This episode’s question comes from an anonymous Inkwell member. Anonymous says: I want to include milestones in my story that are huge for a disabled person but seem mundane for non disabled people, without the story itself being mundane. Any tips?
I think this isn’t a problem – it’s one of the most powerful elements in fiction. The gap between how something looks from the outside and what it means on the inside is exactly what makes great character writing. Because ultimately, the techniques for making ordinary moments land with real weight aren’t special techniques for writing disability – they’re the fundamentals of good character writing.
In this episode I cover:
Why character investment is everything
How point of view shapes the reader’s experience of key moments
Using embodied sensory detail to put readers inside the experience
Free indirect style and psychic distance for close interiority
Why over-explaining kills a scene
Using contrast and other characters’ reactions to illuminate your protagonist
And if you’d like more writing craft advice like this, check out my course Getting Started in Historical Fiction. This course is developed in partnership with The History Quill with historical fiction in mind, but the writing advice applies across genres – it’s the best of my teaching all in one place, for an absolutely bargain price.
https://katherineclements.co.uk/getstarted
And don’t forget, if you’re an Inkwell member, you can submit your question for the podcast here:
