Episode 343 - Writing Better Characters with the Big Five Personality Traits with Kat Caldwell
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Kat Caldwell discusses WRITING BETTER CHARACTERS WITH THE BIG FIVE PERSONALITY, including what the five traits are and how they function as a spectrum rather than fixed categories; why a character's "need" is really about the unconscious ways their personality causes hurt to the people they love; how to use the Big Five as a diagnostic tool when your story feels like something's off; and why a satisfying character arc means growth and not a 180-degree reversal.
Kat is a novelist and short story writer and loves to teach fiction. She writes love stories in several genres including historical romance, contemporary romance, and contemporary fiction. Kat is the creator of the Pencils&Lipstick podcast, a podcast for writers with author interviews, craft talk and insight into the publishing world. In between conducting interviews for her podcast and writing, you can find Kat traveling the world, reading, or volunteering with her church—always with a cup of cold brew close by.
Episode Links
https://www.instagram.com/author_katcaldwell/
https://www.youtube.com/@PencilsandLipstick
https://www.tiktok.com/@katcaldwell.author
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