 55 (noun, verb)

several 55 (adjective)

someone 55 (pronoun)

temperature 55 (noun)

united 55 (adjective)

word 55 (noun, verb, interjection)

fat 54 (noun, adjective, verb)

force 54 (noun, verb)

key 54 (noun, adjective, verb)

light 54 (noun, verb, adjective)

simply 54 (adverb)

today 54 (adverb, noun)

training 54 (noun, adjective)

until 54 (preposition)

major 53 (adjective, noun, verb)

name 53 (noun, verb, adjective)

personal 53 (adjective, noun)

school 53 (noun, verb) top 53 (noun, adjective, verb)

current 52 (adjective, noun)

generally 52 (adverb)

historical 52 (adjective)

investment 52 (noun)

left 52 (adjective, adverb)

national 52 (adjective, noun)

amount 51 (noun, verb)

level 51 (noun, adjective, verb)

order 51 (noun, verb)

practice 51 (noun, verb)

research 51 (noun, verb)

sense 51 (noun, verb)

service 51 (noun, verb)

area 50 (noun)

cut 50 (verb, noun)

hot 50 (adjective)

instead 50 (adverb)

least 50 (adjective, adverb)

natural 50 (adjective, noun, adverb)

physical 50 (adjective, noun)

piece 50 (noun, verb)

show 50 (verb, noun)

society 50 (noun)

try 50 (verb, noun) check 49 (verb, noun, interjection)

choose 49 (verb)

develop 49 (verb)

second 49 (number, noun)

useful 49 (adjective)

web 49 (noun, verb)

activity 48 (noun)

boss 48 (noun, verb, adjective)

short 48 (adjective, adverb, noun, verb)

story 48 (noun)

call 47 (verb, noun)

industry 47 (noun)

last 47 (adjective, adverb, noun, verb)

media 47 (noun)

mental 47 (adjective)

move 47 (verb, noun)

pay 47 (verb, noun)

sport 47 (noun, verb)

thing 47 (noun)

actually 46 (adverb)

against 46 (preposition)

far 46 (adverb, adjective)

fun 46 (noun, adjective, verb)

house 46 (noun, adjective, verb)

let 46 (verb, noun) page 46 (noun, verb)

remember 46 (verb)

term 46 (noun, verb)

test 46 (noun, verb)

within 46 (preposition, adverb)

along 45 (preposition, adverb)

answer 45 (noun, verb)

increase 45 (verb, noun)

oven 45 (noun)

quite 45 (adverb, interjection)

scared 45 (adjective)

single 45 (adjective, noun, verb)

sound 45 (noun, verb, adjective)

again 44 (adverb)

community 44 (noun)

definition 44 (noun)

focus 44 (noun, verb)

individual 44 (adjective, noun)

matter 44 (noun, verb)

safety 44 (noun)

turn 44 (verb, noun)

everything 43 (pronoun)

kind 43 (noun, adjective)

quality 43 (noun)

soil 43 (noun, verb) ask 42 (verb, noun)

board 42 (noun, verb)

buy 42 (verb, noun)

development 42 (noun)

guard 42 (verb, noun)

hold 42 (verb, noun)

language 42 (noun)

later 42 (adverb, interjection)

main 42 (adjective, noun)

offer 42 (verb, noun)

oil 42 (noun, verb)

picture 42 (noun, verb)

potential 42 (adjective, noun)

professional 42 (adjective, noun)

rather 42 (adverb)

access 41 (noun, verb, adjective)

additional 41 (adjective)

almost 41 (adverb)

especially 41 (adverb)

garden 41 (noun, verb)

international 41 (adjective, noun)

lower 41 (adjective, adverb)

management 41 (noun)

open 41 (adjective, verb, noun)

player 41 (noun) range 41 (noun, verb)

rate 41 (noun, verb)

reason 41 (noun, verb)

travel 41 (verb, noun)

variety 41 (noun)

video 41 (noun)

week 41 (noun)

above 40 (adverb, preposition, adjective, noun)

according 40 (adjective, verb)

cook 40 (verb, noun)

determine 40 (verb)

future 40 (noun, adjective)

site 40 (noun, verb)

alternative 39 (adjective, noun)

demand 39 (noun, verb)

ever 39 (adverb)

exercise 39 (noun, verb)

following 39 (preposition, noun, adjective)

image 39 (noun, verb)

quickly 39 (adverb)

special 39 (adjective, noun)

working 39 (adjective, noun)

case 38 (noun, verb)

cause 38 (noun, verb)

coast 38 (noun, verb) probably 38 (adverb)

security 38 (noun)

true 38 (adjective, adverb, verb)

whole 38 (adjective, noun, adverb)

action 37 (noun, adjective)

age 37 (noun, verb)

among 37 (preposition)

bad 37 (noun, adverb, adjective)

boat 37 (noun, verb)

country 37 (noun)

dance 37 (verb, noun)

exam 37 (noun)

excuse 37 (verb, noun)

grow 37 (verb)

movie 37 (noun)

organization 37 (noun)

record 37 (noun, verb)

result 37 (noun, verb)

section 37 (noun, verb)

across 36 (preposition, adverb, adjective)

already 36 (adverb)

below 36 (adverb)

building 36 (noun, verb)

mouse 36 (noun, verb)

allow 35 (verb) cash 35 (noun, verb)

class 35 (noun, verb, adjective)

clear 35 (adjective, adverb, verb)

dry 35 (adjective, verb, noun)

easy 35 (adjective, adverb, interjection)

emotional 35 (adjective)

equipment 35 (noun)

live 35 (verb, adjective, adverb)

nothing 35 (noun, pronoun, adjective, adverb)

period 35 (noun, adjective)

physics 35 (noun)

plan 35 (noun, verb)

store 35 (noun, verb)

tax 35 (noun, verb)

analysis 34 (noun)

cold 34 (adjective, noun, adverb)

commercial 34 (adjective, noun)

directly 34 (adverb)

full 34 (adjective, adverb, noun, verb)

involved 34 (past, verb)

itself 34 (pronoun)

low 34 (adjective, noun, adverb, verb)

old 34 (adjective)

policy 34 (noun)

political 34 (adjective) purchase 34 (verb, noun)

series 34 (noun)

side 34 (noun, verb)

subject 34 (noun, adjective, adverb, verb)

supply 34 (verb)

therefore 34 (adverb)

thought 34 (noun)

basis 33 (noun)

boyfriend 33 (noun)

deal 33 (verb, noun)

direction 33 (noun)

mean 33 (verb, adjective, noun)

primary 33 (adjective, noun)

space 33 (noun, verb)

strategy 33 (noun)

technology 33 (noun)

worth 33 (adjective, noun)

army 32 (noun)

camera 32 (noun)

fall 32 (verb, noun)

freedom 32 (noun)

paper 32 (noun)

rule 32 (noun, verb)

similar 32 (adjective)

stock 32 (noun, adjective, verb) weather 32 (noun, verb)

yet 32 (adverb, conjunction)

bring 31 (verb)

chance 31 (noun, adjective, verb)

environment 31 (noun)

everyone 31 (pronoun)

figure 31 (noun, verb)

improve 31 (verb)

man 31 (noun, verb, interjection)

model 31 (noun, verb)

necessary 31 (adjective, noun)

positive 31 (adjective, noun)

produce 31 (verb, noun)

search 31 (verb, noun)

source 31 (noun, verb)

beginning 30 (noun, adjective, verb)

child 30 (noun)

earth 30 (noun, verb)

else 30 (adverb)

healthy 30 (adjective)

instance 30 (noun)

maintain 30 (verb)

month 30 (noun)

present 30 (adjective, noun, verb)

program 30 (noun, verb) spend 30 (verb, noun)

talk 30 (verb, noun)

truth 30 (noun)

upset 30 (verb, adjective)

begin 29 (verb)

chicken 29 (noun, adjective)

close 29 (adjective, adverb, verb, noun)

creative 29 (adjective, noun)

design 29 (noun, verb)

feature 29 (noun, verb)

financial 29 (adjective)

head 29 (noun, adjective, verb)

marketing 29 (noun)

material 29 (noun, adjective)

medical 29 (adjective)

purpose 29 (noun, verb)

question 29 (noun, verb)

rock 29 (noun, verb)

salt 29 (noun, adjective, verb)

tell 29 (verb, noun)

themselves 29 (pronoun)

traditional 29 (adjective)

university 29 (noun)

writing 29 (noun)

act 28 (noun, verb) article 28 (noun)

birth 28 (noun, verb)

car 28 (noun, adjective)

cost 28 (verb, noun)

department 28 (noun)

difference 28 (noun)

dog 28 (noun, verb)

drive 28 (verb, noun)

exist 28 (verb)

federal 28 (adjective)

goal 28 (noun)

green 28 (adjective, noun, verb)

late 28 (adjective, adverb, noun)

news 28 (noun)

object 28 (noun, verb)

scale 28 (noun, verb)

sun 28 (noun, verb)

support 28 (verb, noun)

tend 28 (verb)

thus 28 (adverb)

audience 27 (noun)

enjoy 27 (verb)

entire 27 (adjective)

fishing 27 (noun)

fit 27 (adjective, verb, noun) glad 27 (adjective, noun)

growth 27 (noun)

income 27 (noun)

marriage 27 (noun)

note 27 (noun, verb)

perform 27 (verb)

profit 27 (noun, verb)

proper 27 (adjective, adverb, noun)

related 27 (past, verb)

remove 27 (verb, noun)

rent 27 (noun, verb)

return 27 (verb, noun)

run 27 (verb, noun)

speed 27 (noun, verb)

strong 27 (adjective)

style 27 (noun, verb)

throughout 27 (preposition)

user 27 (noun)

war 27 (noun, verb)

actual 26 (adjective)

appropriate 26 (verb, adjective)

bank 26 (noun, verb)

combination 26 (noun)

complex 26 (adjective, noun, verb)

content 26 (adjective, verb, noun) craft 26 (noun, verb)

due 26 (adjective, noun, adverb)

easily 26 (adverb)

effective 26 (adjective, noun)

eventually 26 (adverb)

exactly 26 (adverb)

failure 26 (noun)

half 26 (noun, predeterminer, adverb)

inside 26 (noun, adjective, preposition)

meaning 26 (noun)

medicine 26 (noun)

middle 26 (adjective, noun)

outside 26 (noun, adjective, preposition)

philosophy 26 (noun)

regular 26 (adjective, noun)

reserve 26 (verb, noun)

standard 26 (noun, adjective)

bus 25 (noun, verb)

decide 25 (verb)

exchange 25 (noun, verb)

eye 25 (noun, verb)

fast 25 (adjective, adverb, verb)

fire 25 (noun, verb)

identify 25 (verb)

independent 25 (adjective, noun) leave 25 (verb, noun)

original 25 (adjective, noun)

position 25 (noun, verb)

pressure 25 (noun, verb)

reach 25 (verb, noun)

rest 25 (verb, noun)

serve 25 (verb, noun)

stress 25 (noun, verb)

teacher 25 (noun)

watch 25 (verb, noun)

wide 25 (adjective, adverb)

advantage 24 (noun, verb)

beautiful 24 (adjective, noun, interjection)

benefit 24 (noun, verb)

box 24 (noun, verb)

charge 24 (verb, noun)

communication 24 (noun)

complete 24 (adjective, verb)

continue 24 (verb)

frame 24 (noun, verb)

issue 24 (noun, verb)

limited 24 (past, verb)

night 24 (noun)

protect 24 (verb)

require 24 (verb) significant 24 (adjective)

step 24 (noun, verb)

successful 24 (adjective)

unless 24 (conjunction)

active 23 (adjective, noun)

break 23 (verb, noun)

chemistry 23 (noun)

cycle 23 (noun, verb)

disease 23 (noun)

disk 23 (noun)

electrical 23 (adjective)

energy 23 (noun)

expensive 23 (adjective)

face 23 (noun, verb)

interested 23 (past, verb)

item 23 (noun, adverb)

metal 23 (noun, verb)

nation 23 (noun)

negative 23 (adjective, noun, interjection, verb)

occur 23 (verb)

paint 23 (noun, verb)

pregnant 23 (adjective)

review 23 (noun, verb)

road 23 (noun)

role 23 (noun) room 23 (noun, verb)

safe 23 (adjective, noun)

screen 23 (noun, verb)

soup 23 (noun)

stay 23 (verb, noun)

structure 23 (noun, verb)

view 23 (noun, verb)

visit 23 (verb, noun)

visual 23 (adjective, noun)

write 23 (verb)

wrong 23 (adjective, adverb, noun, verb)

account 22 (noun, verb)

advertising 22 (noun)

affect 22 (verb, noun)

ago 22 (adjective, adverb)

anyone 22 (pronoun)

approach 22 (verb)

avoid 22 (verb)

ball 22 (noun, verb)

behind 22 (preposition, adverb, adjective, noun)

certainly 22 (adverb)

concerned 22 (past, verb)

cover 22 (verb, noun)

discipline 22 (noun, verb)

location 22 (noun) medium 22 (noun, adjective)

normally 22 (adverb)

prepare 22 (verb)

quick 22 (adjective, adverb, noun)

ready 22 (adjective, verb)

report 22 (verb, noun)

rise 22 (verb, noun)

share 22 (noun, verb)

success 22 (noun)

addition 21 (noun)

apartment 21 (noun)

balance 21 (noun, verb)

bit 21 (noun, verb)

black 21 (noun, verb, adjective, adverb)

bottom 21 (noun, verb, adjective)

build 21 (verb)

choice 21 (noun, adjective)

education 21 (noun)

gift 21 (noun, verb)

impact 21 (noun, verb)

machine 21 (noun, verb)

math 21 (noun)

moment 21 (noun)

painting 21 (noun)

politics 21 (noun) shape 21 (noun, verb)

straight 21 (adjective, adverb, noun)

tool 21 (noun, verb)

walk 21 (verb, noun)

white 21 (adjective, noun, verb)

wind 21 (noun, verb)

achieve 20 (verb)

address 20 (noun, verb)

attention 20 (noun)

average 20 (noun, verb, adjective)

believe 20 (verb)

beyond 20 (preposition, noun)

career 20 (noun, verb, adjective)

culture 20 (noun, verb)

decision 20 (noun)

direct 20 (adjective, adverb, verb)

event 20 (noun)

excellent 20 (adjective, interjection)

extra 20 (adjective, adverb, noun)

intelligent 20 (adjective)

interesting 20 (adjective)

junior 20 (adjective, noun)

morning 20 (noun, adverb)

pick 20 (verb, noun)

poor 20 (adjective) pot 20 (noun, verb)

pretty 20 (adjective, adverb, noun, verb)

property 20 (noun)

receive 20 (verb)

seem 20 (verb)

shopping 20 (noun)

sign 20 (noun, verb)

student 20 (noun)

table 20 (noun, verb)

task 20 (noun, verb)

unique 20 (adjective, noun)

wood 20 (noun)

anything 19 (pronoun, noun, adverb)

classic 19 (adjective, noun)

competition 19 (noun)

condition 19 (noun, verb)

contact 19 (noun, verb)

credit 19 (noun, verb)

currently 19 (adverb)

discuss 19 (verb)

distribution 19 (noun)

egg 19 (noun, verb)

entertainment 19 (noun)

final 19 (adjective, noun)

happy 19 (adjective) hope 19 (noun, verb)

ice 19 (noun, verb)

lift 19 (verb, noun)

mix 19 (verb, noun)

network 19 (noun, verb)

north 19 (noun, adjective, adverb)

office 19 (noun)

overall 19 (adjective, adverb, noun)

population 19 (noun)

president 19 (noun)

private 19 (adjective, noun)

realize 19 (verb)

responsible 19 (adjective)

separate 19 (adjective, verb, noun)

square 19 (noun, adjective, adverb)

stop 19 (verb, noun)

teach 19 (verb, noun)

unit 19 (noun)

western 19 (adjective, noun) yes 19 (interjection)

alone 18 (adjective, adverb)

attempt 18 (noun, verb)

category 18 (noun)

cigarette 18 (noun)

concern 18 (verb, noun) contain 18 (verb)

context 18 (noun)

cute 18 (adjective)

date 18 (noun, verb)

effect 18 (noun, verb)

extremely 18 (adverb)

familiar 18 (adjective, noun)

finally 18 (adverb)

fly 18 (verb, noun)

follow 18 (verb)

helpful 18 (adjective)

introduction 18 (noun)

link 18 (noun, verb)

official 18 (adjective, noun)

opportunity 18 (noun)

perfect 18 (adjective, verb, noun)

performance 18 (noun)

post 18 (noun, verb, adverb)

recent 18 (adjective)

refer 18 (verb)

solve 18 (verb)

star 18 (noun, verb)

voice 18 (noun, verb)

willing 18 (adjective)

born 17 (verb, adjective, past particple) bright 17 (adjective, adverb, noun)

broad 17 (adjective, noun)

capital 17 (noun, adjective)

challenge 17 (noun, verb, adjective)

comfortable 17 (adjective, noun)

constantly 17 (adverb)

describe 17 (verb)

despite 17 (preposition)

driver 17 (noun)

flat 17 (adjective, adverb, noun, verb)

flight 17 (noun)

friend 17 (noun, verb)

gain 17 (verb, noun)

him 17 (pronoun)

length 17 (noun)

magazine 17 (noun)

maybe 17 (adverb, noun)

newspaper 17 (noun)

nice 17 (adjective)

prefer 17 (verb)

prevent 17 (verb)

properly 17 (adverb)

relationship 17 (noun)

rich 17 (adjective, noun)

save 17 (verb, noun, preposition) self 17 (noun, pronoun, adjective, verb)

shot 17 (noun, adjective)

soon 17 (adverb)

specifically 17 (adverb)

stand 17 (verb, noun)

teaching 17 (noun)

warm 17 (adjective, verb)

wonderful 17 (adjective)

young 17 (adjective, noun)

ahead 16 (adverb)

brush 16 (noun, verb)

cell 16 (noun)

couple 16 (noun, verb)

daily 16 (adverb)

dealer 16 (noun)

debate 16 (noun, verb)

discover 16 (verb)

ensure 16 (verb)

exit 16 (noun, verb)

expect 16 (verb)

