• The Aftermath of Decluttering a Bookcase

    In a previous post, I spoke of how I’d decided decluttering would be beneficial—not only for my room, but also for my creativity, mental health, and motivation. I started digging through my collection, creating a keep pile and a donate pile, and I was constantly surprised by books I owned that I had outgrown or forgotten about.

    By the end of this, I saw myself doing something I had never imagined doing: I filled five boxes with books (a significant portion of my TBR!) and donated them to a thrift store.

    Was it challenging? Yes. Was it worthwhile? Absolutely.

    A thrift store haul (irony!)

    It was such a satisfying feeling, each time I dropped off a box of donations. Not only was I leaving books for people who would enjoy them (as opposed to hiding them in their shelves, like I had been doing) but I got to return home and look at a bookshelf I found familiar to me!

    You see, after I had removed the “noise”—as in, the books I wasn’t going to read—I saw melody in the titles I’d read in the past and enjoyed. It taught me about my preferences in literature. Just as importantly, the process taught me a lesson about who I am.

    I’m a storyteller who sees value in every tale, but that doesn’t mean that I need to hoard every book. Doing so creates physical clutter that reduces the value of the titles.

    Simply put, I know what I like to read; I know what I’m probably going to read. There’s no direct benefit in owning things I know I will not read. There is no moral need for me to keep all the books (at least, not until I can upgrade to a library the size of Belle’s; then there wouldn’t be a problem.)

    The result?

    I now have a shelf designated for black-and-white Penguin classics, something I’ve always wanted to do. I’ve got shelves featuring works of YA fiction and fantasy. I’ve got a nonfiction bookcase, where I keep my tomes about history and nature. My favorite religious works have a designated corner.

    Best of all, I have a shelf for my own journals, where I have recorded my thoughts over the years. These, in particular, will be interesting reads one day, when I am old and gray.

    I wish I could capture in a photo how lovely it feels to know what and where everything is. I love these stories more now that I’ve figured out which ones I need, and what they can do for me.

    If you’ve been thinking about decluttering your space, particularly against the challenge of books, this is your sign to give it a shot. Don’t feel guilty: someone else will buy and read them. You’ll have more space for your own self. And your room will be free from chaos; you’ll know what to read next.

    I am optimistic that this will reflect in my writing. I’ll be able to tell clever stories, craft storylines that aren’t all over the place, and create worlds similar to those that I adore in books.


    Have you ever cleared out your book stash?

    Did you learn about yourself in the process?

    Have you got any tips to share for other readers who might be considering this?

  • Decluttering a Bookcase

    It has been a busy summer.

    I cleared out all of my bookshelves this week in order to donate things I was no longer interested in or those which I had read and did not like. The process taught me much about myself: in seeing the books I chose to keep, I learned what I am truly interested in and the topics which ignite in me fascination.

    It is also fulfilling to know the donated books will someday be in the hands of people who will love and enjoy them, rather than being stuck at the back of my bookshelf, forgotten. Books deserve to be loved.

    Of the books I kept, they were mostly Penguin classics, my favorite mystery series, fantasy novels I know I will read again, and some of my favorite works of literary fiction that helped me discover how beautiful the English language can be.

    Of course I also found a new series to read at the thrift shop! I’m excited to read about Jane Austen the sleuth! Have you read these books before?

    I’m not done with the organizing yet; there remain plenty of books to sort through, as well as other knickknacks that I no longer need and which will be useful to someone else. I can still celebrate the achievement of declutterring and discovering the sort of reader I truly am.

    Have you ever decided to clear up your bookshelves? Did you find it to be a learning process, or was it mostly a drag to you? Was it easy for you to decide which books to keep and which should go? I want to hear your stories!


  • Stories featuring female sleuths always have a particular charm. Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries has a specific enchantment to it: her career is dedicated to studying the fair folk, gathering information about them and seeking close encounters with them for the sake of research.

    She is fearless and often reckless in her resolve to make contact with these faeries, which vary from the tiny pixies to beautiful but dangerous faerie kings. To her, every risk is worth taking, because she is writing a book—one in which she hopes to present her findings to the world and be lauded as the foremost name in faerie lore and study.

    Her greatest nuisance, Wendell Bambleby, is an annoying source of logic and assistance, one that she cannot escape. He is eccentric and has a particular skill with a needle, mending the most hopelessly damaged bits of clothing into frocks worthy of queens. The letters he sends her have a peculiar feature of refusing to be destroyed, no matter what she does—almost as if they are charmed to be indestructible. And he has a way of finding her, no matter where she is, particularly if she is in a place where she does not want to be found.

    Visiting a tiny village of the name Hrafnsvik, Emily struggles as usual to be understood by the suspicious townsfolk and make a favorable impression on them. She is there for the sole purpose of carrying out research, going for long walks in the snow and learning what she can from the ‘magical wildlife’ living there.

    It was her plan to do all of these things alone, but of course, Bambleby is impossible to avoid. Soon he, also, is hauling his trunks of fripperies into the small cabin where she expects to spend a few weeks in study; soon he is doing research of his own, also on the topic of faeries, but in his own particular style: flirtation and charm.

    Emily has a strong suspicion that Wendell Bambleby is one of the fair folk. She has noticed some very peculiar behaviors in him, including his ability to charm, the spells he seems to cast with ease when he thinks she is not looking, and the fact that he has knowledge regarding faeries that one would not be expected to possess unless he had been around them at some point. Bambleby’s input in the writing of her book is priceless, which is why Emily finds him to be such a nuisance. She can’t get rid of him if she needs him. And he knows all too well that she does.

    During their visit to Hrafnsvik, they encounter many things, from changelings to a kidnapping to snows that make the simplest of tasks impossible to carry out. It’s not until Emily and Bambleby visit an ancient tree, one steeped in the oldest of faerie lore, that the real trouble begins. Emily, bewitched by a faerie that has been imprisoned to live in the tree, finds herself involved in a scheme by said faerie to free himself and once more trap the mortal world underneath his cold reign.

    When Emily is taken by this faerie in form of thanks—thanks or a kidnapping?—she finds herself in a cold place where she has no notion of time. She knows nothing except that the faerie plans to marry her in order to thank her for having released him. Such a wedding would seal an eternal winter over the people of Hrafnsvik.

    It’s one of those moments where Bambleby’s expertise and tracking skills would come in useful; can he find Emily and free her from the well-meaning but misguided faerie before it’s too late?

    Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries is a unique book written in the format of journal entries, some from Emily’s viewpoint, others from Bambleby’s. Footnotes at the end of each chapter provide additional context, creating a fully immersive world reminiscent of Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. I devoured this book in a day.

    If you enjoy light reads, faeries, and strong world-building, I highly suggest that you give this book a try. When you do, comment and tell me: are you team Emily or Bambleby?

    Buy it on Amazon here!


  • Lately I have been alternating between Mermaid-obsessed and Witch/Wizard-obsessed. I’m also heavily favoring books that are poetic and feature magic.

    The Magician’s Daughter has become one of my new favorites. The cover alone is enough to make one stop and look at it, but you soon fall in love with the characters. Biddy (Bridget) is the adopted daughter of a wizard named Rowan, and they live on a hidden island called Hy-Brasil where magical creatures (such as the Púca) also reside. They are accompanied by Hutchincroft, Rowan’s animal familiar, a rabbit with personality.

    Rowan is a wonderful character with a fresh sense of humor who is determined to gift magic to the people who truly need it: the poor, the ill, the broken. He has a Robin Hood reputation, because the magic council are trying to keep it locked away, but he goes off in the night – taking the form of a raven – and does this work against their will. Good things happen to people who are gifted with touches of magic.

    Sixteen-year-old Biddy is not a wizard, and she has always known it. But when one of Rowan’s missions goes wrong, she’ll discover there was more to her than just a girl who was adopted. Being a magician’s daughter, something is bound to rub off – and the heart is a mysterious thing! It soaks things in like a sponge, sometimes.

    My mind is caught in this book—in the sweet father-daughter moments, or flying as a raven, or laughing at Hutch’s reactions. Morgaine is also a wonderful character. Rowan’s fiancée from long ago, I expected her to be an enemy. Instead, she winds up being the friend that Biddy needed.

    And even the tortured soul, Storm, who seems ruthless and evil on the surface, had a moment of redemption. I did feel for him. I did wish he’d had a better life. Those are the best antagonists.

    My only gripe is that there was not more of the island, Hy-Brasil, and its lore. I’m sure that the place is filled with wonder, and in my mind, I can imagine all of the adventures that will take place there, especially after the events in this book. Ah well – I can always write adventures into a new magical island of my own. The perks of being a writer!

    I got an ebook copy of it, but loved it enough that I’m thinking of getting it in paper for my shelf. It’s a light read with powerful moments and no spice. It’s a great gift for your magic-loving friend. I would give this story 4 stars!

  • Starting Something New


    It is always daunting to take on a new project.

    There is the hesitation before starting a new book (reading or writing). Is it truly such a great read as people keep claiming? (I just finished Throne of Glass, for instance, and while I enjoyed it, I expected more. But I’ll blog about that later).

    (I enjoyed it. Truly. I did!)

    There is the cold sweat before you reach out to someone in the hopes of being friends with them. (Yes, I do this sometimes!) In these instances, you find yourself wondering if they’ll see something wrong in you and turn away. Most of the time, we as people are keenly aware of our own failings.

    It’s difficult to overcome the fear of starting something new, but most of the time, taking that step is a most rewarding experience. Like some creatures that live inside of shells, as long as we are alive and living, we will outgrow our portable homes. We need new shells. To fit in the shiny new shell, we must venture out of our old one.

    Those instances in between shells can be terrifying.

    In 2024, I plan to try new storylines—to attempt a bit of world-building—to meet new friends and readers. Putting myself and my books out there is unnerving. I’m always mindful of the fact that no one else will love my story as much as I do…and how it would hurt if they made that fact clear!

    But I want to grow as a writer and a person. I see lots of new shells out there that I’d like to try out, and I’m going to brave those in-between moments, because those are when the human spirit really grows.


    Three specific things I wish to do next year are:

    – Venture into new genres, both reading- and writing-wise. Fantasy is and will always be my favorite, but I’ve also got some ideas in other categories that have great potential. I’ll elaborate on that later, when I’ve got more of a plan.

    – Read more indie books. There are thousands of wonderful stories written by indie authors like me; it’s only a matter of finding and making them known to the world! Bookfunnel is one great place to find indie reads that are edited and of good quality.

    – Read more popular books. I’ve often balked at the thought of picking up what’s popular in my genre, but am coming to realize that one great perk about it is that I connect with my audience by sharing an experience with them. So much of the writer-reader experience lately is connecting. If that means reading a mediocre bestseller – well, there are worse things to do!

    The list goes on, but these are my primary goals.


    Do you have a list of things to achieve in 2024? I would love to hear about it!

  • Book Review: The Two Bells of Christmas by Joanna Barker

    Christmas is my favorite time of the year. In my opinion, one of the best parts about this season is the literature. Christmas-themed books turn up across genres, and these stories bring in the festive mood so well!

    Regency Christmas novellas are among my favorite books to read in this time. I’ve got plenty in my Kindle, and on occasion revisit old favorites.

    This year, I read The Two Bells of Christmas by Joanna Barker. A quick read, it gave me that happy romantic feeling, and my day was much better after I finished.

    Cassandra and Vivian Bell are identical twins. When they attend a party with the purpose of Vivian finding a husband, this plan is derailed when Vivian falls ill and becomes bedbound as she waits for recovery.

    However, Vivian must attend the dinners and parties, lest her intended become interested in the other ladies who have attended vying for his hand. She asks Cassie to go in for her instead and pretend to be her twin, only until she feels better.

