Category Archives: Joshua Hoyt

Circles of Influence

Posted on November 11, 2015 by Laura Orsini

Circles of Influence by Joshua Hoyt In my role as a school counselor, when I work with people, I try to help them understand the things that are in their control and those that are outside their control. I start … Continue reading →

Posted in Joshua Hoyt | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Societal Norms: How They Affect Our Characters

Posted on October 14, 2015 by Laura Orsini

Societal Norms: How They Affect Our Characters by Joshua Hoyt Prior to the ‘70s, it was believed that people were either male or female, black and white. Masculinity and femininity were polar opposite sides of a continuum. This meant that … Continue reading →

Posted in Joshua Hoyt | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Avoiding the Pitfalls of Overcrowding

Posted on September 11, 2015 by Laura Orsini

Avoiding the Pitfalls of Overcrowding by Joshua Hoyt “The behavioral sink hole” is a term coined by American ethologist John B. Calhoun, after conducting a study on the overcrowding of rats. In his experiment, he studied how crowding affected the … Continue reading →

Posted in Joshua Hoyt | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Tug of War of Systems!

Posted on August 11, 2015 by Laura Orsini

The Tug of War of Systems! by Joshua Hoyt An idea from systems theory is that the pull and tug from individuals within the system keep the system in homeostasis. When one person begins to fight the system, another person … Continue reading →

Posted in Joshua Hoyt | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

How much control do your characters have over their fate?

Posted on June 11, 2015 by Laura Orsini

How much control do your characters have over their fate? by Joshua Hoyt This subject is kind of interesting to me because it isn’t about what is true but more about what a person/character believes. In a 1966 study conducted … Continue reading →

Posted in Joshua Hoyt | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Zone of Proximal Development

Posted on May 11, 2015 by Laura Orsini

Zone of Proximal Development by Joshua Hoyt In creating well-rounded characters, we need to remember the wind beneath their wings. Our characters need the support of those around them or they will falter and eventually die. Think of your own … Continue reading →

Posted in Joshua Hoyt | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Character Development in Action: How to Get Past Writer’s Block

Posted on April 11, 2015 by Laura Orsini

Character Development in Action: How to Get Past Writer’s Block by Joshua Hoyt Today I had the privilege of presenting to a fourth grade class on character development. I explained a little about character creation; then, as a class, we … Continue reading →

Posted in Joshua Hoyt | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

What motivates your characters?

Posted on March 11, 2015 by Laura Orsini

What motivates your characters? by Joshua Hoyt Motivation comes in two forms: intrinsic or extrinsic. We are all motivated by both forms on a daily basis. Intrinsic motivation is driven by the good feeling a person gets from just doing … Continue reading →

Posted in Joshua Hoyt | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

What a Person Says Isn’t Necessarily What He/She Thinks

Posted on February 11, 2015 by Laura Orsini

What a Person Says Isn’t Necessarily What He/She Thinks Today’s post is based on a study conducted in 1934 by Richard LaPiere. He traveled with a Japanese couple around the US and took note of how people reacted to them. His … Continue reading →

Posted in Joshua Hoyt | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Get in Touch with Your Characters’ Schemas

Posted on January 11, 2015 by Laura Orsini

Get in Touch with Your Characters’ Schemas by Joshua Hoyt As writers, we not only explore the way our characters look and act, but we dissect our characters’ very beings. We want to flesh out the main character to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Joshua Hoyt | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment