On What Marks The Soul

The word character – as long time readers will remember – did not mean dramatis personae. The word comes from the Greek meaning an engraved mark. As in to draw a character on a piece of paper. Put some together and it becomes a word. The term also meant to mark on the body, or the soul. It was not until a few hundred years ago that the term became applicable to a person in a story. Hamlet was not a character – the meaning changed more recent than Shakespeare’s death.

J KennyFebruary 12, 2026writing process, writing advice, writing memoir, writing a book, writing fiction, writing a novel, how to write a book, ghostwriter, Knives Out, Benoit Blanc