What Makes an Amateur Sleuth Feel Real

D.R. Ransdell, Gay Yellen, Judy L. Murray, Kathryn Lasky, Lori Robbins, and Rebecca Butler dig into what makes amateur sleuths feel real. They discuss relatable traits, emotional motivation, and story choices that ground investigations in authenticity rather than coincidence.

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Strength, Honor, and the Modern Tough Guy

Character, Craft, Development, Gender, Writing

Andrew Grant, F. Paul Wilson, Lori Armstrong, and Michelle Gagnon explore how to portray toughness in male protagonists with honesty and depth. They examine physical strength, emotional resilience, and moral conviction, and how these qualities shape characters readers...

When the Writer Becomes the Detective

Character Development, Fiction, Mystery

Bruce DeSilva, Cathy Wiley, Hannah Dennison, Hilary Davidson, Joy Castro, Katrina Holm, and Robert Olen Butler explore mysteries where writers become detectives. They discuss metafiction, creativity, and the intriguing overlap between the act of writing and the act of...

How Place Creates Character

Character, Fiction, Setting, Writing

Characters do not exist in a vacuum. This session explores how environment shapes personality, values, and choices, and how the right setting can naturally create characters who feel deeply rooted and impossible to separate from their world.

What Makes an Amateur Sleuth Feel Real

Strength, Honor, and the Modern Tough Guy

When the Writer Becomes the Detective

How Place Creates Character

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