experienced 16 (past, verb)

fail 16 (verb, noun)

finding 16 (noun)

front 16 (noun, adjective, verb, interjection)

function 16 (noun, verb) heavy 16 (adjective, noun, adverb)

hello 16 (interjection, noun)

highly 16 (adverb)

immediately 16 (adverb)

impossible 16 (adjective)

invest 16 (verb)

lack 16 (noun, verb)

lake 16 (noun)

lead 16 (verb, noun)

listen 16 (verb, noun)

living 16 (noun, adjective)

member 16 (noun)

message 16 (noun)

phone 16 (noun)

plant 16 (noun, verb)

plastic 16 (noun, adjective)

reduce 16 (verb)

relatively 16 (adverb)

scene 16 (noun)

serious 16 (adjective)

slowly 16 (adverb)

speak 16 (verb)

spot 16 (noun, verb)

summer 16 (noun, verb)

taste 16 (noun, verb) theme 16 (noun, verb)

towards 16 (preposition)

track 16 (noun, verb)

valuable 16 (adjective, noun)

whatever 16 (pronoun, adverb, interjection)

wing 16 (noun, verb)

worry 16 (verb, noun)

appear 15 (verb)

appearance 15 (noun)

association 15 (noun)

brain 15 (noun, verb)

button 15 (noun, verb)

click 15 (noun, verb)

concept 15 (noun)

correct 15 (adjective, verb)

customer 15 (noun)

death 15 (noun)

desire 15 (noun, verb)

discussion 15 (noun)

explain 15 (verb)

explore 15 (verb)

express 15 (verb, adjective, adverb, noun)

fairly 15 (adverb)

fixed 15 (past, verb)

foot 15 (noun, verb) gas 15 (noun, verb)

handle 15 (verb, noun)

housing 15 (noun)

huge 15 (adjective)

inflation 15 (noun)

influence 15 (noun, verb)

insurance 15 (noun)

involve 15 (verb)

leading 15 (adjective, noun)

lose 15 (verb)

meet 15 (verb, noun)

mood 15 (noun)

notice 15 (noun, verb)

primarily 15 (adverb)

rain 15 (noun, verb)

rare 15 (adjective)

release 15 (verb, noun)

sell 15 (verb, noun)

slow 15 (adjective, adverb, verb)

technical 15 (adjective)

typical 15 (adjective)

upon 15 (preposition)

wall 15 (noun, verb)

woman 15 (noun)

advice 14 (noun) afford 14 (verb)

agree 14 (verb)

base 14 (noun, verb, adjective)

blood 14 (noun)

clean 14 (adjective, adverb, verb)

competitive 14 (adjective)

completely 14 (adverb)

critical 14 (adjective)

damage 14 (noun, verb)

distance 14 (noun, verb)

effort 14 (noun)

electronic 14 (adjective)

expression 14 (noun)

feeling 14 (noun, adjective)

finish 14 (verb, noun)

fresh 14 (adjective, adverb)

hear 14 (verb)

immediate 14 (adjective)

importance 14 (noun)

normal 14 (adjective, noun)

opinion 14 (noun)

otherwise 14 (adverb, adjective)

pair 14 (noun, verb)

payment 14 (noun)

plus 14 (preposition, adjective, noun, conjunction) press 14 (verb, noun)

reality 14 (noun)

remain 14 (verb)

represent 14 (verb)

responsibility 14 (noun)

ride 14 (verb, noun)

savings 14 (noun, adjective, preposition)

secret 14 (adjective, noun)

situation 14 (noun)

skill 14 (noun)

spread 14 (verb, noun)

spring 14 (verb, noun)

staff 14 (noun, verb)

statement 14 (noun)

sugar 14 (noun, verb)

target 14 (noun, verb)

text 14 (noun, verb)

tough 14 (adjective, noun)

ultimately 14 (adverb)

wait 14 (verb, noun)

wealth 14 (noun)

whenever 14 (conjunction, adverb)

whose 14 (pronoun)

widely 14 (adverb)

animal 13 (noun, adjective) application 13 (noun)

apply 13 (verb)

author 13 (noun, verb)

aware 13 (adjective)

brown 13 (adjective, noun, verb)

budget 13 (noun, adjective, verb)

cheap 13 (adjective, adverb)

city 13 (noun)

complicated 13 (past, verb)

county 13 (noun)

deep 13 (adjective, noun, adverb)

depth 13 (noun)

discount 13 (noun, verb, adjective)

display 13 (verb, noun)

educational 13 (adjective)

environmental 13 (adjective)

estate 13 (noun)

file 13 (noun, verb)

flow 13 (verb, noun)

forget 13 (verb)

foundation 13 (noun)

global 13 (adjective)

grandmother 13 (noun)

ground 13 (noun, verb, adjective)

heart 13 (noun) hit 13 (verb, noun)

legal 13 (adjective)

lesson 13 (noun, verb)

minute 13 (noun, adjective, verb)

near 13 (adverb, preposition, adjective, verb)

objective 13 (adjective, noun)

officer 13 (noun, verb)

perspective 13 (noun)

phase 13 (noun, verb)

photo 13 (noun)

recently 13 (adverb)

recipe 13 (noun)

recommend 13 (verb)

reference 13 (noun, verb, adjective)

register 13 (noun, verb)

relevant 13 (adjective)

rely 13 (verb)

secure 13 (adjective, verb)

seriously 13 (adverb)

shoot 13 (verb, noun, interjection)

sky 13 (noun, verb)

stage 13 (noun, verb)

stick 13 (noun, verb)

studio 13 (noun)

thin 13 (adjective, adverb, verb) title 13 (noun, verb)

topic 13 (noun)

touch 13 (verb, noun)

trouble 13 (noun, verb)

vary 13 (verb)

accurate 12 (adjective)

advanced 12 (past, verb, adjective, noun)

bowl 12 (noun, verb)

bridge 12 (noun, verb)

campaign 12 (noun, verb)

cancel 12 (verb, noun)

capable 12 (adjective)

character 12 (noun, adjective, verb)

chemical 12 (adjective, noun)

club 12 (noun, verb)

collection 12 (noun)

cool 12 (adjective, adverb, noun, verb)

cry 12 (verb, noun, idiom)

dangerous 12 (adjective)

depression 12 (noun)

dump 12 (verb, noun, idiom)

edge 12 (noun, verb, idiom)

evidence 12 (noun, verb, idiom)

extreme 12 (adjective, noun)

fan 12 (noun, verb, idiom) frequently 12 (adverb)

fully 12 (adverb)

generate 12 (verb)

imagination 12 (noun)

letter 12 (noun, verb, idiom)

lock 12 (noun, verb, idiom)

maximum 12 (noun, adjective)

mostly 12 (adverb)

myself 12 (pronoun)

naturally 12 (adverb)

nearly 12 (adverb)

novel 12 (noun, adjective)

obtain 12 (verb)

occasionally 12 (adverb)

option 12 (noun, verb)

organized 12 (past, verb)

pack 12 (noun, verb, adjective, idiom)

park 12 (noun, verb)

passion 12 (noun)

percentage 12 (noun)

plenty 12 (noun, adjective, adverb)

push 12 (verb, noun, idiom)

quarter 12 (noun, verb, adjective)

resource 12 (noun)

select 12 (verb, adjective) setting 12 (noun)

skin 12 (noun, verb)

sort 12 (noun, verb)

weight 12 (noun, verb)

accept 11 (verb)

ad 11 (noun)

agency 11 (noun)

baby 11 (noun, verb, adjective)

background 11 (noun, adjective)

carefully 11 (adverb)

carry 11 (noun, verb)

clearly 11 (adverb)

college 11 (noun)

communicate 11 (verb)

complain 11 (verb)

conflict 11 (verb, noun)

connection 11 (noun)

criticism 11 (noun)

debt 11 (noun)

depend 11 (verb)

description 11 (noun)

die 11 (verb, idiom)

dish 11 (noun, verb, idiom)

dramatic 11 (adjective)

eat 11 (verb, noun, idiom) efficient 11 (adjective)

enter 11 (verb)

essentially 11 (adverb)

exact 11 (adjective, verb)

factor 11 (noun, verb)

fair 11 (adjective, adverb, noun, idiom)

fill 11 (verb, noun, idiom)

fine 11 (adjective, adverb, verb, noun)

formal 11 (adjective, noun, adverb)

forward 11 (adverb, adjective, noun, verb)

fruit 11 (noun, verb)

glass 11 (noun, adjective, verb)

happen 11 (verb)

indicate 11 (verb)

joint 11 (noun, adjective, verb, idiom)

jump 11 (verb, noun, adjective, adverb)

kick 11 (verb, noun, idiom)

master 11 (noun, adjective, verb)

memory 11 (noun)

muscle 11 (noun, verb, adjective)

opposite 11 (adjective, noun, preposition, adverb)

pass 11 (verb, noun, idiom)

patience 11 (noun)

pitch 11 (verb, noun)

possibly 11 (adverb) powerful 11 (adjective)

red 11 (noun, adjective, idiom)

remote 11 (adjective, noun)

secretary 11 (noun)

slightly 11 (adverb)

solution 11 (noun)

somewhat 11 (adverb)

strength 11 (noun, idiom)

suggest 11 (verb)

survive 11 (verb)

total 11 (adjective, noun, verb)

traffic 11 (noun, verb)

treat 11 (verb, noun)

trip 11 (noun, verb, idiom)

vast 11 (adjective, noun)

vegetable 11 (noun, adjective)

abuse 10 (verb, noun)

administration 10 (noun)

appeal 10 (noun, verb)

appreciate 10 (verb)

aspect 10 (noun)

attitude 10 (noun)

beat 10 (verb, noun, adjective)

burn 10 (verb, noun)

chart 10 (noun, verb) compare 10 (verb)

deposit 10 (verb, noun)

director 10 (noun)

equally 10 (adverb)

foreign 10 (adjective)

gear 10 (noun, verb, adjective, idiom)

greatly 10 (adverb)

hungry 10 (adjective)

ideal 10 (noun, adjective)

imagine 10 (verb)

kitchen 10 (noun, adjective)

land 10 (noun, verb, idiom)

log 10 (noun, verb)

lost 10 (adjective, verb, idiom)

manage 10 (verb)

mother 10 (noun, adjective, verb, idiom)

necessarily 10 (adverb)

net 10 (noun, verb)

party 10 (noun, adjective, verb)

personality 10 (noun)

personally 10 (adverb)

practical 10 (adjective)

principle 10 (noun, idiom)

print 10 (verb, noun, adjective, idiom)

psychological 10 (adjective) psychology 10 (noun)

raise 10 (verb, noun, idiom)

rarely 10 (adverb)

recommendation 10 (noun)

regularly 10 (adverb)

relative 10 (noun, adjective)

response 10 (noun)

sale 10 (noun, idiom)

season 10 (noun, verb, idiom)

selection 10 (noun)

severe 10 (adjective)

signal 10 (noun, adjective, verb)

similarly 10 (adverb)

sleep 10 (verb, noun, idiom)

smooth 10 (adjective, adverb, verb, noun)

somewhere 10 (adverb, noun)

spirit 10 (noun, verb, idiom)

storage 10 (noun)

street 10 (noun, adjective, idiom)

suitable 10 (adjective)

tree 10 (noun, verb, idiom)

version 10 (noun)

wave 10 (noun, verb, idiom)

advance 9 (verb, noun, adjective)

alcohol 9 (noun) anywhere 9 (adverb, noun)

argument 9 (noun)

basically 9 (adverb)

belt 9 (noun, verb)

bench 9 (noun, verb)

closed 9 (past, verb)

closely 9 (adverb)

commission 9 (noun, verb)

complaint 9 (noun)

connect 9 (verb, adjective)

consist 9 (verb, noun)

contract 9 (noun)

contribute 9 (verb, idiom)

copy 9 (noun, verb, idiom)

dark 9 (adjective, noun, idiom)

differ 9 (verb)

double 9 (adjective, noun, verb, adverb)

draw 9 (verb, noun, idiom)

drop 9 (noun, verb)

effectively 9 (adverb)

emphasis 9 (noun)

encourage 9 (verb)

equal 9 (adjective, noun, verb)

everybody 9 (pronoun)

expand 9 (verb) firm 9 (adjective, verb, adverb, noun)

fix 9 (verb, noun, idiom)

frequent 9 (adjective, verb)

highway 9 (noun)

hire 9 (verb, noun, adjective, idiom)

initially 9 (adverb)

internal 9 (adjective, noun)

join 9 (verb, noun)

kill 9 (verb, noun, idiom)

literally 9 (adverb)

loss 9 (noun)

mainly 9 (adverb)

membership 9 (noun)

merely 9 (adverb)

minimum 9 (noun, adjective)

numerous 9 (adjective)

path 9 (noun, idiom)

possession 9 (noun)

preparation 9 (noun)

progress 9 (noun, verb, idiom)

project 9 (noun, verb)

prove 9 (verb)

react 9 (verb)

recognize 9 (verb)

relax 9 (verb) replace 9 (verb)

sea 9 (noun, adjective, idiom)

sensitive 9 (adjective, noun)

sit 9 (verb, idiom)

south 9 (noun, adjective, adverb, verb)

status 9 (noun, adjective)

steak 9 (noun)

stuff 9 (noun, verb)

sufficient 9 (adjective)

tap 9 (verb, noun)

ticket 9 (noun, verb, idiom)

tour 9 (noun, verb)

union 9 (noun)

unusual 9 (adjective)

win 9 (verb, noun)

agreement 8 (noun)

angle 8 (noun, verb)

attack 8 (verb, noun)

blue 8 (noun, verb, adjective)

borrow 8 (verb)

breakfast 8 (noun, verb)

cancer 8 (noun)

claim 8 (verb, noun)

confidence 8 (noun, idiom)

consistent 8 (adjective) constant 8 (adjective, noun)

cultural 8 (adjective)

currency 8 (noun)

daughter 8 (noun, adjective)

degree 8 (noun, idiom)

doctor 8 (noun, verb)

dot 8 (noun, verb, idiom)

drag 8 (verb, noun, adjective, idiom)

dream 8 (noun, verb, adjective)

drink 8 (verb, noun)

duty 8 (noun, idiom)

earn 8 (verb)

emphasize 8 (verb)

employment 8 (noun)

enable 8 (verb)

engineering 8 (noun)

entry 8 (noun)

essay 8 (noun, verb)

existing 8 (adjective)

famous 8 (adjective)

father 8 (noun, verb)

fee 8 (noun, verb)

finance 8 (noun, verb)

gently 8 (adverb)

guess 8 (verb, noun, idiom) hopefully 8 (adverb)

hour 8 (noun, adjective, idiom)

interaction 8 (noun)

juice 8 (noun, verb, idiom)

limit 8 (noun, verb)

luck 8 (noun, verb, idiom)

milk 8 (noun, verb, idiom)

minor 8 (adjective, noun, verb)

mixed 8 (past, verb)

mixture 8 (noun)

mouth 8 (noun, verb, idiom) nor 8 (conjunction)

operate 8 (verb)

originally 8 (adverb)

peace 8 (noun, interjection, verb, idiom)

pipe 8 (noun, verb)

please 8 (adverb, verb, idiom)

preference 8 (noun)

previous 8 (adjective, idiom)

pull 8 (verb, noun)

pure 8 (adjective)

raw 8 (adjective, noun, idiom)

reflect 8 (verb)

region 8 (noun)

republic 8 (noun) roughly 8 (adverb)

seat 8 (noun, verb)

send 8 (verb)

significantly 8 (adverb)

soft 8 (adjective, noun, adverb, interjection)

solid 8 (adjective, noun)

stable 8 (noun, verb)

storm 8 (noun, verb, idiom)

substance 8 (noun, idiom)

team 8 (noun, verb, adjective)

tradition 8 (noun)

trick 8 (noun, adjective, verb, idiom)

virus 8 (noun)

wear 8 (verb, noun, idiom)

weird 8 (adjective, noun)

wonder 8 (verb, noun, idiom)

actor 7 (noun)

afraid 7 (adjective)

afternoon 7 (noun, adjective)

amazing 7 (adjective, verb)

annual 7 (adjective, noun)

anticipate 7 (verb)

assume 7 (verb)

bat 7 (noun, verb)

beach 7 (noun, verb) blank 7 (noun, verb, adjective)

busy 7 (adjective, verb)

catch 7 (noun, verb)

chain 7 (noun, verb)

classroom 7 (noun)

consideration 7 (noun, idiom)

count 7 (verb, noun, adjective, idiom)

cream 7 (noun, verb, adjective, idiom)

crew 7 (noun, verb)

dead 7 (adjective, noun, adverb, idiom)

delivery 7 (noun)

detail 7 (noun, verb, idiom)

detailed 7 (past, verb)

device 7 (noun)

difficulty 7 (noun)

doubt 7 (verb, noun, idiom)

drama 7 (noun)

election 7 (noun)

engage 7 (verb)

engine 7 (noun)

enhance 7 (verb)

examine 7 (verb)

false 7 (adjective, adverb, idiom)

feed 7 (verb, noun, idiom)

football 7 (noun) forever 7 (adverb, noun, idiom)

gold 7 (noun, adjective)

guidance 7 (noun)

hotel 7 (noun)

impress 7 (verb, noun)

install 7 (verb)

interview 7 (noun, verb)

kid 7 (noun, verb, adjective)

mark 7 (noun, verb, idiom)

match 7 (noun, verb)

mission 7 (noun, adjective)

nobody 7 (pronoun, noun)

obvious 7 (adjective)

ourselves 7 (pronoun)

owner 7 (noun)

pain 7 (noun, verb, idiom)

participate 7 (verb)

pleasure 7 (noun, verb)

priority 7 (noun)

protection 7 (noun)

repeat 7 (verb, noun)

round 7 (adjective, noun, adverb, verb)

score 7 (noun, verb, idiom)

screw 7 (noun, verb, idiom)

seek 7 (verb, idiom) sex 7 (noun, verb, idiom)

sharp 7 (adjective, verb, adverb, noun)

shop 7 (noun, verb, interjection, idiom)

shower 7 (noun, verb, idiom)

sing 7 (verb, noun)

slide 7 (verb, noun, idiom)