    This couldn’t possibly go wrong, could it? Could a game of hearts be unwise?

    I found the story a bit predictable, but it was enjoyable enough that I did not mind at all. The sweet scenes made me happy. It was exactly the sort of read that I needed on a cold December day.

    If you like short, clean, sweet romance, I recommend you give this one a try!

  • Review: Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro

    Difference, children, is not monstrous. It is nature at work.

    from Ordinary Monsters

    The first time I saw Ordinary Monsters, it was in eBook form. I had clicked the ad on Facebook because I loved the cover–covers do make an enormous difference–and when I saw on the Amazon page that it was a deliciously long book, I knew I had to read it sometime.

    However, there are so many books in my wishlist that, by the time I got to the bookstore (big books deserve to be paper copies!) I completely forgot what the title of the book was. “I’m looking for a really thick book,” I said, “one with a black cover…it was a fantasy…” At the bookstore, they stared at me blankly. “Where is the fantasy section?” I inquired (the bookstore had been recently rearranged). I found the book quickly once I got myself there.

    I confess that when I first started reading Ordinary Monsters, I found that it dragged. Past the introduction, which I thought remarkable, chapters one through three were a puzzling assortment of POV-switches, and I could not quite grasp what the plot was. However, since it’s a long book, I was determined not to DNF it, and I’m glad that I pushed through. Once the action picked up, it was a true page-turner.

    The use of ‘talents’ and a special school brought me pleasant nostalgia for Harry Potter. I appreciated the diversity of the ‘students’ and the creativity with which their talents are portrayed. Also, Ordinary Monsters has the only scene in a book that’s made me want to cry in all of 2023. Out of one hundred novels, this one alone has been able to crush me, and while I cannot tell you what happened because it’s a spoiler, I assure you that there are feels in here.

    Some books require a bit of patience. Once you push past a rocky beginning, you’ll be rewarded with a memorable adventure. Ordinary Monsters was one of those books, and in the end, I’m glad that I remembered ‘the book with the black cover’ when I went to Barnes and Noble.

    My rating is 4 stars out of 5.

  • The Sea King Arrives


    December 8 was my planned release day for The Sea King as an eBook. It was a happy coincidence that my proof copy of the paperback arrived that very same day.

    While it’s still not yet available to purchase as a paperback, I’ve been having fun carrying the book with me, reading the chapters with interest, as if I was not the very person who wrote them. It was the same when The Sea Rose was published earlier this year: I was fascinated by the sight of my own work on paper.


    I struggled to read The Sea Rose when, a couple of weeks ago, I was checking for discrepancies. It isn’t a new situation, because–ideally–artists improve at their craft. It can be a struggle to enjoy their past works with the constant chiming of the Inner Editor.

    If The Sea Rose had not already been published, I would be tempted to rewrite it, when every artist must accept that at some point we must move on and start a new thing.

    That makes two books that I’ve published this year. I’ve also published about one hundred Vella episodes, for which I am grateful. I think that Vella, despite being a different platform with different kinds of readers, has been helping me improve generally at this good craft.

    It’s taught me that stories can be incredibly flexible. When they need to be short, they can be short; when they must be longer, skilled artistic sight will show us where more detail can be added.

    Next year, I want to publish a short story collection. I’ve written four of them already, and the only reason I’ve put it off is because I’m considering adding a fifth. I want to write some novellas that are not related to this series, because it is good for the writing muscle to move past a comfort zone.

    I also want to write book 3. This is a big deal for me, because I’ve never made it to book 3 in any of my past series! I’m excited to see how my craft will have improved by the time it is finished.

    I also plan to keep this blog more active. I’ll be talking about my writing plans, the books I read, and sharing bits of writing advice. I would love to meet more people here. Are you a writer or a reader? Comment and introduce yourself!


  • I’m convinced that self-doubt and impostor syndrome are to blame for many, many good books never getting published. Indeed, a nervous writer might never even allow her friends to look at her work if it is less than perfect in her eyes.

