Characters that leap off the page: Using interiority to show your characters’ inner world

Have you ever heard the phrase, “I want a book where the characters leap right off the page?” If you’ve ever queried before or researched agents, I’m sure you have. After all, isn’t that what everyone wants in a book?

It can be so frustrating to read an abstract goalpost like “give me a character that leaps off the page,” because obviously you, yourself, feel like your character does that, but how do you know….

Real on the page is not real in the world

When I wrote my post on making decisions, I described how a writer must decide things about the characters, plot, and world of their book rather than leaving them up in the air. It’s important to know what you’re trying to accomplish in order to compare that blueprint against the understanding your beta readers receive. […]