Saturday, September 25, 2010

Writing Compelling Characters: Notes from Others!

From Elana's The Great Blogging Experiment


    • "They are characters that have flaws, strengths, weaknesses . . . these are characters with a soul - whether good or evil. "- Windy

"...don't write a character, write a person!" -Quinn
" Show your character's inner conflict. Make things difficult." - Sherrie

" I approach my new characters like a job interview." -Meika

"...characters that are relatable, that have depth, and that change and grow over the course of the story" -Shari



"Dig deep inside your character’s head." - Jackee

"Heros and heroines aren't wonderful without their quirky weaknesses"- Serendipity

"You're talking to your colleagues. Not your characters." -Elena


"Real people act, live their lives. They don't wait around for things to just happen.Real people grow as they learn and experience new things. Real people act, live their lives. They don't wait around for things to just happen." -Angela


"We love characters either because we believe they could exist, or because we wish that they did. " -Cherise


"Invest that character with a dream, a love, or a hope that touches the heart." -Roland





8 Comments,

Elena Solodow said...

Thanks for the shout-out! Still getting through all of the entries, phew....

Rose I. Cunningham said...

Cool quotes! I love the first picture!!! =)

Rose I. Cunningham said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Julia said...

Real people are all sorts of things. They do not all have to have character arcs, gorgeous SOs, or a central issue. Anything can be chronicled. A 1 dimensional character is flawed, a two dimensional character is screwed up, but a three dimensional character is screwed up AND very likeable despite it. A fourth dimensional character is all of these things, except that you want her so much in your world that you become her.

Bast said...

Thanks for quoting me and linking back to my post. I'm glad I was able to write something helpful.

I love both of the pics you included with this post!

Carolyn Abiad said...

Thanks for the quote and the link! I'm very impressed by all your work, here and on your other blog.

Roland D. Yeomans said...

Your talent is obvious, and I envy you that. Come check my entry will you? I used it for another entry for a blogfest held on the same day.

It involves a 13 year street kid, older than his years due to his experiences with the predators he's met on those streets.

You have a lovely blog, and you've already made so many good friends in the blogverse. I'm a new one. Roland

Roland D. Yeomans said...

Thanks for adding a quote from me. I feel famous now!

And comment once in awhile. Sometimes I feel like I'm playing to an empty house. You know us insecure writers. Roland