In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: Each character in your story needs to have a name, whether they are the main character or secondary characters. And each name needs to fit within the story you're telling. For example, if you're writing a story based in 17th century Ireland, "Bob" isn't going to be a very believable name, but "Aidan" would be super appropriate. Or if you're writing about a group of close friends, avoid giving them similar names, like three girls named Kate, Cathy, and Katy. Even if you don't end up using someone's name in your story, like for minor characters, it's helpful for you as the writer to know the name so you can keep the details of the story straight as you rewrite and edit your work. Assign personality traits to your characters and give them definable quirks, like that they always drink their coffee with honey and cream instead of sugar and cream. Here are some questions to start generating some unique traits: Are they an introvert or an extrovert? What kind of music do they like, if any? What do they do in their spare time? What is their bedtime routine? Do they have any dietary restrictions? Another fun way to get inside the head of a character is to take personality quizzes based on how you think the character would answeryou might make some surprising discoveries. Chances are, your character has a different voice than you do, and part of creating a vivid character is deciding how they sound and translating that into their dialogue. Research different dialects, depending on when and where your story takes place, and listen to the conversations you hear when you're out in public to gather inspiration. It can also be really helpful to revisit a story you love and look at how that author wrote their characters' dialogues. You could also try recording yourself while you talk to a friend to study different speech patterns: how often do you pause, when does your inflection change, at what speed do you talk? Use these variables to craft a character's dialogue. This could be an emotional or a physical vulnerability, like having a character who is dealing with a recent loss or a superhero that loses their hearing when they get stressed out. To create complex, whole, relatable characters, they need to have vulnerabilities, just like we do. You could also try writing a scene where your character shares somethingmaybe something they're afraid of or worried aboutwith another character to highlight their humanity. Even if you're writing a villain, find a way to give them a smidgen of humanityif you can get your reader to feel for the villain or to understand their motives, that creates more tension in your story, which makes it more compelling to read. Maybe your main character has a temper or perhaps they tend to forget about their friends. If you have a character that has only good traitslike being loving and brave and smart and attractivethey become flat and uninteresting to readers. Think about how you can show the flaw rather than telling it. For example, writing "Andrea made sure she got to eat dinner first instead of letting the younger kids go first," you could write a scene where you show that action happening. Think about why your story matters to your character. How were they brought into it? Is it a love story, an epic adventure, a sci-fi thriller? And what does your character stand to lose or gain at the end? Your character's purpose and goal is crucial to writing a compelling story, so work hard at crafting a vibrant, involved character. Is your character on a quest? What will they lose if they fail? Are other people impacted by their failure or success? These are great questions to consider as you write. Your character needs to actively participate in the story, rather than just having things happen to them, so take some time to think about what's at stake for them. Think about your favorite characters from books, television, or movies: what kinds of situations do they encounter and how do they react to good and bad scenarios?
Summary: Assign your characters names that serve your story. Give them a rich personality and character quirks to engage the reader. Let them have a unique voice. Make your character vulnerable to create empathy in the reader. Include flaws and failures to showcase the character's humanity. Give your character motivation and purpose to drive your story.

In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: Generally speaking, Rose of Sharon is an exceptionally self-sufficient plant, and doesn't require much upkeep. If you decide that your shrubs are in need of touching up, however, do it during the colder months while they're still in their dormant stage. Doing so will help stimulate new growth once the weather warms up. As a rule, the best time to prune your Rose of Sharon is anywhere from March to early May, before the blooms begin to open. Cutting back your Rose of Sharon too early or too late can "shock" the plant, leaving it vulnerable to the elements and stunting healthy new growth. Pay close attention to any branches that appear rotted, brittle, or colorless, leaving only the strongest, healthiest sections behind. Try to shear each offshoot as close to the larger connecting branch as possible. You should be able to use your pruning shears to tackle most of the trimming. For thick or stubborn branches, you may need to grab a pair of heavy-duty loppers or a handheld pruning saw. If you're not sure whether a particular branch is actually dead, try scraping off a little bit of the bark. If the wood underneath has a greenish tinge to it, leave it be. Inspect the interior of the shrub for offshoots that overlap or wind around each other. Clip off the more crooked of the 2 branches at its baseit's not necessary to remove them both. Don't forget to check for tangled or twisted stems near the outer part of the plant, as well. In addition to making your shrubs look better, getting rid of criss-crossing branches will also open them up in the middle, proving airflow essential for keeping pests and diseases at bay. Suckers are slender stalks that grow vertically out of the roots of woody shrubs like Rose of Sharon. They most often appear along the lower portion of the main branches or on the ground directly beneath the plant. The best way to deal with suckers is to snip each stalk as close to the base as possible, as this destroys their connection with the plant's roots and makes them slower to grow back. Once they begin sprouting, suckers will typically return within a few months. This means you may need to cut them back 2-3 times a year. Not only are root suckers an eyesore, they can also sap vital nutrients from the soil if they're not removed right away. If your Rose of Sharon isn't faring well (or it's grown to colossal proportions), it's okay to remove quite a bit more growth than you leave. As long as the hardy living wood at the base of the plant is intact, it will return to produce eye-catching blooms year after year. The practice of significantly reducing a plant's overall size is referred to as "hard" or "rejuvenation" pruning. Hard pruning is useful for promoting healthy new growth in old or failing plants. It's safe to prune Rose of Sharon down to bare stubs that are only 23 feet (0.610.91m) in length while it's still dormancy. Keep in mind that the more branches you cut, the fewer flowers there will be when the shrub finally blooms. However, the flowers that are there will be much bolder and more vibrant since the plant will be able to devote more of its resources to the remaining growth.
Summary:
Wait until winter or early spring to prune Rose of Sharon. Clear out dead or damaged wood. Eliminate criss-crossing branches. Remove any visible suckers from the base of the plant. Cut your shrubs back by up to two thirds of their total size.