Building characters takes time, and we often learn things about them as we write. As writers work through scenes and ideas, it’s common that the characters on the page develop along with the story.
Beginning writers are often tempted to explicitly tell the reader how the main character has changed. Revealing actions are subtler and can add up over time to convey a sense of development.Dialogue is also useful for this element of gradual change:...
[Get our guide How to Write Real Characters for practical character development exercises and examples.] Formative fears and desires are the aversions and wants - the backstories - that shape us. In Song of Solomon, Morrison establishes early that the daughters of Macon Dead and Ruth (Milkman'...
By now, you will have chiseled away at the blank marble and uncovered enough about your character to have a good sense of them. You can now work on the fine details — those subtle psychological touches — by putting them throughthese eightcharacter development exercises or by getting character...
By investing time in crafting dynamic and memorable characters, we transform our essays from mere exercises in writing into works of art that linger in the minds of readers long after they've turned the last page. Furthermore, character development is a reflection of our own growth as writers...
is to think about how their characters would behave in a certain situation (and not how they think theyshouldbehave). If you find yourself struggling to bring your characters to life in any given scene, try usingthesecharacter development exercises. It always helps to ask: what do they want...
A huge part of that discovery process is taking what they’ve learned about their characters through brainstorming and character development exercises, then seeing how that evolves onto the page. And the best way to do that is by writing scenes from a feeling place. You can always rewrite. ...
The fundamental key to character development: Curiosity. Ask questions about each character and to each character. The latter is what I call Direct Engagement Exercises, whereby the writer interacts with a character one-on-one in an I-You relationship. The former is what I call Indirect Engagem...
The book provides practical tools, examples, and exercises that can help writers create authentic and compelling characters that resonate with readers。 It explores how archetypes can be used to create a range of nuanced character arcs that go beyond the classic hero's journey,...
If you do not have the financial means to pay for all or part of the registration cost for the class, we encourage you to apply. We have a broad definition of financial need that ranges from writers who do not have the money at all to writers who have the funds but can’t afford ...