The term ‘narcissism’ comes from Greek mythology, where beautiful, proud Narcissus fell in love with his own image in a pool of water. It’s not
Category: Psychology for Writers
Is your character pretending to be something they’re not?
We all spend some time pretending to be something we’re not. We pretend we’re feeling happy when we’re not, we maintain a façade of polite
Childhood Trauma and its Impact on Your Character
The word ‘trauma’ is derived from the Greek term for ‘wound’. Very frightening or distressing events may result in a psychological wound or injury –
Psychology For Writers: Alcohol Addiction
Alcohol has played a central role in almost all human cultures since the Stone Age. Interestingly, there’s evidence that the development of agriculture – a
How Your Character’s Beliefs Colour their Perspective
Whether its first person, third person, or the see-all-know-all omniscient point of view, the power of a story is the vicarious adventure of living someone
When Your Characters Form a Group: What Writers Need to Know
When Frodo agreed to take that cursed ring to Mount Doom, he didn’t know he was going to join a group of fellow fantastical and
Psychology for Writers: Depression
We’ve all felt sad, lost, or hopeless at some stage in our life. It’s a natural part of the 10,000 highs and 10,000 lows Buddha
Your Book Needs These 6 Psychological Ingredients
Psychology has given us such a wonderful understanding into human behaviour that’s it’s a veritable gold-mine for writers. It not only lets us understand our
Is Your Character Ready to Change? The Stages of Change for Writers
Narratives are all about change – protagonists changing their perspectives as they see, hear and learn new things, choosing to do things differently as
Therapy for Writers: Dealing with Perfectionism
The perfectionism trap is easy to fall into. We live in a culture that’s all about success and achievement, and the writing world is no
Psychology for Writers: Panic Attacks
Fear was hardwired into our brain long before our ancestors had developed the language to name it. Our great-granddaddy’s and great-grandmummy’s couldn’t afford to miss
Psychology for Writers: Autism Spectrum Disorder
If you’ve got a character who has autism then you’ve just set yourself a challenge, but a challenge that has some of the greatest flexibility
Psychology for Writers: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
The moment Katniss Everdeen volunteers herself as tribute in place of her younger sister, the heroine of the Hunger Games begins a journey of war
