“In displaying the psychology of your characters, minute particulars are essential. God save us from vague generalizations!” – Anton Chekhov

“…and then to give us the stories of men and women of character who in turn inspire those of us who dare to reach for the truly great within ourselves.” – Holly Lisle

“A writer has no other material to make his people from than the people of his experience … The only thing the writer can do is to recombine parts, suppress some characteristics and emphasize others, put two or three people into one fictional character, and pray the real-life prototypes won’t sue.” – Wallace Stegner

“…if you don’t understand that story is character and not just idea, you will not be able to breathe life into even the most intriguing flash of inspiration.” – Elizabeth George

“Stories are more than just images. As you continue in the tale, you get to know the characters, motivations and conflicts that make up the core of the story.” – Livia Blackburne