tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post3973668517928765454..comments2024-03-17T06:03:00.362-04:00Comments on Fiction University: Under Development: 8 Ways to Create CharactersJanice Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-34894118899318837432015-07-11T21:35:31.293-04:002015-07-11T21:35:31.293-04:00I've been using a form for my character profil...I've been using a form for my character profiles that I got from another writing site. However, I think I can come up with a better form using your questions in this post as the base. Thank you. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-66577733653578238852015-07-10T15:59:52.918-04:002015-07-10T15:59:52.918-04:00Great post! I'm teaching an on-line character ...Great post! I'm teaching an on-line character class for teen writers through the Loft Literary Center and just posted this for them! Mindy Hardwickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06295463885673026730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-88862745540449083452015-07-10T09:50:43.088-04:002015-07-10T09:50:43.088-04:00Thank you, Janice, I needed this. My characters ne...Thank you, Janice, I needed this. My characters needed this. Sharing. Robyn Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17356555082768185840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-10814280683368419832015-07-10T09:43:46.745-04:002015-07-10T09:43:46.745-04:00Great stuff, as always! Thanks!Great stuff, as always! Thanks!Savvy Stories by Dan Alatorrehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10813128957118142707noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-36016469161137206982014-03-19T13:39:10.152-04:002014-03-19T13:39:10.152-04:00Aw, thanks so much. You just pick another characte...Aw, thanks so much. You just pick another character to be the POV character in that scene. You can have more than one POV character in a book, even if the story follows one protagonist. Different characters narrate different parts of it. Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-29584809445087428812014-03-18T16:13:14.384-04:002014-03-18T16:13:14.384-04:00Hey Janice, I started reading your book. I love t...Hey Janice, I started reading your book. I love the way you write everything is beautifully written. I am just starting to write and I have a question about POV. If the story is in Third person, and POV is one of the characters who is not the protaganist, how do you handle scenes that POV person is not in? If the POV character is not in the scene how can he narrate it?Ukio Takeshihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03211323289911394728noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-29737063336900532312012-03-19T16:34:14.419-04:002012-03-19T16:34:14.419-04:00Xan, most welcome. Good luck with those characters...Xan, most welcome. Good luck with those characters!<br /><br />R.E. Hunter, a bare bones character works for me, but try different things and see which one works for you. I'm a firm believer of trying everything until you find what works best for your style. <br /><br />Traci, maybe that's your way of brainstorming on paper, then whatever sticks with you is what you use. What matters stays.Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-76112229572363208182012-03-17T06:53:22.686-04:002012-03-17T06:53:22.686-04:00Although I do the interviews etc. for my character...Although I do the interviews etc. for my characters, I don't really discover who they are until the editing stage begins. It's funny, I've been thinking, I do all the outlines and such, but I usually throw them out along the way as the characters just seems to grow inside the shell.Traci Kenworthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07336373871521363649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-36269876925697826722012-03-16T15:58:03.598-04:002012-03-16T15:58:03.598-04:00I'm just at this point for my first novel now....I'm just at this point for my first novel now. Your approach makes a lot of sense to me. I can see spending too much time detailing a character and then having to throw parts of that away. Better to focus on key traits that I can see are essential for major plot points (e.g. a weakness that causes a problem, a strength that will resolve a problem), then flesh it out as I go.R. E. Hunterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14439979667806333429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-67817358751182418782012-03-16T08:31:10.486-04:002012-03-16T08:31:10.486-04:00Fantastic post. Going to re-examine my WIP charact...Fantastic post. Going to re-examine my WIP characters right now! Thank you for always providing snippets of wisdom and inspiration.Suzannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06288802923434609582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-17448245236984217482010-01-06T20:38:45.810-05:002010-01-06T20:38:45.810-05:00Thanks for the super helpful post. It was my quest...Thanks for the super helpful post. It was my question and I appreciate your in depth answer, especially the key characteristics/wants to consider. You are right that when you make a character perfect that they are cardboard. Mine were in one of my earlier versions. When I made them have flaws and not have everything come so easily, the characters became so much more developed, at least I hope so.Natalie Aguirrehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03756087804171246660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-67699986390241868852010-01-06T08:22:02.645-05:002010-01-06T08:22:02.645-05:00I actually write myself into corners all the time,...I actually write myself into corners all the time, but for me it's part of my process. I find it forces me to think up more interesting ways out of stuff. At least most of the time! Sometimes I just bang my head on the keyboard and wonder why I did it, lol.Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-15169585058504600382010-01-06T07:08:18.839-05:002010-01-06T07:08:18.839-05:00I have an Excel sheet where I've stored info o...I have an Excel sheet where I've stored info on my characters and i go there when I'm not sure about a character's eye colour or height or something like that. But you're right about writing yourself into a corner; that's the one thing I've fought hard to avoid and I'm glad to say so far I haven't fallen into that trapGlen Akinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09647296775230237162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-50025189899778999332010-01-05T15:23:43.953-05:002010-01-05T15:23:43.953-05:00Nisa, that's a great idea, too. I have a frien...Nisa, that's a great idea, too. I have a friend who does that as well. Donna, I have my "story bible" where I keep track of all that stuff. It's come in so handy, especially while writing book two. I totally forgot what color Jeatar's eyes were!Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-6729484552926023442010-01-04T14:12:52.348-05:002010-01-04T14:12:52.348-05:00Sometimes I've seriously felt GUILTY that I do...Sometimes I've seriously felt GUILTY that I don't know every tiny detail about my character because SO MANY people advise you to know EVERYTHING (even if it's not on the page). I just don't operate that way! <br /><br />Your key elements of a character are much more manageable and leave room for flexibility, and like you said, sometimes I discover the answers to those bigger questions as I write. Plots don't jump fully-formed on the page. How can characters? As I write them, I get to know them better... that's what revision's for!<br /><br />And as a side note: Any time I randomly write a character detail into the novel -- a favorite movie or something similarly specific -- I add it to a separate list of characteristics, just so I don't contradict myself later in the novel!Donna Gambalehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00317767593205769881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-76938625406436741692010-01-04T12:41:13.113-05:002010-01-04T12:41:13.113-05:00Thank you. I needed this today. I've been havi...Thank you. I needed this today. I've been having some "issues" with my characters. :) Now I have a good place to start working it out.Valerie Gearyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17165554338889917253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-50677297201634240002010-01-04T12:38:45.152-05:002010-01-04T12:38:45.152-05:00Great post! Something that has worked for me is to...Great post! Something that has worked for me is to actually write their history out in a short story. I like starting from the beginning. No one may ever see it but me and it does take time, but by the time I start writing out the book, I know the character pretty darn well. :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08616276555920544920noreply@blogger.com