    The truth is that nothing we write will ever be perfect; even our favorite traditionally-published authors might often struggle with “cringe syndrome” while reading their own work. It’s the nature of the craft.

    This year, I published The Sea Rose in January. I have had such kind and helpful readers! Yet, in spite of their encouragement, I reached a crash recently where I could not bear to read my own work from just ten months prior.

    It must be a sign of improvement as a writer, and some research shows me that all writers feel like this at some point. Ten months from now, what I’m proud of today will likely grate on my nerves. That’s what happens when practice improves our craft.

    Over the course of the summer and autumn, I wrote book two of the Ladies of the Sea series. It is called The Sea King. In it, you meet two different viewpoints who join Rose, Peter and Meredith in order to help tell the story from many different angles. I’m proud of The Sea King because I achieved a new complexity with my character development. I already know that it will be even better in book three.

    While The Sea Rose was primarily a love story, The Sea King focuses more on world-building and establishing how my fantasy universe works. I am grateful that I opted for indie publishing, because this story by nature cannot seem to stick to one genre. While I believe that I managed the change well, that is up to my readers to decide.

    When you read The Sea King, I’m eager to read your reviews and learn how you believe I can improve for the next adventure.

    Click here to pre-order. It will be available for Kindle on December 8, and hopefully the paperback will be ready less than a week after!

    If you decide to visit my world again and follow on this adventure, I am most grateful for your time. It makes a greater difference than you realize for an indie author to have friends!

    -Mariella

    P.S. I have a short story collection planned for release early next year. The short stories are set in this same world. I can’t wait to share those. Also, if you have been on the fence about checking out my work on Kindle Vella, The Sea Rose Saga has exceeded 200 episodes and still continues. I’ve also started a Vella called The Prince of Sumner Lighthouse. Find my Vellas here.

    Lord Peter West and Lady Rose Finch have returned from the district of the Merpeople. They knew their welcome would be rocky, but had not prepared for the challenges that awaited them at home.

    When Peter learns that Lady Meredith, the woman he spurned, could be in danger, his conscience moves him to find her. But these plans are interrupted by the death of the Ocean Queen and the chaos that ensues.

    The heir to the Ocean Throne, Prince Sorley, has been locked in prison for years. Enraged by the separation, the ocean begins calling to him. As furious raindrops threaten crops and sink ships, Rose and Peter must find a way to rescue Sorley from prison.

    Can he be freed before the chaos is irreversible?

  • Guest Post: The Journey to Finding My Voice by Author Kate Seger

    Visit her website!

    Ah, the captivating world of writing—a dimension where I’ve always felt both entranced and, for a long time, somewhat astray. As a young, aspiring author, I admired a pantheon of literary greats, trying to find my footing by echoing their voices. Each narrative I spun felt like an act of mimicry, a parrot’s squawk rather than a nightingale’s song. I remember poring over other authors’ works, dissecting their sentences, and adopting their styles. My drafts, while technically sound, lacked the genuine essence—the soul—I sought to capture. Everything was an emulation, a reflection seen through the mist of someone else’s lens.

    Imagine a tempest: a churning whirlwind of ideas and stories, all demanding to be told. That’s how my writing journey began, like a chaotic maelstrom where concepts collided and clashed. I unleashed that storm by writing tales of many genres, searching for where my magic felt most potent. 

    And then, as if stumbling upon a hidden path in a forest, I discovered the dark corners of fantasy. It was like a homecoming, a realization that I didn’t need to force a voice that wasn’t mine. In this newfound realm, amidst the creeping vines and lurking shadows, my own voice emerged—more authentic, resonant, and compelling than any I had tried to imitate.

    No longer did I need to consciously craft each phrase. Words flowed more naturally, and my stories began to weave themselves. The once-daunting task of filling blank pages became a journey of exploration into my own psyche and creativity. I learned to trust in the whispers of my imagination, allowing them to guide my narratives through a dance of light and shadow.

