We remember the ones who limp.

Not just the characters with physical scars—but the ones carrying something heavier. The ones who hurt, who wrestle with ghosts. Who lash out at the wrong people or sabotage their own peace, not because they’re bad, but because they’ve been broken in some way. And they’re still trying to make sense of it.

That’s what I mean when I say: every great character is haunted.

This is something I’ve come to believe deeply—not just as a writer, but as a reader, and a person. We connect with characters who’ve been hurt, who’ve failed, who are afraid. Not because they’re likeable, but because they’re real.

So today I want to talk about wounds—what they are, why they matter, and how I try to write them in my own stories.

What Is a Character Wound?

In simple terms: a wound is a past experience that changed your character in a lasting way. Not a paper cut, but something that altered how they see themselves or the world around them.

It could be betrayal, grief, trauma, shame, exile, war. But the key thing is this: the wound creates a belief.

“I’m not worthy of love.”

“Power always corrupts.”

“If I get close to people, I’ll lose them.”

“No one will protect me but me.”

That belief starts to shape their choices—sometimes without them even realizing it. And that’s what makes it powerful. Wounds aren’t decoration. They’re not just backstory. They’re the engine of a good character arc.

Why Wounds Matter

We don’t read stories to see perfect people do perfect things. We read to see someone wrestle with something that feels bigger than them—and sometimes win, and sometimes not.

Here’s what wounds do:

• They create emotional realism. Readers might not share your character’s circumstances, but they get fear. They get regret. They get the longing to be seen.
• They generate conflict. A wounded character will push others away. Or trust too fast. Or sabotage the very thing they need. That makes for compelling story movement.
• They give shape to arcs. Whether your character heals, hides, or succumbs to their wound—that journey gives the story its emotional weight.
• They add theme. If your story is about redemption, sacrifice, justice—then wounds are where those themes live.

A Few from My Own Work

In Fury of the Lost, I didn’t set out to write characters with trauma. I set out to write truth. But truth and pain are often entangled. So here are a few that emerged:

Aeros

Once a revolutionary. Then a war criminal. Then a runaway husband. Now a slave. He carries guilt like a second skin. His wound is betrayal—of others, of himself. And it shapes everything he does. He restrains himself constantly, afraid of the man he used to be.

Talarain

She lost too many people too young. She survived things she shouldn’t have. Her wound is grief. It fuels her bravery, but also her recklessness. She fights for the living because she’s haunted by the dead.

Djeodi

He was exiled from his homeland, betrayed by someone he loved. His wound is shame. And yet, he chooses to lead, to mentor, to believe in people again. That choice is what makes him strong—not his skill, but his refusal to let his wound define him.

None of these wounds are just backstory. They shape the characters’ relationships, their fears, their choices, their capacity for love—or revenge.

How to Write Character Wounds

There’s no formula. But there are a few things I’ve learned (the hard way) that might help:

1. Dig deeper than the event. Don’t just ask “what happened?” Ask “what did it make them believe?”
2. Make it personal. Don’t grab a generic trauma off the shelf. Root it in who that character is. A wound that destroys one person might barely dent another.
3. Show it in action. Don’t tell me your character was abandoned—show me how they flinch when someone promises to stay.
4. Let it evolve. A wound isn’t static. It festers, heals, reopens. That’s the arc.

Want a quick exercise? Ask yourself:

• What’s the one thing this character would never admit out loud?
• What’s the one thing they secretly wish could be true?
  The gap between those two answers? That’s often where the wound lives.

What to Watch Out For

Even good intentions can go sideways. A few common pitfalls:

• Trauma as aesthetic. Don’t give your character a tragic past just to make them “dark” or interesting. Readers can tell when you’re faking it.
• Instant healing. Emotional recovery takes time. A speech or a hug doesn’t undo years of damage.
• Overused tropes. Dead parents, frigid lovers, broken warriors—they can work, but only if you make them your own. Add specificity. Add contradiction. Make it human.
• No consequences. A wound that doesn’t affect relationships or behavior isn’t a real wound. It’s just flavor text.

Final Thoughts: Broken and Beautiful

The truth is—we’re all carrying something. And the characters that last, the ones we carry with us long after the story ends, are the ones that reflect that truth.

So if you’re building a character, don’t start with what they can do. Start with what they’ve lost. What they regret. What they wish they could take back. That’s where their humanity lives.

And that’s what makes us care.

I’m not a huge fan of social media. The constant noise, endless opinions, and curated perfection can feel more exhausting than inspiring. That’s why I typically only post when I have something specific to share or promote. But today, I want to break that rule for a moment. I want to acknowledge something that has been on my heart: despite the monsters I have known, despite the chaos we often see online and in the world, I genuinely believe that most people are good.

Not perfect. Not without flaws. But good.

In my experience, when you strip away the layers of fear, anger, and defensiveness, you find people who are loving, compassionate, and deeply hopeful. People who want the world to be better—not just for themselves, but for everyone. I’ve seen it in the small acts of kindness that never make headlines: the stranger who offers a hand when someone stumbles, the neighbor who quietly checks in, the countless unseen efforts of those who simply try to leave their corner of the world better than they found it.