strip 7 (verb, noun)

suggestion 7 (noun)

suit 7 (noun, verb, idiom)

tension 7 (noun)

thick 7 (adjective, adverb, noun, idiom)

tone 7 (noun, verb)

totally 7 (adverb)

twice 7 (adverb)

variation 7 (noun)

whereas 7 (conjunction, noun)

window 7 (noun, verb)

wise 7 (adjective, verb, idiom)

wish 7 (verb, noun)

agent 6 (noun, adjective, verb)

anxiety 6 (noun)

atmosphere 6 (noun)

awareness 6 (noun)

band 6 (noun, verb)

bath 6 (noun) block 6 (noun, verb)

bone 6 (noun, verb, adverb)

bread 6 (noun)

calendar 6 (noun, verb)

candidate 6 (noun)

cap 6 (noun, verb)

careful 6 (adjective)

climate 6 (noun)

coat 6 (noun, verb)

collect 6 (verb, adverb, noun)

combine 6 (verb, noun)

command 6 (verb, noun)

comparison 6 (noun)

confusion 6 (noun)

construction 6 (noun)

contest 6 (noun, verb)

corner 6 (noun, adjective, verb, idiom)

court 6 (noun, verb, idiom)

cup 6 (noun, verb)

dig 6 (verb, noun)

district 6 (noun, verb)

divide 6 (verb, noun)

door 6 (noun, idiom)

east 6 (noun, adjective, adverb)

elevator 6 (noun) elsewhere 6 (adverb)

emotion 6 (noun)

employee 6 (noun)

employer 6 (noun)

equivalent 6 (adjective, noun)

everywhere 6 (adverb)

except 6 (preposition, conjunction, idiom)

finger 6 (noun, verb, idiom)

garage 6 (noun, verb)

guarantee 6 (noun, verb)

guest 6 (noun)

hang 6 (verb, noun, idiom)

height 6 (noun)

himself 6 (pronoun)

hole 6 (noun, verb, idiom)

hook 6 (noun, verb, idiom)

hunt 6 (verb, noun)

implement 6 (noun, verb)

initial 6 (adjective, noun, verb)

intend 6 (verb)

introduce 6 (verb)

latter 6 (adjective)

layer 6 (noun, verb)

leadership 6 (noun)

lecture 6 (noun, verb) lie 6 (noun, verb, idiom)

mall 6 (noun)

manager 6 (noun)

manner 6 (noun, idiom)

march 6 (verb, noun, idiom)

married 6 (past, verb, adjective, noun)

meeting 6 (noun, idiom)

mention 6 (verb, noun, idiom)

narrow 6 (adjective, verb, noun)

nearby 6 (adjective, adverb)

neither 6 (conjunction, adjective, pronoun)

nose 6 (noun, verb, idiom)

obviously 6 (adverb)

operation 6 (noun)

parking 6 (noun, adjective)

partner 6 (noun, verb)

perfectly 6 (adverb)

physically 6 (adverb)

profile 6 (noun, verb)

proud 6 (adjective, idiom)

recording 6 (noun)

relate 6 (verb)

respect 6 (noun, verb)

rice 6 (noun, verb)

routine 6 (noun, adjective) sample 6 (noun)

schedule 6 (noun, verb)

settle 6 (verb)

smell 6 (verb, noun)

somehow 6 (adverb, idiom)

spiritual 6 (adjective, noun)

survey 6 (verb, noun)

swimming 6 (noun, adjective)

telephone 6 (noun, verb)

tie 6 (verb, noun, idiom)

tip 6 (noun, verb)

transportation 6 (noun)

unhappy 6 (adjective)

wild 6 (adjective, adverb, noun, idiom)

winter 6 (noun, adjective, verb)

absolutely 5 (adverb, interjection)

acceptable 5 (adjective)

adult 5 (adjective, noun)

aggressive 5 (adjective)

airline 5 (noun, adjective)

apart 5 (adjective, adverb)

assure 5 (verb)

attract 5 (verb)

bag 5 (noun, verb)

battle 5 (noun, verb) bed 5 (noun, verb)

bill 5 (noun, verb)

boring 5 (adjective)

bother 5 (noun, verb)

brief 5 (adjective, noun, verb)

cake 5 (noun, verb)

charity 5 (noun)

code 5 (noun, verb)

cousin 5 (noun)

crazy 5 (adjective, noun, idiom)

curve 5 (noun, verb, idiom)

designer 5 (noun, adjective)

dimension 5 (noun, verb)

disaster 5 (noun)

distinct 5 (adjective)

distribute 5 (verb)

dress 5 (noun, adjective, verb)

ease 5 (noun, verb)

eastern 5 (adjective)

editor 5 (noun)

efficiency 5 (noun)

emergency 5 (noun, adjective)

escape 5 (verb, noun, adjective)

evening 5 (noun, adjective)

excitement 5 (noun) expose 5 (verb, idiom)

extension 5 (noun, adjective)

extent 5 (noun)

farm 5 (noun, verb, idiom)

feedback 5 (noun)

fight 5 (noun, verb)

gap 5 (noun, verb)

gather 5 (verb, noun, idiom)

grade 5 (noun, verb)

guitar 5 (noun)

hate 5 (verb, noun)

holiday 5 (noun, adjective, verb)

homework 5 (noun)

horror 5 (noun, adjective)

horse 5 (noun, verb, adjective, idiom)

host 5 (noun, verb)

husband 5 (noun, verb)

leader 5 (noun)

loan 5 (noun, verb, idiom)

logical 5 (adjective)

mistake 5 (noun, verb, idiom)

mom 5 (noun)

mountain 5 (noun, adjective, idiom)

nail 5 (noun, verb, idiom)

noise 5 (noun, verb) none 5 (pronoun, adverb, adjective)

occasion 5 (noun, verb, idiom)

outcome 5 (noun)

overcome 5 (verb)

owe 5 (verb)

package 5 (noun, verb)

patient 5 (noun, adjective)

pause 5 (noun, verb, idiom)

permission 5 (noun)

phrase 5 (noun, verb)

presentation 5 (noun)

prior 5 (adjective, noun, idiom)

promotion 5 (noun)

proof 5 (noun, adjective, verb)

race 5 (noun, verb)

reasonable 5 (adjective)

reflection 5 (noun)

refrigerator 5 (noun)

relief 5 (noun, idiom)

repair 5 (verb, noun)

resolution 5 (noun)

revenue 5 (noun)

rough 5 (adjective, noun, adverb, verb)

sad 5 (adjective, noun)

sand 5 (noun, verb, idiom) scratch 5 (verb, noun, adjective, idiom)

sentence 5 (noun, verb)

session 5 (noun)

shoulder 5 (noun, verb, idiom)

sick 5 (adjective, noun, idiom)

singer 5 (noun)

smoke 5 (noun, verb, idiom)

stomach 5 (noun, verb)

strange 5 (adjective, adverb)

strict 5 (adjective)

strike 5 (verb, noun, adjective, idiom)

string 5 (noun, verb, idiom)

succeed 5 (verb)

successfully 5 (adverb)

suddenly 5 (adverb)

suffer 5 (verb)

surprised 5 (past, verb)

tennis 5 (noun)

throw 5 (verb)

tourist 5 (noun, adverb)

towel 5 (noun, verb)

truly 5 (adverb)

vacation 5 (noun, verb)

virtually 5 (adverb)

west 5 (noun, adjective, adverb, idiom) wheel 5 (noun, verb, idiom)

wine 5 (noun, adjective, verb, idiom)

acquire 4 (verb)

adapt 4 (verb)

adjust 4 (verb)

administrative 4 (adjective)

altogether 4 (adverb)

anyway 4 (adverb)

argue 4 (verb)

arise 4 (verb)

arm 4 (noun, verb)

aside 4 (noun, adverb)

associate 4 (noun, verb, adjective)

automatic 4 (adjective)

automatically 4 (adverb)

basket 4 (noun)

bet 4 (noun, verb)

blow 4 (noun, verb)

bonus 4 (noun)

border 4 (noun, verb)

branch 4 (noun, verb)

breast 4 (noun, verb)

brother 4 (noun, interjection)

buddy 4 (noun, verb)

bunch 4 (noun, verb) cabinet 4 (noun)

childhood 4 (noun)

chip 4 (noun, verb)

church 4 (noun)

civil 4 (adjective)

clothes 4 (noun)

coach 4 (noun, verb, adverb)

coffee 4 (noun)

confirm 4 (verb)

cross 4 (noun, verb, adjective)

deeply 4 (adverb)

definitely 4 (adverb)

deliberately 4 (adverb)

dinner 4 (noun)

document 4 (noun, verb)

draft 4 (noun, verb, adjective)

drawing 4 (noun)

dust 4 (noun, verb)

employ 4 (verb, noun)

encouraging 4 (verb)

expert 4 (noun, adjective)

external 4 (adjective, noun)

floor 4 (noun, verb)

former 4 (adjective)

god 4 (noun, interjection) golf 4 (noun, verb)

habit 4 (noun, verb)

hair 4 (noun)

hardly 4 (adverb)

hearing 4 (noun)

hurt 4 (verb, noun)

illegal 4 (adjective, noun)

incorporate 4 (verb)

initiative 4 (noun)

iron 4 (noun, verb)

judge 4 (noun, verb)

judgment 4 (noun)

justify 4 (verb)

knife 4 (noun, verb)

lab 4 (noun)

landscape 4 (noun, verb)

laugh 4 (verb, noun)

lay 4 (verb, noun, adjective)

league 4 (noun, verb)

loud 4 (adjective, adverb)

mail 4 (noun, verb)

massive 4 (adjective)

measurement 4 (noun)

mess 4 (noun, verb)

mobile 4 (adjective, noun) mode 4 (noun)

mud 4 (noun)

nasty 4 (adjective, noun)

native 4 (noun, adjective)

opening 4 (noun, adjective)

orange 4 (noun)

ordinary 4 (adjective, noun)

organize 4 (verb)

ought 4 (verb)

parent 4 (noun, verb)

pattern 4 (noun, verb)

pin 4 (noun, verb)

poetry 4 (noun)

police 4 (noun)

pool 4 (noun, verb)

possess 4 (verb)

possibility 4 (noun)

pound 4 (noun, verb)

procedure 4 (noun)

queen 4 (noun)

ratio 4 (noun)

readily 4 (adverb)

relation 4 (noun)

relieve 4 (verb)

request 4 (noun, verb) respond 4 (verb, noun)

restaurant 4 (noun)

retain 4 (verb)

royal 4 (adjective, noun)

salary 4 (noun, verb)

satisfaction 4 (noun)

sector 4 (noun)

senior 4 (adjective, noun)

shame 4 (noun, verb)

shelter 4 (noun, verb)

shoe 4 (noun, verb)

shut 4 (verb)

signature 4 (noun)

significance 4 (noun)

silver 4 (noun, adjective, verb)

somebody 4 (pronoun)

song 4 (noun)

southern 4 (adjective)

split 4 (verb, noun)

strain 4 (verb, noun)

struggle 4 (verb, noun)

super 4 (adjective, adverb, noun)

swim 4 (verb, noun)

tackle 4 (noun, verb)

tank 4 (noun, verb) terribly 4 (adverb)

tight 4 (adjective, adverb)

tooth 4 (noun)

town 4 (noun)

train 4 (verb, noun)

trust 4 (noun, verb)

unfair 4 (adjective)

unfortunately 4 (adverb)

upper 4 (adjective, noun)

vehicle 4 (noun)

visible 4 (adjective)

volume 4 (noun)

wash 4 (verb, noun)

waste 4 (verb, adjective, noun)

wife 4 (noun)

yellow 4 (adjective, noun, verb)

yours 4 (pronoun)

accident 3 (noun)

airport 3 (noun)

alive 3 (adjective)

angry 3 (adjective)

appointment 3 (noun)

arrival 3 (noun)

assist 3 (noun, verb)

assumption 3 (noun) bake 3 (noun, verb)

bar 3 (noun, verb, preposition)

baseball 3 (noun)

bell 3 (noun, verb)

bike 3 (noun, verb)

blame 3 (noun, verb)

boy 3 (noun, interjection)

brick 3 (noun, verb)

calculate 3 (verb)

chair 3 (noun, verb)

chapter 3 (noun)

closet 3 (noun, verb, adjective)

clue 3 (noun, verb)

collar 3 (noun, verb)

comment 3 (noun, verb)

committee 3 (noun)

compete 3 (verb)

concerning 3 (preposition)

conference 3 (noun, verb)

consult 3 (verb)

conversation 3 (noun)

convert 3 (verb, noun)

crash 3 (verb, noun, adjective, adverb)

database 3 (noun)

deliver 3 (verb) dependent 3 (adjective, noun)

desperate 3 (adjective)

devil 3 (noun, verb)

diet 3 (noun, verb)

enthusiasm 3 (noun)

error 3 (noun)

exciting 3 (adjective)

explanation 3 (noun)

extend 3 (verb)

farmer 3 (noun)

fear 3 (noun, verb)

fold 3 (verb, noun)

forth 3 (adverb)

friendly 3 (adjective)

fuel 3 (noun, verb)

funny 3 (adjective, noun)

gate 3 (noun)

girl 3 (noun)

glove 3 (noun, verb)

grab 3 (verb, noun)

gross 3 (adjective, adverb, verb, noun)

hall 3 (noun)

herself 3 (pronoun)

hide 3 (verb, noun)

historian 3 (noun) hospital 3 (noun)

ill 3 (adjective, adverb, noun)

injury 3 (noun)

instruction 3 (noun)

investigate 3 (verb)

jacket 3 (noun, verb)

lucky 3 (adjective)

lunch 3 (noun, verb)

maintenance 3 (noun)

manufacturer 3 (noun)

meal 3 (noun)

miss 3 (verb, noun)

monitor 3 (noun, verb)

mortgage 3 (noun, verb)

negotiate 3 (verb)

nurse 3 (noun, verb)

pace 3 (noun, verb, preposition)

panic 3 (noun, verb)

peak 3 (noun, verb, adjective)

perception 3 (noun)

permit 3 (verb, noun)

pie 3 (noun)

plane 3 (noun, adjective, verb)

poem 3 (noun)

presence 3 (noun) proposal 3 (noun)

provided 3 (past, verb)

qualify 3 (verb)

quote 3 (verb, noun)

realistic 3 (adjective)

reception 3 (noun)

recover 3 (verb, noun)

replacement 3 (noun)

resolve 3 (verb, noun)

retire 3 (verb)

revolution 3 (noun)

reward 3 (noun, verb) rid 3 (verb)

river 3 (noun)

roll 3 (verb, noun)

row 3 (noun, verb)

sandwich 3 (noun, verb)

shock 3 (noun, verb)

sink 3 (verb, noun)

slip 3 (verb, noun)

son 3 (noun)

sorry 3 (adjective)

spare 3 (adjective, noun, verb)

speech 3 (noun)

spite 3 (noun, verb) spray 3 (noun, verb)

surprise 3 (noun, verb)

suspect 3 (verb, noun, adjective)

sweet 3 (adjective, noun)

swing 3 (verb, noun)

tea 3 (noun)

till 3 (noun, verb)

transition 3 (noun, verb)

twist 3 (verb, noun)

ugly 3 (adjective)

unlikely 3 (adjective)

upstairs 3 (adjective, noun)

usual 3 (adjective, noun)

village 3 (noun)

warning 3 (noun)

weekend 3 (noun, verb)

weigh 3 (verb)

welcome 3 (noun, interjection, verb, adjective)

winner 3 (noun)

worker 3 (noun)

writer 3 (noun)

yard 3 (noun, verb)

abroad 2 (adverb, noun)

alarm 2 (noun, verb)

anxious 2 (adjective) arrive 2 (verb)

assistance 2 (noun)

attach 2 (verb)

behave 2 (verb)

bend 2 (noun, verb)

bicycle 2 (noun, verb)

bite 2 (noun, verb)

blind 2 (noun, verb, adjective, adverb)

bottle 2 (noun, verb)

brave 2 (adjective, noun, verb)

breath 2 (noun)

briefly 2 (adverb)

buyer 2 (noun)

cable 2 (noun, verb)

calm 2 (adjective, noun, verb)

candle 2 (noun, verb)

celebrate 2 (verb)

chest 2 (noun)

chocolate 2 (noun)

clerk 2 (noun, verb)

cloud 2 (noun, verb)

comprehensive 2 (adjective)

concentrate 2 (verb, noun)

concert 2 (noun, verb)

conclusion 2 (noun) contribution 2 (noun)

convince 2 (verb)

cookie 2 (noun)

counter 2 (noun, verb, adverb, adjective)

courage 2 (noun)

curious 2 (adjective) dad 2 (noun)

desk 2 (noun)

dirty 2 (adjective, verb)

disagree 2 (verb)

downtown 2 (adjective, adverb, noun)

drawer 2 (noun)

establish 2 (verb)

establishment 2 (noun)

estimate 2 (verb, noun)

examination 2 (noun)

flower 2 (noun, verb)

garbage 2 (noun)

grand 2 (adjective, noun)

grandfather 2 (noun, verb)

grocery 2 (noun)

harm 2 (noun, verb)

honest 2 (adjective, adverb)

honey 2 (noun)

ignore 2 (verb) imply 2 (verb)

impression 2 (noun)

impressive 2 (adjective)

improvement 2 (noun)

independence 2 (noun)

informal 2 (adjective)

inner 2 (adjective)

insect 2 (noun)

insist 2 (verb)

inspection 2 (noun)

inspector 2 (noun)

king 2 (noun)

knee 2 (noun, verb)

ladder 2 (noun)

lawyer 2 (noun, verb)

leather 2 (noun, adjective, verb)

load 2 (noun, verb)

loose 2 (adjective, verb)

male 2 (adjective, noun)

menu 2 (noun)

mine 2 (pronoun, noun, verb)

mirror 2 (noun, verb)

moreover 2 (adverb)

neck 2 (noun, verb)

penalty 2 (noun) pension 2 (noun, verb)

piano 2 (noun)

plate 2 (noun, verb)

pleasant 2 (adjective)

pleased 2 (past, verb)

potato 2 (noun)

profession 2 (noun)

