Characters can make or break a story. You can create the finest landscapes, the greatest stories, the most remarkable writing but you cannot make your stories live unless you have characters.
This came to mind with some entries into this quarter’s Global Short Story Competition. Here’s some thoughts on how those writers got it right.
They described their physical characteristics but picked only the salient information
They made the reader visualise the person by thinking about the small things which make them stand out, make them live.
They captured their demeanour.
They described their views, their emotions, they type of character.
They did not pack the information in all at once, rather revealing the character as the story progressed.
They made sure the main characters are strong enough to carry the story on their shoulders.
And they made sure we care about them - not necessarily like but care.
Above all, their characters were REAL.
Still time to enter this quarter’s competition at www.inscribemedia.co.uk
John Dean
Showing posts with label Creating real characters in fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Creating real characters in fiction. Show all posts
Tuesday, 21 October 2014
Friday, 26 September 2014
Are you playing a starring role in your own story?
Writers creating main characters will use various methods but they will always draw on three sources of inspiration. They are:
Autobiographical method
While you are always likely to put something of yourself into your characters without trying, many of the most convincing characters are created deliberately by basing them on yourself or particular aspects of your personality.
It was Mel Brooks who said: “Every human being has hundreds of separate people living under his skin. The talent of a writer is his ability to give them their separate names, identities, personalities, and have them relate to other characters living with him.”
Biographical method
Writers often base characters on people they know, maybe not well but whose characteristics create the starting point for a character.
Perhaps a snippet of overheard conversation or the way someone wears a coat can be enough. By mixing these characteristics together the inspiration will never recognise themselves.
Oh, and sounds obvious but don’t forget to change the name - you would be surprised how many writers don’t!
Inventing characters from scratch
Some writers dream up whole new characters created from nothing. Best way? Decide on the job your character needs to do and let your imagination do the rest.
So how do you create your characters?
It’s just one of the subjects we are debating at our Facebook page -http://www.facebook.com/pages/Inscribemedia/183385438479538
John Dean
Autobiographical method
While you are always likely to put something of yourself into your characters without trying, many of the most convincing characters are created deliberately by basing them on yourself or particular aspects of your personality.
It was Mel Brooks who said: “Every human being has hundreds of separate people living under his skin. The talent of a writer is his ability to give them their separate names, identities, personalities, and have them relate to other characters living with him.”
Biographical method
Writers often base characters on people they know, maybe not well but whose characteristics create the starting point for a character.
Perhaps a snippet of overheard conversation or the way someone wears a coat can be enough. By mixing these characteristics together the inspiration will never recognise themselves.
Oh, and sounds obvious but don’t forget to change the name - you would be surprised how many writers don’t!
Inventing characters from scratch
Some writers dream up whole new characters created from nothing. Best way? Decide on the job your character needs to do and let your imagination do the rest.
So how do you create your characters?
It’s just one of the subjects we are debating at our Facebook page -http://www.facebook.com/pages/Inscribemedia/183385438479538
John Dean
Friday, 22 August 2014
Creating real characters in fiction
A lot of my teaching focuses on characters. They are, after all, our major tools as writers.
So how do you create them? Here’s some thoughts:
* Maybe base them on people you know but beware of the law. Don’t lift your local vicar wholesale and turn him/her into a cold-blooded killer! Make your characters composites of several people
*Describe their physical characteristics You can do it one bit or slot descriptions in as you go. Describe their clothing etc but move beyond simple facts, try to capture their demeanour. How do they speak? Brusque, garrulous? How do they walk? Don’t overdo it, though, too much description slows down stories. I often think a line or two will suffice
* Visualise the person, think of small things which make them stand out
* Describe their views, their emotions, their thoughts
* Maybe come up with something that makes them different. A hobby, an odd phrase that they keep using
* If this is a major character get to know them particularly well. How do they react to things? Make sure they are strong enough to carry the story on their shoulders. And we must care about them - not necessarily like but care.
*Take care with minor characters as well as major, they’re important, not cardboard cut-outs.
Above all, ask yourself are your characters REAL?
John Dean
So how do you create them? Here’s some thoughts:
* Maybe base them on people you know but beware of the law. Don’t lift your local vicar wholesale and turn him/her into a cold-blooded killer! Make your characters composites of several people
*Describe their physical characteristics You can do it one bit or slot descriptions in as you go. Describe their clothing etc but move beyond simple facts, try to capture their demeanour. How do they speak? Brusque, garrulous? How do they walk? Don’t overdo it, though, too much description slows down stories. I often think a line or two will suffice
* Visualise the person, think of small things which make them stand out
* Describe their views, their emotions, their thoughts
* Maybe come up with something that makes them different. A hobby, an odd phrase that they keep using
* If this is a major character get to know them particularly well. How do they react to things? Make sure they are strong enough to carry the story on their shoulders. And we must care about them - not necessarily like but care.
*Take care with minor characters as well as major, they’re important, not cardboard cut-outs.
Above all, ask yourself are your characters REAL?
John Dean
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