Why Trauma Makes Characters Feel Real An Author’s Perspective

The Wheel Reads: Books and Chaos · Sep 17, 2026 · 1h 28m

What happens when fictional characters experience trauma, and how does that trauma shape who they become?In this episode of The Wheel Reads, we sit down with Denise Nussbaum, author of Ashes Know Her Name, for a conversation about the use of trauma in fiction and how authors can use painful experiences to create deeper, more believable characters.We talk about how different characters process trauma, how it affects relationships, and why two people can experience similar events and come out of them completely differently.And because this is The Wheel Reads, we obviously couldn't have this…