professor 2 (noun)

prompt 2 (verb, noun, adjective)

proposed 2 (past, verb)

purple 2 (noun, adjective, verb)

pursue 2 (verb)

quantity 2 (noun)

quiet 2 (adjective, noun, verb)

reaction 2 (noun)

refuse 2 (verb, noun)

regret 2 (verb, noun)

remaining 2 (verb)

requirement 2 (noun)

reveal 2 (verb, noun)

ruin 2 (noun, verb)

rush 2 (verb, noun)

salad 2 (noun)

sexual 2 (adjective)

shake 2 (verb, noun) shift 2 (verb, noun)

shine 2 (verb, noun)

ship 2 (noun, verb)

sister 2 (noun)

skirt 2 (noun, verb)

slice 2 (noun, verb)

snow 2 (noun, verb)

specialist 2 (noun, adjective)

specify 2 (verb)

steal 2 (verb, noun)

stroke 2 (noun, verb)

strongly 2 (adverb)

suck 2 (verb, noun)

sudden 2 (adjective)

supermarket 2 (noun)

surround 2 (verb, noun)

switch 2 (noun, verb)

terrible 2 (adjective)

tired 2 (past, verb)

tongue 2 (noun)

trash 2 (noun, verb)

tune 2 (noun, verb)

unable 2 (adjective)

warn 2 (verb)

weak 2 (adjective) weakness 2 (noun)

wedding 2 (noun)

wooden 2 (adjective)

worried 2 (past, verb)

yeah 2 (adverb, interjection)

zone 2 (noun, verb)

accuse 1 (verb)

admire 1 (verb)

admit 1 (verb)

adopt 1 (verb)

affair 1 (noun)

ambition 1 (noun)

analyst 1 (noun)

anger 1 (noun, verb)

announce 1 (verb)

anybody 1 (pronoun, noun)

apologize 1 (verb)

apple 1 (noun)

approve 1 (verb)

asleep 1 (adjective)

assignment 1 (noun)

assistant 1 (noun)

attend 1 (verb)

award 1 (noun, verb)

bathroom 1 (noun) bear 1 (verb, noun)

bedroom 1 (noun)

beer 1 (noun)

belong 1 (verb)

bid 1 (noun, verb)

birthday 1 (noun)

bitter 1 (noun, adjective)

boot 1 (noun, verb)

brilliant 1 (adjective, noun)

bug 1 (noun, verb)

camp 1 (noun, verb, adjective)

candy 1 (noun, verb)

carpet 1 (noun, verb)

cat 1 (noun, verb)

celebration 1 (noun)

champion 1 (noun, verb)

championship 1 (noun)

channel 1 (noun, verb)

cheek 1 (noun)

client 1 (noun)

clock 1 (noun, verb)

comfort 1 (noun, verb)

commit 1 (verb)

confident 1 (adjective)

conscious 1 (adjective) consequence 1 (noun)

cow 1 (noun, verb)

crack 1 (noun, verb, adjective)

criticize 1 (verb)

dare 1 (verb, noun)

dear 1 (adjective, noun, adverb, interjection)

decent 1 (adjective)

delay 1 (verb, noun)

departure 1 (noun)

deserve 1 (verb)

destroy 1 (verb)

diamond 1 (noun)

dirt 1 (noun)

disappointed 1 (past, verb)

drunk 1 (adjective, noun)

ear 1 (noun)

embarrassed 1 (adjective)

empty 1 (adjective, verb, noun)

engineer 1 (noun, verb)

entrance 1 (noun, verb)

fault 1 (noun, verb)

female 1 (adjective, noun)

fortune 1 (noun)

friendship 1 (noun)

funeral 1 (noun) gene 1 (noun)

girlfriend 1 (noun)

grass 1 (noun, verb)

guilty 1 (adjective)

guy 1 (noun, verb)

hat 1 (noun)

hell 1 (noun, interjection)

hesitate 1 (verb)

highlight 1 (noun, verb)

honestly 1 (adverb)

hurry 1 (verb, noun)

illustrate 1 (verb)

incident 1 (noun, adjective)

indication 1 (noun)

inevitable 1 (adjective, noun)

inform 1 (verb)

intention 1 (noun)

invite 1 (verb, noun)

island 1 (noun, verb)

joke 1 (noun, verb)

jury 1 (noun, verb, adjective)

kiss 1 (verb, noun)

lady 1 (noun)

leg 1 (noun, verb)

lip 1 (noun, verb) lonely 1 (adjective)

mad 1 (adjective)

manufacturing 1 (verb)

marry 1 (verb, interjection)

mate 1 (noun, verb)

midnight 1 (noun)

motor 1 (noun, adjective, verb)

neat 1 (adjective, noun)

negotiation 1 (noun)

nerve 1 (noun, verb)

nervous 1 (adjective)

nowhere 1 (adverb, pronoun, adjective)

obligation 1 (noun)

odd 1 (adjective)

ok 1 (adjective, adverb, noun, verb)

passage 1 (noun, verb)

passenger 1 (noun)

pen 1 (noun, verb)

persuade 1 (verb)

pizza 1 (noun)

platform 1 (noun)

poet 1 (noun)

pollution 1 (noun)

pop 1 (verb, noun, adverb, adjective)

pour 1 (verb) pray 1 (verb, adverb)

pretend 1 (verb, adjective)

previously 1 (adverb)

pride 1 (noun, verb)

priest 1 (noun, verb)

prize 1 (noun, adjective, verb)

promise 1 (noun, verb)

propose 1 (verb)

punch 1 (verb, noun)

quit 1 (verb, noun)

recognition 1 (noun)

remarkable 1 (adjective)

remind 1 (verb)

reply 1 (verb, noun)

representative 1 (adjective, noun)

reputation 1 (noun)

resident 1 (noun, adjective)

resist 1 (verb, noun)

resort 1 (noun, verb)

ring 1 (noun, verb)

rip 1 (verb, noun)

roof 1 (noun, verb)

rope 1 (noun, verb)

rub 1 (verb, noun)

sail 1 (noun, verb) scheme 1 (noun, verb)

script 1 (noun, verb)

shall 1 (verb)

shirt 1 (noun)

silly 1 (adjective, noun)

sir 1 (noun)

slight 1 (adjective, verb, noun)

smart 1 (adjective, verb, noun)

smile 1 (verb, noun)

sock 1 (noun, verb)

speaker 1 (noun)

spell 1 (verb, noun)

station 1 (noun, verb)

stranger 1 (noun)

stretch 1 (verb, noun)

stupid 1 (adjective, noun)

submit 1 (verb)

substantial 1 (adjective)

suppose 1 (verb)

surgery 1 (noun)

suspicious 1 (adjective)

sympathy 1 (noun)

tale 1 (noun)

tall 1 (adjective)

tear 1 (verb, noun) temporary 1 (adjective, noun)

throat 1 (noun)

tiny 1 (adjective)

toe 1 (noun, verb)

tomorrow 1 (adverb, noun)

tower 1 (noun, verb)

trainer 1 (noun)

translate 1 (verb)

truck 1 (noun, verb)

uncle 1 (noun)

wake 1 (verb, noun)

weekly 1 (adjective, adverb, noun)

whoever 1 (pronoun)

witness 1 (noun, verb)

wrap 1 (verb, noun)

yesterday 1 (adverb, noun)

youth 1 (noun)

200 commonly misspelt words

1. absence

the state of being not present

2. accommodate

have room for; hold without crowding

3. achieve

gain with effort

4. acquire

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

5. across

to the opposite side

6. address

the place where a person or organization can be found

7. advertise

make publicity for; try to sell

8. advice

a proposal for an appropriate course of action

9. apparent

clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment

10. argument

a dispute where there is strong disagreement

11. athlete

a person trained to compete in sports

12. awful exceptionally bad or displeasing

13. balance

harmonious arrangement or relation of parts within a whole

14. basically

in essence; at bottom or by one's (or its) very nature

15. becoming

displaying or setting off to best advantage

16. before

at or in the front

17. beginning

the act of starting something

18. believe

accept as true; take to be true

19. benefit

something that aids or promotes well-being

20. breathe

draw air into, and expel out of, the lungs

21. brilliant

full of light; shining intensely

22. business

the principal activity in one's life to earn money

23. calendar

a system of timekeeping that defines divisions of the year

24. careful

exercising caution or showing attention 25. category

a general concept that marks divisions or coordinations

26. ceiling

the overhead upper surface of a covered space

27. cemetery

a tract of land used for burials

28. certain

established beyond doubt or question; definitely known

29. chief

the head of a tribe or clan

30. citizen

a native or naturalized member of a state

31. coming

of the relatively near future

32. competition

the act of contending with others for rewards or resources

33. convenience

the quality of being useful

34. criticize

point out real or perceived flaws

35. decide

reach, make, or come to a conclusion about something

36. definite

precise; explicit and clearly defined

37. deposit the act of putting something somewhere

38. describe

give a statement representing something

39. desperate

a person who is frightened and in need of help

40. develop

progress or evolve through a process of natural growth

41. difference

the quality of being unlike or dissimilar

42. dilemma

state of uncertainty in a choice between unfavorable options

43. disappear

become invisible or unnoticeable

44. disappoint

fail to meet the hopes or expectations of

45. discipline

a system of rules of conduct or method of practice

46. easily

with ease (`easy' is sometimes used informally for `easily')

47. eight

the cardinal number that is the sum of seven and one

48. either

used as an intensive after a negative meaning "likewise"

49. embarrass

cause to feel self-conscious 50. environment

the totality of surrounding conditions

51. equipped

provided with whatever is necessary for a purpose

52. exaggerate

enlarge beyond bounds or the truth

53. excellent

very good; of the highest quality

54. except

prevent from being included or considered or accepted

55. exercise

the activity of exerting muscles to keep fit

56. existence

the state or fact of being

57. expect

regard something as probable or likely

58. experience

the content of observation or participation in an event

59. experiment

the act of conducting a controlled test or investigation

60. explanation

making something plain or intelligible

61. familiar

a friend who is frequently in the company of another

62. fascinating capable of arousing and holding the attention

63. finally

as the end result of a succession or process

64. foreign

not deriving from the essential nature of something

65. forty

the cardinal number that is the product of ten and four

66. forward

at or to or toward the front

67. friend

a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

68. fundamental

serving as an essential component

69. generally

usually; as a rule

70. government

the system or form by which a community is ruled

71. grammar

the branch of linguistics that deals with sentence structure

72. guarantee

an unconditional commitment that something will happen

73. guidance

the act of showing the way

74. happiness

state of well-being characterized by contentment and joy 75. humorous

characterized by the power to evoke laughter

76. identity

the characteristics by which a thing or person is known

77. imaginary

not based on fact; unreal

78. imitation

copying the actions of someone else

79. immediately

without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening

80. incidentally

by the way (used to introduce a new topic)

81. independent

free from external control and constraint

82. intelligent

having the capacity for thought and reason to a high degree

83. interesting

arousing or holding the attention

84. interfere

get involved, so as to alter or hinder an action

85. interpretation

the act of expressing something in an artistic performance

86. interruption

an act of delaying or interrupting the continuity

87. invitation a request to be present or take part in something

88. irrelevant

having no bearing on or connection with the subject at issue

89. irritable

easily annoyed

90. island

a land mass that is surrounded by water

91. jealous

suspicious or fearful of being displaced by a rival

92. judgment

the act of assessing a person or situation or event

93. knowledge

the result of perception, learning, and reasoning

94. laboratory

a workplace for the conduct of scientific research

95. length

the linear extent in space from one end to the other

96. lesson

the significance of a story or event

97. library

depository containing books and other materials for reading

98. license

a legal document giving official permission to do something

99. loneliness

sadness resulting from being forsaken or abandoned 100. lose

fail to keep or to maintain

101. lying

the deliberate act of deviating from the truth

102. marriage

the state of being a couple voluntarily joined for life

103. mathematics

a science dealing with the logic of quantity and arrangement

104. medicine

the profession devoted to alleviating diseases and injuries

105. miniature

being on a very small scale

106. minute

a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour

107. mysterious

beyond ordinary understanding

108. naturally

in a natural or normal manner

109. necessary

absolutely essential

110. neighbor

a person who lives near another

111. neither

not either; not one or the other

112. noticeable capable of being detected

113. occasion

an event that occurs at a critical time

114. occur

come to pass

115. official

of or relating to a place of business

116. often

many times at short intervals

117. omission

leaving out or passing over something

118. operate

perform as expected when applied

119. optimism

the hopeful feeling that all is going to turn out well

120. original

preceding all others in time

121. paid

marked by the reception of pay

122. parallel

being everywhere equidistant and not intersecting

123. particularly

to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common

124. peculiar

beyond or deviating from the usual or expected 125. perceive

to become aware of through the senses

126. perform

get done

127. permanent

continuing or enduring without marked change in status

128. persevere

be persistent, refuse to stop

129. personally

in the flesh; without involving anyone else

130. persuade

cause somebody to adopt a certain position or belief

131. picture

a visual representation produced on a surface

132. piece

a separate part of a whole

133. planning

an act of formulating a program for a course of action

134. pleasant

being in harmony with your taste or likings

135. political

involving or characteristic of governing or social power

136. possess

have ownership of

137. possible capable of happening or existing

138. practical

guided by experience and observation rather than theory

139. prefer

like better; value more highly

140. prejudice

a partiality preventing objective consideration of an issue

141. presence

current existence

142. privilege

a special advantage or benefit not enjoyed by all

143. probably

with considerable certainty; without much doubt

144. professional

of or relating to or suitable as an occupation

145. promise

a verbal commitment agreeing to do something in the future

146. proof

any evidence that helps to establish the truth of something

147. psychology

the science of mental life

148. quantity

how much there is or how many there are of something

149. quarter

one of four equal parts 150. quiet

characterized by an absence of agitation or activity

151. quit

put an end to a state or an activity

152. quite

to the greatest extent; completely

153. realize

be fully aware or cognizant of

154. receive

get something; come into possession of

155. recognize

perceive to be the same

156. recommend

express a good opinion of

157. reference

the act of consulting

158. religious

having or showing belief in and reverence for a deity

159. repetition

the act of doing or performing again

160. restaurant

a building where people go to eat

161. rhythm

an interval during which a recurring sequence occurs

162. ridiculous incongruous or absurd

163. sacrifice

the act of killing in order to appease a deity

164. safety

being certain that adverse effects will not be caused

165. scissors

an edge tool having two crossed pivoting blades

166. secretary

an assistant who handles correspondence and clerical work

167. separate

standing apart; not attached to or supported by anything

168. shining

the work of making something smooth and shiny by rubbing or waxing it

169. similar

having the same or nearly the same characteristics

170. sincerely

without pretense

171. soldier

an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army

172. speech

communication by word of mouth

173. stopping

fastener consisting of a narrow strip of welded metal used to join steel members

174. strength

the property of being physically or mentally powerful 175. studying

reading carefully with intent to remember

176. succeed

attain success or reach a desired goal

177. successful

having succeeded or being marked by a favorable outcome

178. surely

definitely or positively

179. surprise

come upon or take unawares

180. temperature

the degree of hotness or coldness of a body or environment

181. temporary

not permanent; not lasting

182. thorough

painstakingly careful and accurate

183. through

having finished or arrived at completion

184. truly

in accordance with fact or reality

185. twelfth

position 12 in a countable series of things

186. unusual

not common or ordinary

187. using an act that exploits or victimizes someone

188. usually

under normal conditions

189. village

a settlement smaller than a town

190. weird

strikingly odd or unusual

191. welcome

the state of being received with pleasure

Genres and sub genres

ROMANCE48

“A story that, at its core, is about a couple coming together to form a family unit.” –Steven Axelrod, agent

“If you can take the love interest out and it’s still a story, it’s not a romance.” –Jayne Ann Krentz, author

Chick-Lit: often humorous romantic adventures geared toward single working women in their twenties and thirties.

Christian: romances in which both hero and heroine are devout Christians, typically focused on a chaste courtship, and mentioning sex only after marriage.

Contemporary: a romance using modern characters and true-to-life settings.

Erotica: also called “romantica,” a romance in which the bedroom doors have been flung open and sexual scenes are described in candid language.

Glitz/Glamor: focused on the jet-set elite and celebrity-like characters.

Historical: a romance taking place in a recognizable historical period.

Multicultural: a romance centered on non-Caucasian characters, largely African-American or Hispanic.

Paranormal: involving some sort of supernatural element, ranging widely to include science fiction/fantasy aspects such as time travel, monsters or psychic abilities.

Romantic Comedy: a romance focused on humor, ranging from screwball antics to witty interplay.

Romantic Suspense: a novel in which an admirable heroine is pitted against some evil force (but in which the romantic aspect still maintains priority).

Sensual: based on the sensual tension between hero and heroine, including sizzling sex scenes.

Spicy: a romance in which married characters work to resolve their problems.

Sweet: a romance centered on a virgin heroine, with a storyline containing little or no sex.

Young Adult: written with the teenage audience in mind, with a suitably lower level of sexual content.

HORROR

“Horror, for me, is the compelling Ôdon’t want to look/must look’ sense of awe we feel under the breastbone.” –Mort Castle, author

Child in Peril: involving the abduction and/or persecution of a child.

Comic Horror: horror stories that either spoof horror conventions or that mix the gore with dark humor.

48 http://www.writersdigest.com/qp7-migration-all-articles/qp7-migration-fiction/genredefinitions Creepy Kids: horror tale in which children Ð often under the influence of dark forces Ð begin to turn against the adults.

Dark Fantasy: a horror story with supernatural and fantasy elements.

Dark Mystery/Noir: inspired by hardboiled detective tales, set in an urban underworld of crime and moral ambiguity.

Erotic Vampire: a horror tale making the newly trendy link between sexuality and vampires, but with more emphasis on graphic description and violence.

Fabulist: derived from “fable,” an ancient tradition in which objects, animals or forces of nature are anthropomorphized in order to deliver a moral lesson.

Gothic: a traditional form depicting the encroachment of the Middle Ages upon the 18th century Enlightenment, filled with images of decay and ruin, and episodes of imprisonment and persecution.

Hauntings: a classic form centering on possession by ghosts, demons or poltergeists, particularly of some sort of structure.

