This is KAM Wylant and you are listening to the 111th episode of the word play podcast.

I'm a tremendous advocate of writing every day,

but sometimes the best thing we can do for our writing is give ourselves a little time off

to allow the old creative rubber band to snap back into shape.

I took most of this week off from writing and tootled about, went to the movies, watched some

research videos about Kenya, and just generally gathered my thoughts for my final plunge into my work

and progress's latest chapter.

It was nice to take a few days off.

My creative itch is starting to get incessant again, which means it's probably time to get back to it.

The benefits of a clueless character.

The latest post in the video series on my blog discusses the prose of a character who doesn't know any more about what's going on

than your reader does.

You can watch the video on my blog at wordplay-k-m-yland, that's W-E-I-L-N. Blog Spot. com.

New videos are posted every Wednesday.

Meanwhile enjoy this week's podcast.

Captain America's 10-Step Guide to the likable Hero.

Make me like your character and I will follow him to the center of the earth.

I will fight with him in the trenches, I will slog through bogs, brave tsunamis, and face down volcanoes for it.

If I like your character, I won't just read your book.

I'll ache when it's over.

Buy it in hardcover just so I never have to say goodbye,

reread it until it's dog-eared, and welcome that character to a permanent place in my heart.

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