Goodness matters. In a time when cynicism can feel like the default, it’s worth pausing to appreciate the quiet courage of compassion. It takes strength to be kind in a world that often feels chaotic. It takes hope to believe in people when you’ve seen the worst of them.

If you’re one of those people—one of the countless souls out there striving, in your own small or big way, to make this world a little brighter—thank you. It matters more than you might realize. You matter more than you might realize.

Sometimes, in the noise and negativity, it’s easy to feel like the good gets drowned out. But I promise, it doesn’t. It ripples outward. It changes things. It inspires others to be better. So please, keep showing up with your compassion, your kindness, and your hope.

The world needs it. The world needs you.

Thank you for being one of the good ones.

Geek the Halls is coming!

The weekend after Thanksgiving, November 30th – December 1st, I will be signing books at the Geek the Halls fair in Portland, Oregon.

Here’s what they have to say on their website:

Geek the Halls is the original Portland nerdy craft fair, created in 2010. 60+ amazing crafter artists to find the perfect gift for the nerds in your life (or yourself). FREE Admission!

I’ll be there with The Broken Horn, The Sandrunner, and the debut of the Verrient. Come on by! Free smiles and high-fives.

The Verrient is now available on Amazon!

The Outlands are at war.

Airships darken the sky, seaspiders swarm the dunes, and extinction looms. The edani are coming, and this time, there will be no stopping them.

What do you do when no hope remains?

You fight.

Djeodi and Roan will not let the Outlands become the victims of their oppressors. Neither will Talarain, the frail girl upon whom rests the desperate hopes of their people, locked in a struggle to find who—and what—she is.

Haunting pasts are confronted and terrible futures faced while the fate of a world hangs on the tip of a blade.

How much will be sacrificed for victory? Who will yet stand when the war has ended? From sun-scorched battlefields to the depths of the Underworld, the terrifying struggle will reshape the Outlands forever.

As a writer, I’m constantly searching for ways to create richer, more dynamic character interactions. One of the most effective tools I’ve discovered is the concept of “four corner opposition.” This technique has allowed me to craft more personal and layered conflicts, adding depth to both my characters and the overall narrative.

What is Four Corner Opposition?

In essence, four corner opposition is a storytelling framework where four distinct characters or groups are in opposition to one another. Each “corner” represents a different perspective, motivation, or goal, which leads to a complex web of conflict, far more intricate than a simple hero-villain dynamic.

Instead of just having two sides battling it out, four corner opposition introduces competing motivations from multiple angles. Some characters may align briefly, but their deeper desires create natural friction, ensuring tension throughout the story. It’s a tool that injects moral ambiguity and multiplies the stakes, leading to unexpected twists and evolving relationships.

The Origins of Four Corner Opposition

This method is widely attributed to John Truby, a prominent story expert and screenwriter. In his influential book The Anatomy of Story, Truby critiques the traditional binary conflict structure and introduces four corner opposition as a way to complicate and enrich the narrative. He argues that by diversifying the forces of opposition, you create a more engaging and unpredictable story.

Truby’s framework pushes writers to craft characters that are fully fleshed out, with unique desires and flaws. Instead of relying on a good vs. evil structure, each character believes they are in the right, adding layers to the narrative and creating a tapestry of motives that can conflict or align at various points.

How Four Corner Opposition Has Impacted My Writing

In my own work, including The Story of Rain trilogy, I’ve embraced four corner opposition to develop my characters and drive the story forward. Here’s how it’s been particularly effective:

1. Deeper Character Development: Each character is more than just an ally or enemy. They are complex individuals with unique agendas, which makes for much richer interactions. Djeodi, Roan, and others in my novels all have different stakes in the story, which leads to surprising alliances, betrayals, and moments of introspection.
2. More Personal Conflict: Using four corner opposition means that conflict isn’t just external. It often arises from internal desires that clash with those of others. This approach allows me to explore themes like redemption, loyalty, and survival from multiple perspectives, making the stakes feel more personal and emotional.
3. Unpredictability: With four distinct “corners” vying for their goals, the story naturally evolves in unpredictable ways. Characters might team up momentarily, but their underlying motivations eventually pull them apart. This keeps the reader on their toes, never quite sure how things will unfold.
4. Layered Themes: I’ve found that this technique allows for a deeper exploration of the themes central to my novels. By having multiple characters with conflicting desires, I can examine various aspects of the story’s themes from different angles, enriching the narrative’s complexity.

Conclusion

Ultimately, four corner opposition has helped me craft more intricate and emotionally engaging stories. By deepening the conflict between characters, I’ve been able to create narratives that feel both intense and personal, leaving readers with a sense of immersion and unpredictability. If you’re a writer looking to add complexity to your work, I highly recommend exploring this technique and seeing where it leads you.

I hope this provides some insight into the power of four corner opposition and how it has positively shaped my storytelling. If you’re interested in seeing this method in action, I encourage you to check out my upcoming novel, The Verrient, the final book in The Story of Rain trilogy!