Historical: horror tales set in a specific and recognizable period of history.

Magical Realism: a genre inspired by Latin-American authors, in which extraordinary forces or creatures pop into otherwise normal, real-life settings.

Psychological: a story based on the disturbed human psyche, often exploring insane, altered realities and featuring a human monster with horrific, but not supernatural, aspects.

Quiet Horror: subtly written horror that uses atmosphere and mood, rather than graphic description, to create fear and suspense.

Religious: horror that makes use of religious icons and mythology, especially the angels and demons derived from Dante’s Inferno and Milton’s Paradise Lost.

Science-Fiction Horror: SF with a darker, more violent twist, often revolving around alien invasions, mad scientists, or experiments gone wrong.

Splatter: a fairly new, extreme style of horror that cuts right to the gore.

Supernatural Menace: a horror tale in which the rules of normal existence don’t apply, often featuring ghosts, demons, vampires and werewolves.

Technology: stories featuring technology that has run amok, venturing increasingly into the expanding domain of computers, cyberspace, and genetic engineering.

Weird Tales: inspired by the magazine of the same name, a more traditional form featuring strange and uncanny events (Twilight Zone).

Young Adult: horror aimed at a teen market, often with heroes the same age, or slightly older than, the reader.

Zombie: tales featuring dead people who return to commit mayhem on the living.

THRILLER/SUSPENSE

“One element to it may be that something bigger’s at stake Ð if (the hero is) not successful, there will be a nuclear war.” –David Baldacci, author “Any story that keeps you on the edge of your seat and, likely, up all night.” –Robert S. Levinson, author

Action: a story that often features a race against the clock, lots of violence, and an obvious antagonist.

Comic: a thriller played for laughs, whether through a spoof of the genre or wisecracking interplay between the protagonists.

Conspiracy: a thriller in which the hero battles a large, powerful group whose true extent only he recognizes.

Crime: a story focused on the commission of a crime, often from the point of view of the criminals.

Disaster: a story in which Mother Nature herself is the antagonist, in the form of a hurricane, earthquake or some other natural menace.

Eco-Thriller: a story in which the hero battles some ecological calamity Ð and often has to also fight the people responsible for creating that calamity.

Erotic: a thriller in which sex plays a major role.

Espionage: the classic international spy novel, which is enjoying a resurgence with one important change: where spies used to battle enemy spies, they now battle terrorists.

Forensic: a thriller featuring the work of forensic experts, whose involvement often puts their own lives at risk.

Historical: a thriller taking place in a specific and recognizable historic period.

Horror: a story—generally featuring some monstrous villain Ð in which fear and violence play a major part, complete with graphic descriptions.

Legal: a thriller in which a lawyer confronts enemies outside as well as inside the courtroom, generally putting his own life at risk.

Medical: a thriller featuring medical personnel, whether battling a legitimate medical threat such as a world-wide virus, or the illegal or immoral use of medical technology.

Military: a thriller featuring a military protagonist, often working behind enemy lines or as part of a specialized force.

Police Procedural: a crime thriller that follows the police as they work their way through a case.

Political Intrigue: a thriller in which the hero must ensure the stability of the government that employs him.

Psychological: a suspenseful thriller in which the conflict between the characters is mental and emotional rather than physical—until an often violent resolution.

Romantic: a thriller in which the protagonists are romantically involved.

Supernatural: a thriller in which the hero, the antagonist, or both have supernatural powers.

Technological: a thriller in which technology Ð usually run amok Ð is central to the plot.

Science Fiction/Fantasy “‘Imaginative fiction’ is still my preferred term, which covers most things out of the ordinary.” –Jane Johnson (aka Jude Fisher), author/publisher

“Science fiction is potentially real; fantasy is not.” –Marlene Stringer, agent

Alternate History: speculative fiction that changes the accepted account of actual historical events, often featuring a profound “what if?” premise.

Arthurian Fantasy: reworkings of the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

Bangsian Fantasy: stories speculating on the afterlives of famous people.

Biopunk: a blend of film noir, Japanese anime and post-modern elements used to describe an underground, nihilistic biotech society.

Children’s Fantasy: a kinder, gentler style of fantasy aimed at very young readers.

Comic: fantasy or science fiction that spoofs the conventions of the genre, or the conventions of society.

Cyberpunk: stories featuring tough outsiders in a high-tech near-future where computers have produced major changes in society.

Dark Fantasy: tales that focus on the nightmarish underbelly of magic, venturing into the violence of horror novels.

Dystopian: stories that portray a bleak future world.

Erotic: SF or fantasy tales that focus on sexuality.

Game-Related Fantasy: tales with plots and characters similar to high fantasy, but based on a specific role-playing game like Dungeons and Dragons.

Hard Science Fiction: tales in which real present-day science is logically extrapolated to the future.

Heroic Fantasy: stories of war and its heroes, the fantasy equivalent of military science fiction.

High/Epic Fantasy: tales with an emphasis on the fate of an entire race or nation, often featuring a young “nobody” hero battling an ultimate evil.

Historical: speculative fiction taking place in a recognizable historical period.

Mundane SF: a movement that spurns fanciful conceits like warp drives, wormholes and faster-than- light travel for stories based on scientific knowledge as it actually exists.

Military SF: war stories that extrapolate existing military technology and tactics into the future.

Mystery SF: a cross-genre blend that can be either an SF tale with a central mystery or a classic whodunit with SF elements.

Mythic Fiction: stories inspired, or modeled on, classic myths, legends and fairy tales.

New Age: a category of speculative fiction that deals with occult subjects such as astrology, psychic phenomena, spiritual healing, UFOs and mysticism.

Post-Apocalyptic: stories of life on Earth after an apocalypse, focusing on the struggle to survive.

Romance: speculative fiction in which romance plays a key part. Religious: centering on theological ideas, and heroes who are ruled by their religious beliefs.

Science Fantasy: a blend in which fantasy is supported by scientific or pseudo-scientific explanations.

Social SF: tales that focus on how characters react to their environments Ð including social satire.

Soft SF: tales based on the more subjective, “softer” sciences: psychology, sociology, anthropology, etc.

Space Opera: a traditional good guys/bad guys faceoff with lots of action and larger-than-life characters.

Spy-Fi: tales of espionage with SF elements, especially the use of high-tech gadgetry.

Steampunk: a specific type of alternate history in which characters in Victorian England have access to 20th century technology.

Superheroes: stories featuring characters endowed with superhuman strengths or abilities.

Sword and Sorcery: a classic genre often set in the medieval period, and more concerned with immediate physical threats than high or heroic fantasy.

Thriller SF: an SF story that takes on the classic world-at-risk, cliffhanger elements of a thriller.

Time-Travel: stories based on the concept of moving forward or backward in time, often delving into the existence of parallel worlds.

Urban Fantasy: a fantasy tale in which magical powers and characters appear in an otherwise normal modern context, similar to Latin American magical realism.

Vampire: variations on the classic vampire legend, recently taking on many sexual and romantic variations.

Wuxia: fantasy tales set within the martial arts traditions and philosophies of China.

Young Adult: speculative fiction aimed at a teenage audience, often featuring a hero the same age or slightly older than the reader.

Mystery/Crime

“The difference between thrillers and mysteries that there’s a puzzle in the mystery. If you can disentangle it, it will lead you to the answer.” –Jean V. Naggar, agent

Amateur Detective: a mystery solved by an amateur, who generally has some profession or affiliation that provides ready access to information about the crime.

Child in Peril: a mystery involving the abduction or persecution of a child.

Classic Whodunit: a crime that is solved by a detective, from the detective’s point of view, with all clues available to the reader.

Comic (Bumbling Detective): a mystery played for laughs, often featuring a detective who is grossly unskilled (but often solves the crime anyway, owing to tremendous good luck).

Cozy: a mystery that takes place in a small town—sometimes in a single home—where all the suspects are present and familiar with one another, except the detective, who is usually an eccentric outsider. Courtroom Drama: a mystery that takes place through the justice system—often the efforts of a defense attorney to prove the innocence of his client by finding the real culprit.

Dark Thriller: a mystery that ventures into the fear factor and graphic violence of the horror genre.

Espionage: the international spy novel—here based less on action than on solving the “puzzle”—is today less focused on the traditional enemy spies than on terrorists.

Forensic: a mystery solved through the forensics lab, featuring much detail and scientific procedure.

Heists and Capers: an “antihero” genre which focuses on the planning and execution of a crime, told from the criminal’s perspective.

Historical: a mystery that takes place in a specific, recognizable period of history, with much emphasis on the details of the setting.

Inverted: a story in which the reader knows “whodunit,” but the suspense arises from watching the detective figure it out.

Locked Room: a mystery in which the crime is apparently committed under impossible circumstances (but eventually elicits a rational explanation).

Medical: generally involving a medical threat (e.g., a viral epidemic), or the illegitimate use of medical technology.

Police Procedural: a crime solved from the perspective of the police, following detailed, real-life procedures.

Private Detective: Focused on the independent snoop-for-hire, these have evolved from tough-guy “hard-boiled” detectives to the more professional operators of today.

Psychological Suspense: mysteries focused on the intricacies of the crime and what motivated the perpetrator to commit them.

Romantic: a mystery in which the crime-solvers fall in love.

Technothriller: a spinoff from the traditional thriller mystery, with an emphasis on high technology.

Thriller: a suspense mystery with a wider—often international—scope and more action.

Woman in Jeopardy: focuses on a woman put into peril by a crime, and her struggles to overcome or outwit the perpetrator.

Young Adult: a story aimed at a teenage audience, with a hero detective generally the same age or slightly older than the reader, pursuing criminals who are generally less violent—but often just as scary—as those in adult mysteries.

Outline of full Genres and sub genres Please click on each genres for full details. 49

The classic major genres of literature are:

• Tragedy • Tragic comedy • Fantasy • Mythology • Adventure • Mystery

Other major book genres include

• Science fiction • Drama • Romance • Action / Adventure • Satire • Horror

Genre categories: fiction and nonfiction[edit]

A Genre may fall under one of two categories: fiction and non-fiction. Any genre can be either a work of fiction (nonfactual descriptions and events invented by the author) or a work of nonfiction (a communication in which descriptions and events are understood to be factual).

Subsets of genres, known as common genres, have developed from the archetypes of genres in written expression.

• Classic – fiction that has become part of an accepted literary canon, widely taught in schools • Comics/Graphic novel – comic magazine or book based on a sequence of pictures (often hand drawn) and few words. • Crime/detective – fiction about a crime, how the criminal gets caught, and the repercussions of the crime • Fable – legendary, supernatural tale demonstrating a useful truth • Fairy tale – story about fairies or other magical creatures • Fan fiction – fiction written by a fan of, and featuring characters from, a particular TV series, movie, or book. Usually takes place on platforms, such as Fanfiction.net or Wattpad • Fantasy – fiction in a unreal setting that often includes magic, magical creatures, or the supernatural • Folklore – the songs, stories, myths, and proverbs of a people or "folk" as handed down by word of mouth • Historical fiction – story with fictional characters and events in an historical setting • Horror – fiction in which events evoke a feeling of dread and sometimes fear in both the characters and the reader

49 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_writing_genres • Humor – usually a fiction full of fun, fancy, and excitement, meant to entertain and sometimes cause intended laughter; but can be contained in all genres • Legend – story, sometimes of a national or folk hero, that has a basis in fact but also includes imaginative material • Magical realism – story where magical or unreal elements play a natural part in an otherwise realistic environment • Meta fiction (also known as romantic irony in the context of Romantic works of literature) – uses self-reference to draw attention to itself as a work of art while exposing the "truth" of a story • Mystery – fiction dealing with the solution of a crime or the revealing of secrets • Mythology – legend or traditional narrative, often based in part on historical events, that reveals human behavior and natural phenomena by its symbolism; often pertaining to the actions of the gods • Mythopoeia – fiction in which characters from religious mythology, traditional myths, folklore and/or history are recast into a re-imagined realm created by the author • Picture book – picture storybook is a book with very little words and a lot of pictures; picture stories are usually for children • Realistic fiction – story that is true to life • Science fiction – story based on the impact of actual, imagined, or potential science, often set in the future or on other planets • Short story – fiction of great brevity, usually supports no subplots • Suspense/thriller – fiction about harm about to befall a person or group and the attempts made to evade the harm • Tall tale – humorous story with blatant exaggerations, such as swaggering heroes who do the impossible with nonchalance • Western – fiction set in the American Old West frontier and typically in the late eighteenth to late nineteenth century

Common genres: non-fiction

• Biography – a narrative of a person's life; when the author is also the main sub, this is an autobiography. • Essay – a short literary composition that reflects the author's outlook or point. • Owner's manual (also Instruction manual, User's guide) – an instructional book or booklet that is supplied with consumer products such as vehicles, home appliances, firearms, toys and computer peripherals • Journalism – reporting on news and current events • Lab Report – a report of an experiment • Memoir – factual story that focuses on a significant relationship between the writer and a person, place, or object; reads like a short novel • Narrative nonfiction/personal narrative – factual information about a significant event presented in a format that tells a story • Reference book – such as a dictionary, thesaurus, encyclopedia, almanac, or atlas • Self-help book – information with the intention of instructing readers on solving personal problems. • Speech – public address or discourse • Textbook – authoritative and detailed factual description of a topic.

Literary fiction vs. genre fiction Literary fiction is a term used to distinguish certain fictional works that possess commonly held qualities to readers outside genre fiction. Literary fiction has been defined as any fiction that attempts to engage with one or more truths or questions, hence relevant to a broad scope of humanity as a form of expression. There are many sources that help readers find and define literary fiction and genre fiction.[1][2]

Full Genres and sub genres Some genres listed may reappear throughout the list, indicating cross-genre status.

• Adventure novel • Epic • Imaginary voyage • Lost World • Men's adventure • Milesian tale • Picaresque novel (picaresco) • Apocalyptic • Sea story • Subterranean fiction • British Literature • Children's literature • Young adult fiction • Class S • Light novel • Education fiction • Campus novel • Campus murder mystery • School story • Romance • Varsity novel • Erotic fiction • Erotic romance • Picaresque novel (picaresco) • Women's erotica • Experimental fiction • Antinovel • Ergodic literature • Graphic novel • Historical fiction • Historical romance • Metahistorical romance • Historical Mystery (Also known as Historical Whodunit) • Holocaust Novels • Plantation tradition • Prehistoric fiction • Regency novel • Regency romance • Contradiction • Literary fiction • Literary nonsense • Mathematical fiction • Metafiction • Nonfiction novel • Bildungsroman • Biographical novel • Autobiographical novel • Semi-autobiographical novel • I novel • Slave narrative • Contemporary slave narrative • Neo-slave narrative • Occupational Fiction • Hollywood novel • Lab lit • Legal thriller • Medical fiction • Medical romance • Musical fiction • Sports fiction • Philosophical fiction • Existentialist fiction • Novel of ideas • Platonic Dialogues • Political fiction • Political satire • Pulp fiction • Quantum fiction • Religious fiction • Christian fiction • Christian science fiction • Contemporary Christian fiction • Islamic fiction • Jewish fiction[3] • Saga • Family saga • Speculative fiction • Fantasy • By setting • Epic / high fantasy • Hard fantasy • Historical fantasy • Prehistoric fantasy • Medieval fantasy • Wuxia • Low fantasy • Urban fantasy • Paranormal romance • By theme • Comic fantasy • Contemporary fantasy • Dark fantasy • Fantasy of manners • Heroic fantasy • Magic realism • Mythic • Paranormal fantasy • Shenmo fantasy • Superhero fantasy • Sword and sorcery • Horror • Body horror • Splatterpunk • Erotic • Gothic fiction • Southern Gothic • Psychological • Supernatural / paranormal • Cosmic (Lovecraftian) • Ghost story • Monster literature • Jiangshi fiction • Vampire fiction • Werewolf fiction • Occult detective • Science fiction • Alien invasion • Post-apocalyptic • Cyberpunk derivatives, aka punk • Cyberpunk • Biopunk • Nanopunk • Postcyberpunk • Steampunk • Atompunk • Clockpunk • Dieselpunk • Dystopian • Hard science fiction • Military science fiction • Parallel universe, aka alternative universe • Alternative history • Scientific romance • Soft science fiction • Space opera • Speculative cross-genre fiction • Bizarro fiction • Climate fiction (cli-fi) • Dying Earth • Science fantasy • Planetary romance • Sword and planet • Slipstream • Weird fiction • New Weird

• Suspense fiction • Crime fiction • Detective fiction • Gong'an fiction • Mystery fiction • Thriller • Mystery fiction • Legal thriller • Medical thriller • Political thriller • Spy fiction • Psychological thriller • Techno-thriller • Tragedy • Melodrama • Urban fiction • Westerns • Women's fiction • Class S • Femslash • Matron literature • Romance novel • Yaoi • Yuri • Workplace tell-all • General cross-genre • Historical romance • Juvenile fantasy • LGBT pulp fiction • Gay male pulp fiction • Lesbian pulp fiction • Lesbian erotica fiction • Paranormal romance • Romantic fantasy • Tragicomedy

Nonfiction genres[edit] These are genres belonging to the realm of non-fiction. Some genres listed may reappear throughout the list, indicating cross-genre status.

