on Helping Writers become Authors:

“The plot was contrived, and the characters were cardboard.” Ouch. That’s about as bad as it can get when it comes to negative story reviews.

It’s also perhaps one of the most commoncomplaints audiences have about stories. Certainly, it’s one that irritates me the most!

Here’s the thing though: cardboard characters often cause plot contrivances—and vice versa. Once you realize this, it can become a little easier to figure out how to identify and avoid cardboard characters (and plot contrivances) in your own fiction.

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