    In dark fantasy, I found a genre that embraced not only the monsters lurking under the bed but also the darkness within the human heart. In this genre, my writing could explore themes of power, transformation, betrayal, and tenacity—every shadow held a story and every flickering candle flame revealed hidden truths. It was a genre that accepted the complexities and paradoxes of life and humanity. I found myself not just a storyteller but a sojourner traversing landscapes painted in shades of dusk and midnight. This genre, with its enigmatic sorcerers, hidden realms, and tales that tread the fine line between the seen and the unseen, wasn’t just a choice; it was a calling. It wasn’t solely about crafting tales but unearthing my deepest fascinations and fears. 

    There’s an undeniable allure in worlds where shadows are always hungry, the apocalypse is perpetually looming, andmonsters roam alongside men. Darkness in these narratives isn’t merely an absence of light or a symbol of terror; within it, I could explore the primal depths of human nature, the struggle between survival and morality, and the endless complexities of power and loss. Leaning into my darkness, writing always flowed more smoothly; it was like dipping my pen into a well of raw, unfiltered truth, tapping into a vein of creativity that understood the seductive call of the night.

    In this realm, the shadows themselves became characters—alive, whispering, ever-present. They spoke a language of mystery, inviting me to look closer, to understand that darkness isn’t always about fear. Sometimes, it’s about the magic hidden in the unseen corners of the world and the heart. Reality blurs in these dark corners, and the fantastical becomes tangible. It’s a world where the monsters and the heroes who fight them reveal the depth of our own souls.

    Writing in this landscape of eternal twilight, I found a resonance with the duality of my own being. Here, I could weave narratives that mirrored my fascination with the ethereal and the eerie. In these stories, every haunted castle, forbidden forest, and character with a heart shrouded in darkness wasn’t just an escape; they were expressions of my inner world. A world where the allure of the dark was not just about embracing fear, but about acknowledging the power and beauty that lies within it.

    The literary realm is vast, filled with voices echoing advice, doctrines, and tales of every conceivable nature. But I found that my voice was not in the din but in the hush that follows sunset. The allure of dark fantasy wasn’t just a genre for me; it was an echo from the abyss beckoning me.

    Thus, my dance with nightfall, my journey into dark fantasy, became more than just a writing style. It became a way to explore the uncharted territories of my imagination, where every starless sky held a story. It’s in this embrace of darkness, this understanding that it isn’t always something to be frightened of but often a path to profound introspection and beauty, where my truest and most compelling narratives were born.

    My journey to finding my voice in writing wasn’t just about honing a skill; it was about self-discovery, about realizing that the most powerful stories come from a place of authenticity. The real magic of writing began when I stopped trying to recreate the voices of others and instead listened to the unique cadence of my own narrative song. Here, in the realm of dark fantasy, my voice found its home—a place where each word I write isimbued with the essence of my truest self.

  • Review: The Village Healer’s Book of Cures by Jennifer Sherman Roberts

    Purchase here!

    Perhaps Halloween season is to blame. I’ve been enjoying books about witches or set in relevant situations. The Witch of Tin Mountain by Paulette Kennedy set it off. It hooked me into wanting to read more about these oft-misunderstood characters.

    I like that witches in literature can be good or bad. Some do follow the black magic tradition of curses and steaming cauldrons. Other witches, like the protagonist in the book I’m about to review, are healers whose reputations suffer from superstition.

    Are all healers witches? Can the two be separate professions? That’s a question to ponder in another post.


    We live in a world that can be unforgiving towards anything that is unfamiliar or misunderstood. While society in general has become better at learning the facts before passing on condemning titles, things were not always so rational.

    I enjoy books that capture simpler time periods where panic was quick and easy to find. They showcase a darker side of the human mind. This is one of them.

    The Village Healer’s Book of Cures by Jennifer Sherman Roberts chronicles how one accusation can unleash a chain of falsehoods. It is a reminder that even the young and innocent are not free from danger when fear motivates a mob.

    It is set in Bicknacre, a small village in seventeenth-century England. It’s one of those places where one would think that it’s impossible not to know all of one’s neighbors. With thin walls and big mouths, how many secrets can there be?