• Autograph • Biography • Memoir • Autobiography • Autobiographical novel • Spiritual autobiography • Bildungsroman • Slave narrative • Contemporary slave narrative • Neo-slave narrative • Commentary • Creative nonfiction • Critique • Canonical criticism • Form criticism • Higher criticism • Historical criticism • Lower criticism • Narrative criticism • Postmodern criticism • Psychological criticism • Redaction criticism • Rhetorical criticism • Socio-scientific criticism • Source criticism • Textual criticism • Cult literature • Diaries and journals • Didactic • Dialectic • Rabbinic • Aporetic • Elenctic • Erotic literature • Essay, treatise • History • Academic history • Genealogy • Narrative • People's history • Popular history • Official history • Narrative history • Whig history • Lament • Law • Ceremonial • Family • Levitical • Moral • Natural • Royal decree • Social • Letter • Manuscript • Philosophy • Metaphysics • Poetry • Religious text • Apocalyptic • Apologetics • Chant • Confession • Covenant • Creed • Epistle • Pauline epistle • General epistle • Encyclical • Gospel • Homily • Koan • Lectionary • Liturgy • Mysticism • Occult literature • Prayer • Philosophy • Philosophical theology • Philosophy of religion • Religious epistemology • Prophecy • Blessing/Curse • Messianic prophecy • Divination • Oracle • Woe oracle • Prediction • Vision • Revelation • Natural revelation • Special revelation • Scripture • Buddhist texts • Lotus Sutra • Tripitaka • Christian literature • Apocrypha • Encyclical • New Testament • Old Testament • Patristic • Anti-Nicene • Post-Nicene • Psalms • Imprecatory psalm • Pseudepigrapha • Hindu literature • Bhagavad Gita • Vedas • Islamic literature • Haddith • Quran • Jewish literature • Hebrew poetry • Song • Dirge • Hymn • Sutra • Theology • Apologetics • Biblical theology • Cosmology • Christology • Ecclesiology • Eschatology • Hamartiology • Pneumatology • Mariology • Natural theology • Soteriology • Theology proper • Wisdom literature • Scientific writing • Testament • True crime

365 Character Flaw Index To make characters realistic and relatable they are given flaws, because if there is anything a writer can be sure of it is that no one in their audience will be perfect. Flaws are character traits that have a negative impact in the narrative, unless they are simply informed. They can also be exploited. See Good Flaws, Bad Flaws for a scale of flaw acceptability.

Click on the links for detailed understanding and example of the character flaws.

1. Abusive Parents: Habitually violent and cruel to their own children, often because that's how they themselves were raised. 2. Acquainted with Emergency Services: Emergency Services already knows you from multiple previous incidents you caused. 3. Afraid of Blood: Extreme fear of blood. 4. Afraid of Doctors: Extreme fear of doctors. 5. Afraid of Needles: Extreme fear of hypodermic needles, receiving an injection, etc. 6. Aggressive Categorism: Judges people too quickly and/or according to criteria which have no bearing on their personal character, such as gender, ethnic background, or hairstyle. 7. The Alcoholic: Drinks way too much and may not be aware that s/he is behaving like an addict. 8. Allergic to Routine: Gets bored easily, needs to be entertained at all times. 9. All Men Are Perverts: Men primarily think with their sexual organs. 10. All Women Are Lustful: Women will do anything for sex and damn the consequences. 11. Ambiguous Disorder: Behaves with near-complete disregard for the social norm. 12. The Anti-Grinch: Loves Christmas so much, they end up destroying it trying to contribute to it. 13. Anything That Moves: A character who will have sex with almost anyone. 14. Apologises a Lot: Apologizes all the time, even when not at fault. 15. Attack! Attack! Attack!: Incapable of realizing when a fight is unwinnable. 16. Attention Deficit... Ooh, Shiny!: Has no attention span and is easily distracted. 17. Attention Whore: Will do anything to be the center of attention, good or bad. 18. Ax-Crazy: Psychologically unstable and presents a clear danger to others. 19. Bad Boss: Treats their employees or underlings extremely badly. 20. Bad Liar: Unable to lie in a convincing way and comes up with really silly lies that fool no one. 21. Because I'm Good at It: Does job because he or she can do it well, regardless of whether the job is ethical. 22. Believing Their Own Lies: Self-deluded and blind to the way things really are. 23. Berserk Button: This character will get extremely angry at one particular provocation. 24. The Berserker: Throws themselves into battle with complete disregard for danger or consequences. 25. Big Eater: Habitual excess in eating, a.k.a. gluttony. 26. Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Pretends to be nice when they're anything but. 27. Black and White Insanity: Sees the world in black and white to the point of being not mentally well. 28. Blind Obedience: Blindly follows those in authority without regard to the authority's fallibility or morality. 29. Blood Knight: Loves to fight and by extension, hurt others. 30. Blood Lust: Is gratified by the sight of someone else bleeding. 31. Boomerang Bigot: Hates members of a group, even though s/he's a member of the group. 32. The Bore: An incredibly dull person who's almost impossible to get rid of or get away from. 33. Bratty Half-Pint: A youngster who's bratty and self-important. 34. Bratty Teenage Daughter: A whiny self-involved adolescent girl. 35. Bridezilla: Wedding planning brings out the worst in a bride-to-be. 36. Brilliant, but Lazy: Has talent, but no drive to apply himself/herself. 37. Brutal Honesty: Will tell you the truth even if it hurts your feelings. 38. Bystander Syndrome: Thinks that any given crisis isn't important and doesn't require their help because they're not personally involved and have no desire to get involved. 39. Cannot Convey Sarcasm: Doesn't understand how to properly use sarcasm. 40. Cannot Keep a Secret: Will reveal to others what you tell him/her in confidence. 41. Cannot Spit It Out: Unable to voice his or her true feelings. 42. Cannot Talk to Women: Is there a woman present? This person is now a gibbering wreck. 43. Cannot Tell a Lie: Is completely truthful at all times, even when it would be better not to be. 44. Can't Hold His Liquor: Is intoxicated very easily. 45. Can't Take Criticism: Can't stand being criticized for their wrongs. 46. Captain Oblivious: Completely unaware of the outside world in which things to them are different from others. 47. Captain Obvious: Tends to point out the obvious. 48. Chaotic Stupid: Deprived of common sense and abidance to any code of conduct. 49. Child Hater: Possesses an inexplicable hatred for all children. 50. Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: Constantly betrays others. 51. Chronic Hero Syndrome: Wants to save everyone and right every wrong, even when it's not the wisest course. 52. Chuunibyou: A teenager absent of real world who acts as a know-it-all adult, or thinks they have special powers no one else has. 53. Claustrophobia: Extreme fear of small enclosed spaces. 54. Clingy Jealous Girl: Very possessive of her significant other. 55. The Cobbler's Children Have No Shoes: A professional in a certain field can help everyone — except those s/he loves most. 56. Combat Sadomasochist: Loves to feel pain and inflict it, too. 57. Commitment Issues: Doesn't wanna to settle down in a relationship. 58. Competition Freak: Treats every contest as Serious Business. 59. Complexity Addiction: Never uses a simple plan when a multidimensional one will do. 60. Compressed Abstinence: Making an effort to reduce the use of some indulgence without quitting it entirely. 61. Compressed Vice: A flaw developed by a character out of nowhere for the sake of An Aesop. 62. Condescending Compassion: Feels sorry for someone who's not themselves and looks down on them with mercy. 63. Conditioned to Accept Horror: Desensitized to the horrific or traumatic things in his/her everyday life. 64. Conspiracy Theorist: Sees ancient conspiracies behind everything. 65. Control Freak: Obsessed with control over themselves, other people and their environment. 66. Cordon Bleugh Chef: Has good cooking skills, but often creates recipes that sound and/or taste disgusting. 67. The Corrupter: Enjoys bringing out the worst in everyone around them. 68. The Corruptible: Prone to being corrupted easily. 69. Crazy Cat Lady: Possessing an extreme need to collect animals. 70. Crazy Jealous Guy: Lets jealousy poison his relationships. 71. Crime Magnet: Unusually attractive to wrongdoers. 72. Cultural Posturing: My culture is better than yours! 73. Culture Justifies Anything: Uses their culture to justify their own vicious deeds. 74. Cute and Psycho: Hides a scheming and unstable demeanor that can resurface at any time. 75. The Cynic: Believes that people are exclusively motivated by self-interest. 76. Dandere: Shyness, sometimes to a fault. 77. Deadpan Snarker: Prone to sarcastic and snide remarks. 78. Deaf Composer: Inability to enjoy their own creation. 79. Delinquents: School kid who breaks rules to the extreme. 80. Desperately Craves Affection: Excessive desire to be loved. 81. Desperately Looking for a Purpose in Life: Still doesn't know what to do with his/her life. 82. Determinator: Excessive persistence in a course of action, even when it would be better to give up. 83. Did I Just Say That Out Loud?: Prone to be Thinking Out Loud even though it's something they don't want others to hear. 84. Dirty Coward: Shameless, selfish, and all too willing to put others in danger to save their own skin. 85. Disability as an Excuse for Jerkassery: Uses their disability as an excuse to be a Jerkass. 86. Dismotivation: Wants to keep things as they are and actively avoids doing anything that might change their life for the better. 87. The Ditherer: Can't make decisions or make up their mind to save their life. 88. The Ditz: Is an idiot. 89. Ditzy Secretary: A secretary who is too stupid to have the job. 90. Lethally Stupid: Stupid enough to endanger everyone around them. 91. Too Dumb to Live: Puts own life and limb at risk by doing things that no sane person would do. 92. Does Not Know His Own Strength: Has trouble gauging just how much of his or her considerable strength to apply to a specific task. 93. Does Not Know How to Say "Thanks": Doesn't know how to express gratitude. 94. Does Not Like Spam: Possesses an immense dislike for a particular food. 95. Does Not Like Men: Dislikes men as a whole. 96. Dogged Nice Guy: Doesn't know when to take a hint that their Love Interest is not interested. 97. Domestic Abuse: Inclined to abuse their partners either mentally, sexually, verbally, physically, or emotionally. 98. Don't Look at Me!: Extreme dislike of being looked at. 99. Don't You Dare Pity Me!: Too proud to appreciate sympathy and/or help. 100. Drama Queen: Responds to situations in a melodramatic way. 101. Dreadful Musician: Displays little talent for music, often to comical extremes. 102. Drives Like Crazy: A danger to pretty much everyone on the road when behind the wheel. 103. Drowning My Sorrows: Deals with sorrow by getting drunk. 104. Drunk with Power: When given power, they abuse their underlings. 105. Dumbass Teenage Son: A teenage boy who's a dumbass. 106. The Eeyore: Perpetually depressed; perpetually depressing. 107. Embodiment of Vice: Exemplifies a certain moral deficiency to such an extent as to become a symbol of it. 108. Emotionally Tongue-Tied: Has trouble uttering specific words or phrases, like "I love you" or "I'm sorry." 109. Entitled Bastard: Treats people like crap, but still expects them to serve their interests. 110. Entitled to Have You: Believes that he or she is entitled to the affections of their Love Interest simply for being part of a certain group, doing or not doing something, or simply for existing. 111. Enraged by Idiocy: Can't cope with idiots. 112. Etiquette Nazi: Obsessed with enforcing manners on everyone. 113. Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: Inability to comprehend good altruistic behavior because of an incredibly selfish and evil nature. 114. Extreme Doormat: Unmotivated and has no drive, but freely bends to the will of others. 115. Extreme Libido: A high libido can't be satisfied easily, mostly called as Nymphomania or Satyriasis. 116. Extreme Omnisexual: They'll have sex with anything and everything. 117. Extreme Omnivore: Tends to eat things that are not supposed to be edible. 118. Fair Weather Friend: Has a tendency to flake out when their "friends" need help. 119. Fatal Flaw: A flaw which the character wrestles with on a consistent basis. 120. Fearless Fool: Not scared of anything, even if it's dangerous. 121. Fear of Thunder: Inordinate fear of thunderstorms. 122. Felony Misdemeanor: Their reaction to a minor offense is ridiculously excessive. 123. Female Misogynist: A woman who hates on other women or simply buys into sexist attitudes about her gender. 124. The Finicky One: An incredibly nitpicky and uptight character. 125. Flaw Exploitation: Exploiting someone's flaws for profit. 126. Fool for Love: Can't help but to fall in love, even if their lives and past experiences have taught them better. 127. Forgetful Jones: Incredibly forgetful. 128. Forgets to Eat: Notorious for ignoring their body's need for nutrition and has to be reminded to eat. 129. Fragile Flower: A character who's overly sensitive. 130. Freudian Excuse: Bad things happened to this character in the past, so they use it as an excuse to do bad things to others. 131. Freudian Excuse is No Excuse: No matter how pitiable their sad stories are, they shouldn't be given leniency for their actions. 132. The Fundamentalist: Their beliefs are right and anyone who doesn't believe as they do is stupid, crazy, evil or all three. 133. The Gambling Addict: Likes gambling, to the extent where it starts to cause problems. 134. General Failure: An incompetent leader. 135. Getting High on Their Own Supply: A drug dealer who uses their own product, most often to their detriment. 136. Glorified Sperm Donor: Fathers a baby, then leaves the woman he slept with to raise the baby herself, without taking any responsibility for that child. 137. Glory Hound: Desire for glory at any cost. 138. Glory Seeker: Driven by the need for glory. 139. Glurge Addict: Extreme love for sickeningly sweet things. 140. God Is Flawed: Not even supreme beings are perfect. 141. Good Cannot Comprehend Evil: Inability to comprehend what motivates villains to commit evil deeds. 142. Good Is Not Nice: Terribly rude even when doing heroic deeds. 143. Graceful in Their Element: Nimble in their field, awkward outside it. 144. Grammar Nazi: An obsessive stickler about proper grammar. 145. The Grinch: Hates Christmas. 146. Grumpy Bear: Has a grim and gritty point of view even though they live in a rose- colored world. 147. Guilt Complex: Blames themselves for everything. 148. Guilty Pleasure: Ashamed of what brings them pleasure because they think it's of low-quality. 149. Hair-Trigger Temper: This character will get extremely angry for many particular provocations — or has never learned how to control his/her temper. 150. Hates Baths: Exactly What It Says on the Tin. 151. Hates Being Alone: Possess an extensive fear of being left alone. 152. Hates Being Touched: Dislikes physical contact. 153. Hates Everyone Equally: Hates everyone. 154. Hates Small Talk: Dislikes making small talk with others. 155. Heavy Sleeper: Almost impossible to wake up. 156. He-Man Woman Hater: Dislikes women as a whole. 157. Heroic Comedic Sociopath: Loves to fight evil because it enables them to dispense pain. 158. Heroic Self-Deprecation: No matter how amazing his/her accomplishments are, the hero thinks s/he is useless. 159. High Hopes, Zero Talent: They have the ambition, but not the skill. 160. He Who Fights Monsters: Lets their hatred for an evil enemy possess them, to the point of becoming more and more like that enemy over time. 161. Hikikomori: Locks themselves away from the outside world as a result of intense social anxiety. 162. His Own Worst Enemy: Self-sabotages his own doings. 163. Honor Before Reason: Does what they feel is the right thing, even though it's not the smart thing. 164. Hormone-Addled Teenager: Over-sexualized behavior of adolescents. 165. Horrible Judge of Character: Trusts people who really shouldn't be trusted. 166. Humans Are Bastards: Humanity is prone to acts of cruelty. 167. Humans Are Flawed: No one's perfect. 168. Humans Are the Real Monsters: Humans are among the most cruel of all sapient species. 169. Hypocrite: Claims a belief even though they don't live up to it. 170. I Work Alone: Inclined to do things by themselves and is dismissive of others' assistance. 171. In Love with Love: In love with the idea of being in a romantic relationship, which often leads to Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places. 172. I'm a Man; I Can't Help It: Uses his biological urges as an excuse for his behavior. 173. Implausible Deniability: Denies something even in front of unquestionable evidence. 174. In Harm's Way: Thinks life is boring unless they put themselves in danger. 175. Inadequate Inheritor: When the character is unfit to fulfill heritage expectations. 176. Ineffectual Loner: A loner whose capacity is reduced to the point of not being able to fulfill their goal because of their solitary nature. 177. Inferiority Superiority Complex: Uses arrogance to mask low self-esteem. 178. Informed Flaw: Flaws not really shown or followed up on. 179. Innocent Bigot: Unknowingly offensive to strangers. 180. Innocently Insensitive: Unknowingly offensive. 181. Insecure Love Interest: Firmly believes they're not good enough as a Love Interest. 182. Inspector Javert: Firmly believes that someone is pure evil and aggressively pursues them in order to punish them. 183. Insufferable Genius: Arrogant about their own impressive skills. 184. Internalized Categorism: Possesses a nondestructive trait that causes self-hatred, which makes it destructive. 185. Irrational Hatred: Hates someone for irrational reasons. 186. It's All About Me: Cares only about himself. 187. Jabba Table Manners: Has no or poor table manners. 188. Jaded Washout: A cynical, washed-up loser. 189. Jerkass: Treats other people like crap. 190. Kids Are Cruel: Child prone to acts of cruelty. 191. The Kindnapper: Someone who means to display benevolence by kidnapping those they intend to be nice to. 192. The Klutz: Excessive clumsiness. 193. Lethal Klutz: Dangerously excessive clumsiness. 194. Knight Templar: Vicious, but convinced of their own righteousness. 195. Tautological Templar: Convinced that they're good to the point that everything they do is good by default. 196. Know-Nothing Know-It-All: Acts like a genius, but is anything but. 197. Laborious Laziness: Working only to be lazy. 198. Lack of Empathy: Doesn't have the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. 199. Last-Second Showoff: Waiting because of skill. 200. Lawful Pushover: A person of authority lacks the spine to use it. 201. Lawful Stupid: Impractically pushes rules at the expense of reason. 202. Lazy Bum: Profound laziness. 203. Lazy Husband: Tends to leech off their spouse while not pulling any of their own weight. 204. Leeroy Jenkins: Rushes into dangerous situations without thinking, often getting themselves or others hurt or worse. 205. Lethal Chef: Has poor cooking skills, often to comical extremes. 206. Literal-Minded: Doesn't understand figurative language. 207. The Load: Contributes nothing to a group except weighing it down. 208. Loony Fan: Follows someone everywhere out of obsessive admiration, either causing trouble or just creeping them out. 209. Loser Protagonist: Whether it's because of circumstances within their control, or outside of it, they are considered a "loser" by the standards of the society and culture in which they live. 210. Love Hungry: Tries to force others to like or love them, not understanding that it doesn't work that way. 211. Love Martyr: Willingly endures misery and abuse for love. 212. Loves Only Gold: Obsessed with a particular form of wealth. 213. Loving a Shadow: In love with the ideal of a person, rather than loving someone for who they actually are. 214. Lust: Driven by one's sex drives. 215. Madonna–Whore Complex: Thinks all women are either promiscuous, immoral seductresses or sweet, naive ingenues. Also, that smart, capable, good women who enjoy sex don't exist. 216. Maternally Challenged: Not very good with kids. 217. Manchild: An adult who possesses a very childlike or childish demeanor. 218. Manipulative Bastard: Not above using and toying with others to get what he/she wants. 219. Married to the Job: Is so devoted to their career that it seriously affects their ability to hold any kind of relationship outside of it. 220. Martyr Without a Cause: Will insist on making a Heroic Sacrifice even if it's unnecessary. 221. Miles Gloriosus: Makes themselves out to be the ultimate badass, but proves to be a coward when faced with a real fight. 222. The Millstone: The cause of most, if not all, of a group's failures. 223. Minor Flaw, Major Breakup: Inability to accept partner's minor flaws. 224. Misanthrope Supreme: A human character who hates the human race. 225. Misplaced Sorrow: Prone to miss another character for shallow, selfish reasons, such as money. 226. Moral Myopia: Regularly does horrible things to other people, but gets offended when it's them who gets wronged. 227. Moral Pragmatist: A character ignorantly does evil, until it's pointed out that doing good would help their cause much better. 228. Mood-Swinger: Has unstable emotions and acts unpredictably. 229. Motor Mouth: Speaks constantly or so quickly that it's hard to make out individual words. 230. Mouthy Kid: Overly talkative, insolent, and loud child. 231. Ms. Red Ink: A spendthrift, squandering money on self-satisfactory goods. 232. Muse Abuse: Exploits their real life and the people around them for the sake of their art, with harmful results. 233. My Beloved Smother: Thinks that she's being a good mom, but is actually holding her children back as people. 234. Naïve Animal Lover: Wants to help animals, not realizing how dangerous some of them are. 235. The Napoleon: Hot-blooded, aggressive, and extremely sensitive about their height. 236. Narcissist: Extreme love and admiration for oneself. 237. Neat Freak: Obsessed with cleanliness. 238. Nervous Wreck: Panics over the slightest thing. 239. Never My Fault: Blames others for their own mistakes or misdeeds. 240. Nobody Calls Me "Chicken"!: Can't turn down a challenge. 241. No Listening Skills: Terrible at listening. 242. No Object Permanence: Inability to recognize that an object continues to exist even when you can't see, hear, or touch it. 243. No Place for a Warrior: So used to being part of a military and leading a life of combat that they can't adjust to peacetime anymore. 244. No Sense of Humor: Doesn't get jokes. 245. No Sense of Direction: Gets lost easily. 246. No Sense of Personal Space: Gets way too close for comfort around others. 247. No Social Skills: Ignorant of and confused by social customs. 248. No Sympathy: Doesn't feel pity or sorrow for other people's misfortunes. 249. Nostalgia Filter: Believes that things of the past are better than things of the modern equivalents. 250. Not a Game: Doesn't take serious matters seriously. 251. Not a Morning Person: Is unusually cranky and snippy when just woken up. 252. Obliviously Evil: Can't comprehend that they're doing anything wrong. 253. Oblivious to His Own Description: Unable to recognize a perfect definition of themselves. 254. Oblivious to Love: Inability to notice any romantic intentions. 255. Obsessed with Food: They pay more attention to food than anything else. 256. Old Windbag: Known for being an insufferable bore. 257. Only in It for the Money: Doesn't care about anything except getting paid. 258. Open Mouth, Insert Foot: Prone to vocal stupidity or self-incrimination. 259. Opinion Flipflop: Always agreeing with a flipflopper instead of thinking for themselves. 260. Opinion Myopia: Doesn't seem too keen on other peoples' opinions and shoves their own on others' throats. 261. Overprotective Dad: Tendency to protect one's child excessively, especially in the romantic department. 262. Paper Tiger: Looks and acts threatening and tough, but is anything but. 263. Paralyzing Fear of Sexuality: Desires romance and/or sex, but is too afraid of sexuality. 264. The Paranoiac: Pathological cynicism and mistrust of people and situations. 265. Passive-Aggressive Kombat: Uses passive-aggressive tactics to get what he/she wants. 266. Paste Eater: Eats things that are not intended to be food, often poisoning themselves in the process. 267. The Perfectionist: Has to be perfect at what they do or at everything they do. 268. Picky Eater: Distaste of a certain type of food. 269. The Pig Pen: Someone whose hygiene is lacking. 270. Poisonous Friend: Loyal but hazardous companion that secretly commit nasty deeds for their friend that said friend wouldn't approve of. 271. The Pollyanna: Endlessly optimistic, sometimes to the point of insanity. 272. Post-Stress Overeating: Excess in eating as a coping mechanism. 273. The Prankster: Very fond of playing pranks on others. 274. Pride: Excessive self-regard, to the point that it negatively affects a character's judgement. 275. The Primadonna: Vain, self-centered and very egotistical, always expecting others to bow to her demands. 276. Principles Zealot: Blindly clings to principles and refuses to see the big picture. 277. Psychological Projection: Sees their own flaws in other people, often while denying those flaws in themselves. 278. Psychopathic Manchild: A lunatic with all the strength/intellect of an adult and the innocence of a child. 279. Pushover Parents: Parents who are too submissive to their children and refuse to discipline them. 280. The Quiet One: A person who isn't very talkative. 281. Rebellious Spirit: Possesses a immense desire to resist authority, control, or convention. 282. The Resenter: Feels bitterness or indignation for a person. 283. Revenge Before Reason: Putting revenge over sensible actions. 284. Rich Bitch: Rich, snobby and haughty. 285. Rich in Dollars, Poor in Sense: Has little understanding of things that people without money take for granted. 286. Ridiculous Procrastinator: Puts something off until the last minute. 287. Rightly Self-Righteous: Virtuous and morally upright, but is condescending and arrogant about it. 288. Royal Brat: Arrogance, power, pettiness, and a huge sense of entitlement. 289. Sacrificed Basic Skill for Awesome Training: Grown up without learning a very basic skill. 290. Sadist: A character who enjoys the pain and suffering of other characters. 291. Sarcasm-Blind: Doesn't understand sarcasm. 292. Schemer: Constantly uses zany schemes to get what they want. 293. Schedule Fanatic: Has to do everything according to precise schedule, every day of their lives. 294. The Scrooge: Values his wealth more than anything else, and will minimize spending it, even if this hurts others. 295. Secretly Selfish: Hides a selfish motive underneath an altrustic exterior. 296. Selective Obliviousness: Refuses to comprehend a particular fact. 297. Serial Romeo: Keeps insisting their newest Love Interest is their one true love, completely forgetting about previous Love Interests who rejected them. 298. Serial Spouse: Just can't keep a marriage together 299. Serious Business: Treats an activity as though it had much more importance than most people would give it. 300. Seriously Scruffy: Can't strike a balance between work and looking after themselves. 301. Sex Is Evil and I Am Horny: Believes that Sex Is Evil, but can't escape their own sexuality. 302. Shameless Fanservice Girl: Has no nudity taboo nor idea of modesty. 303. Shipping Goggles: Sees every interaction between certain characters as signs of Ship Tease, even when there's no such thing involved. 304. Shrinking Violet: Painfully shy. 305. The Shut-In: Virtually never leaves their house for any number of reasons, involuntary reasons included. 306. Sir Swears-a-Lot: Seriously foulmouthed. 307. Skilled, but Naïve: Lacks the experience needed to accomplish their goal. 308. Skewed Priorities: Their order of things by importance defies sensibility. 309. The Slacker: Just plain lazy. 310. Slave to PR: Obsessed with upholding one's reputation, no matter what. 311. Sleepyhead: Chronically drowsy. 312. Slimeball: Unsophisticated, manipulative, and selfish. 313. Small Name, Big Ego: Thinks they're all that when they aren't. 314. Smug Snake: A sleazy person with delusions of grandeur and inflated sense of pride. 315. Smug Super: Knows they're powerful and has the ego to show. 316. Smitten Teenage Girl: Gets crushes with serious intensity. 317. Social Climber: Tries to better themselves in the eyes of society, often at the expense of others. 318. The Social Darwinist: Enforces "survival of the fittest" with an iron fist. 319. Socially-Awkward Hero: Is more afraid of social situations than of actual dangers to life and limb. 320. The Sociopath: Completely self-centered and manipulative with no sense of right or wrong. 321. Sociopathic Hero: A "hero" who lacks empathy for others and acts in villainish ways when fighting villains. 322. Sore Loser: Can't take a loss, even if it was fair and square. 323. Sour Outside, Sad Inside: Forces people away with their abrasive attitude while really feeling depressed because they can't get close to anybody. 324. Sour Prudes: Tries too hard to make themselves look good at the expense of others, claiming superiority on the ground that they doesn't have as much sex as others do, doesn't dress as scandalously as they do, or something like that. 325. Spoiled Brat: Arrogant, selfish and disrespectful kid who demands to be given everything. 326. Stalker with a Crush: Expresses their love for someone by stalking them. 327. Stopped Caring: Believes nothing really matters and only does what has to be done. 328. Straw Nihilist: Considers life and existence to be meaningless, and uses this as a justification for evil acts. 329. Stupid Good: A character who's too nice for his own good. 330. Sugar-and-Ice Personality: Acts aloof and apathetic despite really being sweet and kind. 331. Super Gullible: Believes anything you tell them. 332. Super OCD: Obsessed with order, symmetry and following certain patterns of behavior. 333. Taking Advantage of Generosity: Demanding more of others who're being generous. 334. Tall Poppy Syndrome: Holds contempt (or worse) for peers who are affluent, ambitious, talented or who otherwise stand out. 335. The Tease: Prone to tempt someone sexually with no intention of satisfying the desire aroused. 336. Teens Are Monsters: Teenagers who act very cruel towards others. 337. Too Clever by Half: Is incredibly smart, irritatingly aware of it, and driven to go beyond themselves, which often leads to spectacular failures. 338. Too Hungry to Be Polite: The character has atrocious table manners because they're too hungry or don't know any better. 339. Toxic Friend Influence: Gets friends into serious trouble or takes leave of their common sense when around a particular friend. 340. Trash of the Titans: Extremely messy. 341. Trash Talk: Prone to uttering insults intended to demoralize or intimidate someone. 342. Trauma Button: Prone to breaking down when exposed to certain stimuli. 343. Tsundere: Can't express their feelings properly. 344. The Unapologetic: A character who doesn't apologize for their misdeeds. 345. The Unfettered: Will do anything to win. 346. Unfit for Greatness: Wants to do good, but lacks the willpower, insight, and virtue to direct the power they've been given. 347. Ungrateful Bastard: Doesn't show appropriate gratitude. 348. Unstoppable Rage: Don't make them angry. You won't like them when they're angry. 349. Wangst: A character who laments on relatively minor things. 350. Wardrobe Flaw of Characterization: Tries to dress well, but can't quite pull it off. 351. Wants a Prize for Basic Decency: Demands praise for behaving in a situation like a decent human, disregarding that basic humanity is expected of others by default, rather than something above-and-beyond to be rewarded for. 352. Weak-Willed: Easy to convince or brainwash. 353. Weasel Co-Worker: Doesn't do his job and palms off the blame on others. 354. Weight Woe: Obsessed with dieting. 355. "Well Done, Dad!" Guy: Emotionally distant to someone who desperately wants their approval as a child or student. 356. "Well Done, Son!" Guy: Emotionally distant to someone who desperately wants their approval as a parent or a role model. 357. Well-Intentioned Extremist: Someone who uses good ends to justify evil means. 358. What You Are in the Dark: Fails to live up to their principles when no one is watching. 359. Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: Crippling and extreme or irrational fear of or aversion to something, not necessarily snakes. 360. Why We Can't Have Nice Things: Can't help but to destroy the greater things in their life. 361. Wide-Eyed Idealist: Has a naive, rose-colored outlook in a world that's anything but. 362. Wild Card: Unreliable, untrustworthy and traitorous. 363. Workaholic: Compulsively works hard and long hours. 364. Would Harm a Senior: No qualms about using violence against the elderly. 365. Would Hurt a Child: No qualms about using violence against children. 366. Yandere: Is obsessed with the one they love (or just have a crush on) to the point of doing horrible things for that love. 367. You Need to Get Laid: Too ill-tempered for their own good.

