Advanced Characterization<\/strong> (Michael Stackpole)<\/p>\n

All plot comes out of the characters – their needs, goals and interactions<\/p>\n

“Your job as a writer is to torture and confuse your readers by torturing and confusing characters.”<\/p>\n

7 Traits of Enduring Characters<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

\n
1. They are always something of a mystery – it is a seduction of the reader by the writer<\/li>\n
2. They are worthy of redemption – something makes you think they’re capable of change<\/li>\n
3. They score high on one end of the loyalty-treachery scale<\/li>\n
4. They are internally consistent and reliable, but capable of generating surprise<\/li>\n
5. They consistently score high (or low) on self-sacrifice scale<\/li>\n
6. There is a love story attached to them somewhere<\/li>\n
7. They are able to succeed at tasks we cannot do<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

   Techniques<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

   \n
   • Character growth vs change<\/em> – in episodic TV, the characters grow but don’t change (they end up in the same place as they started)<\/li>\n
   • Change is temporary\u00a0<\/em>– characters\u00a0do what they have to do to get the job done<\/li>\n
   • Growth is permanent<\/em> – an internal process as a result of external pressures where character makes a\u00a0conscious<\/em> decision to alter their behavior – that decision is key – the reader must<\/em> know they have undergone growth<\/li>\n
   • Negative growth is a refusal to change – this is really tough to write – it results in the dissolution of character, and is brutal on reader and writer both<\/li>\n
   • Reversal<\/em> – the character believes that a particular fact is true, but learns the opposite – they have\u00a0to deal with brand new stuff they never thought existed before – the \u00a0reader will also be shocked – this can be little personal reversals or hidden motivations – look for things you can make not true<\/em><\/li>\n
   • A great technique is betrayal<\/em> – this creates an injustice, and readers inherently want to see it made right – the easiest are emotional betrayals – you can also have “reader betrayal” such as a love story that doesn’t quite sync up – also, betrayals that are mistakes – whichever sort you use, “emotional churning is absolutely what you want.”<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

     “All fiction is the past erupting into the present.” ~James Sallis<\/p>\n

     Questions:<\/p>\n

     \n
     • The character wonders who they are, then you write out what they really are<\/li>\n
     • Who does character want<\/em> to be? Who does character need<\/em> to be?<\/li>\n
     • The character asks, “Who do they think I am? Who they want<\/em> me to be? Who do they need<\/em> me to be?”<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

       <\/a><\/p>\n

        <\/p>\n

       Historical Fiction and Research<\/strong> (Bethany Kesler)<\/p>\n

       Start with Google\/Wikipedia – get a general idea of what you want, then go for specifics.<\/p>\n

       Ask “What happened and why should I care?” Nothing happens in a vacuum.<\/p>\n

       Three Points:<\/p>\n

       \n
       1. Authenticity<\/strong> (over accuracy – you’re not an actual historian)<\/li>\n
       2. Plausibility<\/strong><\/li>\n
       3. Research<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Research Tips:<\/p>\n

          \n
          • Look for history texts – brief overviews (“Complete Idiot’s Guide to __”)<\/li>\n
          • Books written in that era<\/li>\n
          • Journals and diaries – try college websites\/inter-library loans<\/li>\n
          • Find a historian<\/li>\n
          • Genealogical societies<\/li>\n
          • Historical re-enactors<\/li>\n
          • Historical blogs – Tumblr etc<\/li>\n
          • Old maps<\/li>\n
          • Antique stores<\/li>\n
          • Family history<\/li>\n
          • Census<\/li>\n
          • Portraits, paintings<\/li>\n
          • Try the BBC for UK history<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            Ask yourself who your characters are? When and where did they exist? Knights in Scotland are very different from Knights in Japan<\/p>\n

            How you get around can show what era you’re in as well.<\/p>\n

            Do your general research – then<\/em> write the novel – add specific research as you go along for what you need – just remember to make notes<\/em> instead of constantly stopping to search<\/p>\n

            \n\t\t\t\t\tTweet<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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