    The arrival of a witchfinder marks the beginning of a feverish search for sorcery. The accused are tortured until they confess to demonic practices that would condemn them to hang. Death is better than the punishment dealt by a witchfinder and his guards. More frightening, perhaps, than the torture, is the ease with which a friend would betray a friend to it.

    The protagonist is Mary, a young widow who cares for her six-year-old brother, Tom. She is apprentice to the village healer, Agnes, and together they create remedies for all sorts of illnesses that the villagers suffer, from childbirth to headaches. These cures are all forgotten, however, when Agnes is accused of witchcraft and arrested.

    The village is roused into a frenzy; they spew lies about Agnes with the intention of making her appear guilty. It does not matter how she might have cured their maladies in the past. The mob is hungry to see a hanging and will speak mistruths for the thrill of it. In the midst of this chaos, Mary and even little Tom become suspects.

    What will it require to clear their names and escape the death penalty?

    This enchanting story touches on the mysteries of alchemy, and the human desire for eternal life (or, at least, the reversal of death). It also has romance, but these scenes are closed-door. Though we all have different boundaries, I did not consider them to be graphic.

    It is a romance between two souls with intelligent minds who wish to begin their lives again, and I think it is beautiful.


    I would read this book again. It has motivated me to seek more witchy books and explore this corner of fantasy literature. If you like stories about magic, familial love, second chances, and historical fiction, I suggest that you give it a try.

    Do you have some favorite witchy books of your own? Please suggest them in the comments!

  • 3 Things I Love in a Protagonist

    We all look for different things when reading a book.

    Some people appreciate an elaborate world, like that in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings; others find such details distracting. Some enjoy it when an author ‘breaks the rules’ with their plotline.

    Neil Gaiman’s The Ocean at the End of the Lane is a book people either love or do not. It breaks so many storytelling rules that I found it confusing. I much preferred his books Stardust and Neverwhere (check out my review of Neverwhere here!)

    I pay most attention to two things in books: writing style and characters. In general, I can forgive a bland plot if it’s well-written and the protagonist is sympathetic. That’s not to imply that other elements (setting, description, believability) are unimportant.

    In the end, storytelling is the ability to bend these things into something different that works. That said, here are traits I most appreciate in characters.

    Flaws that Make them Human

    I want to read about relatable protagonists. Humans make poor decisions. We can, and do, blurt out things we regret. We arrive late to meetings and have a tendency for laziness.

    Note: You can have a main character who is a diligent worker and never shows up late. Compensate for that with something else, like self-esteem issues or the human defect of pride.

    Mary-Sue characters do not stay long in my memory. I have nothing to learn from them or their journeys. I have no way of applying their perfection to my life.

    If a character does not shape me in some way with their choices, I do not love or hate them; quite simply, I will forget.

    Love to Guide their Choices

    This does not necessarily mean romantic love.

    A good character will care for someone other than themselves, be it a sibling, pet dog, or dragon (genre depending). Is there another breathing creature that they would do anything for? Is there a person whose loss would destroy them? If the answer is no, then I do not see myself liking them.

    Even my favorite villains have somebody they care for. It often explains their actions—stealing to provide for a family, killing to avenge a loved one.

    Characters must care for somebody; otherwise, how will I care for them?

    Goals to Make them Stronger

    A good story follows the protagonist as they move towards their objective. Frodo must destroy the ring; Harry must defeat Voldemort. However, a character does not always need such a dramatic goal in order to be motivated.

    They can want something so common as romance—a wedding, a future with someone special—or a promotion at work. Rest can also be a goal, if years have passed since their last holiday.

    I try to write characters with goals, and not all of them are dramatic as defeat the villain. So long as it motivates the character to take risks and leave their comfort zone, it is sufficient.

    A character that needs nothing does not have much of a story.


    These are, of course, my personal preferences. We all read differently and appreciate various qualities in our protagonists.

    Feel free to comment and tell me what you look for in a character. Do you agree or disagree with any of these points? I’m eager to hear it!