99 Archetypes and stock Characters 50

Absent-Minded Professor — An absent-minded scientific genius (Doc Brown from Back to the Future)

All Loving Hero — A character that loves everyone and will suffer for the sins of their loved ones.

Anti-Hero — A hero that is driven by pursuit for power, sex, money, control, or particular vices and because of this, they are often selfish, anti-social, power-hungry, and materialistic. But they sometimes showcase some heart in the end (Max from The Road Warrior)

Anthropomorphic Personification — The living embodiment of a fundamental abstraction. They may be god-like in power, but have a much narrower focus and struggle with limits based on what they represent (Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Disgust from Inside Out)

Audience Surrogate — Characters who the audience sympathize with by actively seeing themselves as them. Usually victims of social challenges (Clay and Hannah from 13 Reasons Why)

Bad Boy — A macho loner that doesn’t care that he’s bad. He’s actually proud of it and that often attracts others (Dallas from The Outsiders)

Big Fun — The big, fun, lovable guy or girl (Hurley from Lost)

Black Knight — An evil fighter or antagonist (Darth Vader from Star Wars)

Blind Seer — Characters with a sacrifice of sight that has greater cosmic knowledge (Chirrut from Rogue One)

Boss — The boss of everyone. They are usually controlling, competitive, stubborn, aggressive, and always call the shots

50 https://screencraft.org/2017/07/09/99-archetypes-and-stock-characters-screenwriters-can-mold/

Boy Next Door — The average nice guy that does everything in the right

Career Criminal — This character commits high stakes crime and is often smart and highly skilled (Neil McCauley from Heat)

Champion — The character who is devoted to the cause/life/honor of one character and everything that they entail (Sam from The Lord of the Rings)

Child — This character is young in age or spirit, and loves adventure — or at least they think they do until they truly experience it (Tim from Jurassic Park)

Chosen One — They have been chosen by someone or some force and are the only ones capable of resolving the plot (Neo from The Matrix)

Chooser of the Chosen One — This is the character who finds and chooses The Chosen One (Morpheus from The Matrix)

Conscience — A classic character type whose sole purpose is to act as the hero’s conscience and moral compass (Jiminy Cricket from Pinocchio or Clarence from It’s a Wonderful Life)

Contender — A competitive underdog (Rocky from Rocky or Daniel from The Karate Kid)

Corrupter — Their primary role in the story is to bring out the worst in everyone (Rumpelstiltskin in Once Upon a Time)

Damsel in Distress — A noble and innocent woman in need of rescue (Kim in Taken or Lois Lane in Superman)

Dark Lord — The near-immortal personification of evil (Sauron from The Lord of the Rings)

Dumb Muscle — This character lacks intelligence, or fails to showcase it, and are tasked with doing the heavy lifting of the villain or any antagonist

Elderly Master — A wise, powerful man or woman teaching their powerful craft to a young student (Mr. Miyagi from The Karate Kid)

Egomaniac — They like to be the center of attention and usually are often very insecure, overcompensating for a deep need to be loved and/or revered.

Fall Guy — The scapegoat that the powerful or empowered use

Father Figure — The man who showcases authority, yet has a pure heart and will do all he can to protect those he loves and watches over, either physically or emotionally (Atticus from To Kill a Mockingbird)

Femme Fatale — A beautiful but mischievous and traitorous woman (Catherine Trammel in Basic Instinct)

Ferryman — A character that acts as a guide or aid, allowing characters to travel over near impossible obstacles to reach specific destinations (Heimdall from Thor)

Final girl — The “last girl standing” in a horror movie (Laurie from Halloween)

Gentle Giant — Big, strong, and intimidating, but they’ve got a heart of gold. (Fezzik from The Princess Bride)

Gentleman Thief — A very charming, sophisticated, and well-mannered thief (Thomas Crown from The Thomas Crown Affair)

Girl Next Door — An average but attractive girl with a wholesome quality to her

God or Goddess — All powerful but often showcase human qualities in the end (Zeus from The Little Mermaid)

Good King —He is honorable, virtuous, wise, and understanding. He cares about his subjects no matter how seemingly unimportant they are and puts their well-being above his own (King Arthur)

Grande Dame—A very flamboyant woman, often used as a stereotype for an elderly high society socialite (Martha from Arthur)

Grotesque — An often tragic character that induces both fear and pity because their deformities overshadow a perfectly normal and likable personality (The Hunchback of Notre Dame)

Harlequin — A clown or professional fool

Herald — This character sets the Hero/Protagonist on the path of adventure (Obi-Wan Kenobi from Star Wars)

Hero — The character that faces the most direct danger and conflict as a basis for the central aspect of the story

Hotshot — This character is often skilled, but reckless, known for taking risks (Maverick from Top Gun)

Hunter of Monsters — A character whose sole mission is to eliminate whatever monster(s) in question (Quinn from Jaws)

Ingenue — A young woman who is endearingly innocent and wholesome

Imposter/Pretender — They are intelligent and take advantage of situations and characters

Jester — They are always lighthearted and joking but always pure of heart and truly caring for others (Will Ferrell in Elf)

Jock — A male athlete who is often muscular, but not very smart

Kirk — The captain or a similar leader who needs to be practical rather than emotional or distant, often having to make decisions in the middle of The Spock or The McCoy (see below)

Knight-errant — A noble Knight on a Quest

Loner — The Loner isolates him or herself and often struggles to connect with others. They feel alien to others around them (Theodore Twombly from Her or Jim from Rebel Without a Cause)

Loser — They don’t catch any breaks and always seem to get the short end of the stick. They are also either usually unmotivated and don’t care about how they are perceived, or they do and try to make the change, only to fail time and time again (Charlie Brown from The Peanuts and arguably the guys behind Pied Piper in Silicon Valley)

Lovable Rogue — They break the law and don’t always seem to care about anyone else, but they often show enough heart in the end for audiences to like them (Han Solo from Star Wars)

Lovers — Star-crossed lovers who fall romantically in love, despite the constant conflict of other characters. They’re often from different sides of the tracks (Romeo and Juliet, Tony and Maria from West Side Story)

Loyalist — They have the strong ability to support others and always remain loyal in doing so despite their own lack of abilities and feeling of self-worth (Dr. Watson from Sherlock Holmes)

Mad Scientist — Usually insane or highly eccentric. They often play the role of the villain or antagonist and always feel that the science they are exploring is above and beyond any human rights issues or ethics (Dr. Moreau from The Island of Dr. Moreau)

Magician or Shaman — A man with special insight or mystical powers coming to the aid of the protagonist (Dick Halloran from The Shining)

Maiden — Usually the innocent and pure female that is often in need of rescue. She can be naive, sometimes overly self-confident, and can be attractive but also child-like (Princess Fiona from Shrek)

Manic Pixie Dream Girl — Characters that have eccentric personality quirks, are very girlish, and usually dreamingly cute and attractive (Sam from Garden State)

McCoy — He or she cares for others deeply and they always seek to do the right thing, no matter what the situation

Mentally or Socially Disabled — Dependent and sometimes draining on others around them at times. More preferred contemporary variations are those that have a heart and contribute to the story in a positive way (Raymond from Rain Man)

Mentor — The mentor is the adviser, the expert, and is usually intelligent and wise in whatever field of expertise or philosophy that they are known for. They care for the hero and want to be in the hero’s life, which usually starts with conflict at first

Monster —They are either half human or not human at all and usually provoke fear and panic.

Mother Figure — The mother figure is always the source of nurturing and comfort, offering guidance while also sometimes coming off as over-controlling and worrisome, but always acts from the heart (Mrs. Baker from Boyz n the Hood and Mrs. Gump from Forrest Gump)

Mother’s Boy — A man who is excessively attached to his mother. This is played for all types of emotions and genres, including comedy, drama (Forrest Gump), and tragedy (Norman from Psycho)

Nemesis/Challenger — They usually exist to hate the hero, for any number of reasons. The nemesis or challenger is often similar to the hero in many ways and thus is always trying to overshadow due to jealousy or outright hate (Loki from Thor)

Nerd — Usually a socially-impaired, obsessive, or overly-intellectual person. They often have a good heart and always mean well (Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory)

Noble Savage — A wild outsider with noble characteristics that has little to no experience with society’s ways (Tarzan)

Observer — They often witness all that goes on, but remain quiet and calm throughout. They are usually philosophical and every time they speak or act, it’s important (Rafiki from The Lion King)

Outlaw — Similar to the Rebel (see below). They are romanticized, charismatic, and can often be the social bandit of the story

Peacemaker — They try to force the peace between characters and situations. Usually the voice of reason between all.

Pessimist — For them, the glass is always half empty. They won’t take risks and often complain about everything every chance they get (Hudson from Aliens)

Psychopath — They have no conscience, are amoral, and have the inability to feel or care for others. All of which together is not a great combination.

Rebel — Despite the fact that many believe James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause is the quintessential rebel (he’s actually better defined as the loner), the truth is that the rebel takes the loner attributes to the next level as they push up against anyone and everyone, walking strictly to a beat of their own drum without caring what others think (John Bender in The Breakfast Club)

Redshirt — The expendable character that is never given much backstory and usually dies soon after being introduced. Taken from the original Star Trek series where characters with red shirts were often those expendable characters going out on missions with the main characters.

Reluctant Monster — The Reluctant Monster usually has no idea that they’re a monster at all. They are often a member of a species that traditionally does nasty things to people, but that is not in their own personal nature (Frankenstein) Rightful King — A lost or forgotten just ruler whose return or triumph restores peace (Aragon from The Lord of the Rings)

Seeker —They are always on a quest for the truth, uncovering mysteries, lies, and deception despite all dangers both big and small that they face on a personal and professional level (Erin Brockovich)

Shrew — A bad-tempered or aggressively assertive woman

Side Kick — The friends and helpers of the main hero. They are much like the loyalist, but play a more active part in the Hero’s adventures (Robin from Batman Forever and Short Round from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom)

Sociopath — A person with a personality disorder manifesting itself in extreme antisocial attitudes and behavior and a lack of conscience. They are intelligent, cunning, and dangerous (Hannibal Lecter from The Silence of the Lambs)

Southern Belle — A young woman that often represents the American Old South’s upper class daughter or young and pretty woman (Scarlett O’Hara from Gone With the Wind)

Spock —The Spock is an archetype that focuses on logic, rules, and reason while fighting for the greater good

Straight Man — Exists alongside a funny character. Their serious and no-nonsense attitude makes his partner look all the more crazy and funny (Abbott from Abbott and Costello movies)

Storyteller — A character that is noted for his or her ability to tell tales, or those that choose to do so, even to the dismay of the other characters (Wally from “Crocodile” Dundee)

Superhero —A hero with special powers that vows to protect the world around them (Marvel Cinematic Universe characters) Super Soldier — A soldier who operates beyond human limits or abilities (Luc Deveraux/GR44 from Universal Soldier)

Supervillain — Antithesis to the Superhero

Swashbuckler — A joyful, noisy, and boastful renaissance era swordsman or pirate (Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean)

Tomboy — A girl usually interested in sports, activities, and displaying attributes that often fall under the umbrella of boys and men in society (Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird)

Tortured Artist —They often display constant torment due to frustrations with art and society

Town Drunk — Usually a male in a small town who is known to be drunk in public fashion

Tragic Hero — A hero with a major flaw that leads to his or her eventual death and downfall (Anakin Skywalker from the Star Wars prequels)

Trickster — They are often the trouble makers, liars, and the self-absorbed. They can be like jesters, but they often make more of an impact on the main characters in some way, shape, or form by the end of the story (The Mask from The Mask or Buddy Love in The Nutty Professor)

Troubled Teen — They hate rules and defy authority, usually because of depression, hormones, or due to social differences. Despite the hard attitude they portray, they are often the most vulnerable (Evie from Thirteen)

Turncoat — The character who switches sides at some point to help out the other side (Cypher from The Matrix)

Village Idiot — A character usually known locally for ignorance or stupidity, but are often shown to have a good heart and can contribute to either the downfall or the uprising of the hero (Noah Percy from The Village) Villain — An evil character in a story

Whiskey Priest — A priest or ordained minister who teaches at a high standard but also showcases moral weakness through drinking alcohol or other vices (Father Callahan from The Exorcist)

Wise Fool — A “fool” or somewhat socially hindered character with an attribute of wisdom (Dory from Finding Nemo)

Wise Old Man — An elderly character who provides wisdom to the protagonist (Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings)

Yokel — A term referring to the stereotype of unsophisticated back country characters (Carl Spackler from Caddyshack)

These are just ninety-nine out of hundreds of archetypes and stock characters that you as a writer can use to mold into bigger and better characters.

638 Primary Personality Trait words

Positive Traits (234 = 37%)

1. Accessible 2. Active 3. Adaptable 4. Admirable 5. Adventurous 6. Agreeable 7. Alert 8. Allocentric 9. Amiable 10. Anticipative 11. Appreciative 12. Articulate 13. Aspiring 14. Athletic 15. Attractive 16. Balanced 17. Benevolent 18. Brilliant 19. Calm 20. Capable 21. Captivating 22. Caring 23. Challenging 24. Charismatic 25. Charming 26. Cheerful 27. Clean 28. Clear-headed 29. Clever 30. Colorful 31. Companionly 32. Compassionate 33. Conciliatory 34. Confident 35. Conscientious 36. Considerate 37. Constant 38. Contemplative 39. Cooperative 40. Courageous 41. Courteous 42. Creative 43. Cultured 44. Curious 45. Daring 46. Debonair 47. Decent 48. Decisive 49. Dedicated 50. Deep 51. Dignified 52. Directed 53. Disciplined 54. Discreet 55. Dramatic 56. Dutiful 57. Dynamic 58. Earnest 59. Ebullient 60. Educated 61. Efficient 62. Elegant 63. Eloquent 64. Empathetic 65. Energetic 66. Enthusiastic 67. Esthetic 68. Exciting 69. Extraordinary 70. Fair 71. Faithful 72. Farsighted 73. Felicific 74. Firm 75. Flexible 76. Focused 77. Forecful 78. Forgiving 79. Forthright 80. Freethinking 81. Friendly 82. Fun-loving 83. Gallant 84. Generous 85. Gentle 86. Genuine 87. Good-natured 88. Gracious 89. Hardworking 90. Healthy 91. Hearty 92. Helpful 93. Herioc 94. High-minded 95. Honest 96. Honorable 97. Humble 98. Humorous 99. Idealistic 100. Imaginative 101. Impressive 102. Incisive 103. Incorruptible 104. Independent 105. Individualistic 106. Innovative 107. Inoffensive 108. Insightful 109. Insouciant 110. Intelligent 111. Intuitive 112. Invulnerable 113. Kind 114. Knowledge 115. Leaderly 116. Leisurely 117. Liberal 118. Logical 119. Lovable 120. Loyal 121. Lyrical 122. Magnanimous 123. Many-sided 124. Masculine (Manly) 125. Mature 126. Methodical 127. Maticulous 128. Moderate 129. Modest 130. Multi-leveled 131. Neat 132. Nonauthoritarian 133. Objective 134. Observant 135. Open 136. Optimistic 137. Orderly 138. Organized 139. Original 140. Painstaking 141. Passionate 142. Patient 143. Patriotic 144. Peaceful 145. Perceptive 146. Perfectionist 147. Personable 148. Persuasive 149. Planful 150. Playful 151. Polished 152. Popular 153. Practical 154. Precise 155. Principled 156. Profound 157. Protean 158. Protective 159. Providential 160. Prudent 161. Punctual 162. Pruposeful 163. Rational 164. Realistic 165. Reflective 166. Relaxed 167. Reliable 168. Resourceful 169. Respectful 170. Responsible 171. Responsive 172. Reverential 173. Romantic 174. Rustic 175. Sage 176. Sane 177. Scholarly 178. Scrupulous 179. Secure 180. Selfless 181. Self-critical 182. Self-defacing 183. Self-denying 184. Self-reliant 185. Self-sufficent 186. Sensitive 187. Sentimental 188. Seraphic 189. Serious 190. Sexy 191. Sharing 192. Shrewd 193. Simple 194. Skillful 195. Sober 196. Sociable 197. Solid 198. Sophisticated 199. Spontaneous 200. Sporting 201. Stable 202. Steadfast 203. Steady 204. Stoic 205. Strong 206. Studious 207. Suave 208. Subtle 209. Sweet 210. Sympathetic 211. Systematic 212. Tasteful 213. Teacherly 214. Thorough 215. Tidy 216. Tolerant 217. Tractable 218. Trusting 219. Uncomplaining 220. Understanding 221. Undogmatic 222. Unfoolable 223. Upright 224. Urbane 225. Venturesome 226. Vivacious 227. Warm 228. Well-bred 229. Well-read 230. Well-rounded 231. Winning 232. Wise 233. Witty 234. Youthful 235. Neutral Traits (292 = 18%) 236. Absentminded 237. Aggressive 238. Ambitious 239. Amusing 240. Artful 241. Ascetic 242. Authoritarian 243. Big-thinking 244. Boyish 245. Breezy 246. Businesslike 247. Busy 248. Casual 249. Crebral 250. Chummy 251. Circumspect 252. Competitive 253. Complex 254. Confidential 255. Conservative 256. Contradictory 257. Crisp 258. Cute 259. Deceptive 260. Determined 261. Dominating 262. Dreamy 263. Driving 264. Droll 265. Dry 266. Earthy 267. Effeminate 268. Emotional 269. Enigmatic 270. Experimental 271. Familial 272. Folksy 273. Formal 274. Freewheeling 275. Frugal 276. Glamorous 277. Guileless 278. High-spirited 279. Huried 280. Hypnotic 281. Iconoclastic 282. Idiosyncratic 283. Impassive 284. Impersonal 285. Impressionable 286. Intense 287. Invisible 288. Irreligious 289. Irreverent 290. Maternal 291. Mellow 292. Modern 293. Moralistic 294. Mystical 295. Neutral 296. Noncommittal 297. Noncompetitive 298. Obedient 299. Old-fashined 300. Ordinary 301. Outspoken 302. Paternalistic 303. Physical 304. Placid 305. Political 306. Predictable 307. Preoccupied 308. Private 309. Progressive 310. Proud 311. Pure 312. Questioning 313. Quiet 314. Religious 315. Reserved 316. Restrained 317. Retiring 318. Sarcastic 319. Self-conscious 320. Sensual 321. Skeptical 322. Smooth 323. Soft 324. Solemn 325. Solitary 326. Stern 327. Stoiid 328. Strict 329. Stubborn 330. Stylish 331. Subjective 332. Surprising 333. Soft 334. Tough 335. Unaggressive 336. Unambitious 337. Unceremonious 338. Unchanging 339. Undemanding 340. Unfathomable 341. Unhurried 342. Uninhibited 343. Unpatriotic 344. Unpredicatable 345. Unreligious 346. Unsentimental 347. Whimsical

Negative Traits (292 = 46%) 1. Abrasive 2. Abrupt 3. Agonizing 4. Aimless 5. Airy 6. Aloof 7. Amoral 8. Angry 9. Anxious 10. Apathetic 11. Arbitrary 12. Argumentative 13. Arrogantt 14. Artificial 15. Asocial 16. Assertive 17. Astigmatic 18. Barbaric 19. Bewildered 20. Bizarre 21. Bland 22. Blunt 23. Biosterous 24. Brittle 25. Brutal 26. Calculating 27. Callous 28. Cantakerous 29. Careless 30. Cautious 31. Charmless 32. Childish 33. Clumsy 34. Coarse 35. Cold 36. Colorless 37. Complacent 38. Complaintive 39. Compulsive 40. Conceited 41. Condemnatory 42. Conformist 43. Confused 44. Contemptible 45. Conventional 46. Cowardly 47. Crafty 48. Crass 49. Crazy 50. Criminal 51. Critical 52. Crude 53. Cruel 54. Cynical 55. Decadent 56. Deceitful 57. Delicate 58. Demanding 59. Dependent 60. Desperate 61. Destructive 62. Devious 63. Difficult 64. Dirty 65. Disconcerting 66. Discontented 67. Discouraging 68. Discourteous 69. Dishonest 70. Disloyal 71. Disobedient 72. Disorderly 73. Disorganized 74. Disputatious 75. Disrespectful 76. Disruptive 77. Dissolute 78. Dissonant 79. Distractible 80. Disturbing 81. Dogmatic 82. Domineering 83. Dull 84. Easily Discouraged 85. Egocentric 86. Enervated 87. Envious 88. Erratic 89. Escapist 90. Excitable 91. Expedient 92. Extravagant 93. Extreme 94. Faithless 95. False 96. Fanatical 97. Fanciful 98. Fatalistic 99. Fawning 100. Fearful 101. Fickle 102. Fiery 103. Fixed 104. Flamboyant 105. Foolish 106. Forgetful 107. Fraudulent 108. Frightening 109. Frivolous 110. Gloomy 111. Graceless 112. Grand 113. Greedy 114. Grim 115. Gullible 116. Hateful 117. Haughty 118. Hedonistic 119. Hesitant 120. Hidebound 121. High-handed 122. Hostile 123. Ignorant 124. Imitative 125. Impatient 126. Impractical 127. Imprudent 128. Impulsive 129. Inconsiderate 130. Incurious 131. Indecisive 132. Indulgent 133. Inert 134. Inhibited 135. Insecure 136. Insensitive 137. Insincere 138. Insulting 139. Intolerant 140. Irascible 141. Irrational 142. Irresponsible 143. Irritable 144. Lazy 145. Libidinous 146. Loquacious 147. Malicious 148. Mannered 149. Mannerless 150. Mawkish 151. Mealymouthed 152. Mechanical 153. Meddlesome 154. Melancholic 155. Meretricious 156. Messy 157. Miserable 158. Miserly 159. Misguided 160. Mistaken 161. Money-minded 162. Monstrous 163. Moody 164. Morbid 165. Muddle-headed 166. Naive 167. Narcissistic 168. Narrow 169. Narrow-minded 170. Natty 171. Negativistic 172. Neglectful 173. Neurotic 174. Nihilistic 175. Obnoxious 176. Obsessive 177. Obvious 178. Odd 179. Offhand 180. One-dimensional 181. One-sided 182. Opinionated 183. Opportunistic 184. Oppressed 185. Outrageous 186. Overimaginative 187. Paranoid 188. Passive 189. Pedantic 190. Perverse 191. Petty 192. Pharissical 193. Phlegmatic 194. Plodding 195. Pompous 196. Possessive 197. Power-hungry 198. Predatory 199. Prejudiced 200. Presumptuous 201. Pretentious 202. Prim 203. Procrastinating 204. Profligate 205. Provocative 206. Pugnacious 207. Puritanical 208. Quirky 209. Reactionary 210. Reactive 211. Regimental 212. Regretful 213. Repentant 214. Repressed 215. Resentful 216. Ridiculous 217. Rigid 218. Ritualistic 219. Rowdy 220. Ruined 221. Sadistic 222. Sanctimonious 223. Scheming 224. Scornful 225. Secretive 226. Sedentary 227. Selfish 228. Self-indulgent 229. Shallow 230. Shortsighted 231. Shy 232. Silly 233. Single-minded 234. Sloppy 235. Slow 236. Sly 237. Small-thinking 238. Softheaded 239. Sordid 240. Steely 241. Stiff 242. Strong-willed 243. Stupid 244. Submissive 245. Superficial 246. Superstitious 247. Suspicious 248. Tactless 249. Tasteless 250. Tense 251. Thievish 252. Thoughtless 253. Timid 254. Transparent 255. Treacherous 256. Trendy 257. Troublesome 258. Unappreciative 259. Uncaring 260. Uncharitable 261. Unconvincing 262. Uncooperative 263. Uncreative 264. Uncritical 265. Unctuous 266. Undisciplined 267. Unfriendly 268. Ungrateful 269. Unhealthy 270. Unimaginative 271. Unimpressive 272. Unlovable 273. Unpolished 274. Unprincipled 275. Unrealistic 276. Unreflective 277. Unreliable 278. Unrestrained 279. Unself-critical 280. Unstable 281. Vacuous 282. Vague 283. Venal 284. Venomous 285. Vindictive 286. Vulnerable 287. Weak 288. Weak-willed 289. Well-meaning 290. Willful 291. Wishful 292. Zany