Creating Characters

1/11/2016

This video kicks off a new series I'll be doing this year, consisting of informal chats about some of the fundamentals of writing fiction. I could've talked about this subject for hours but managed to keep it under 12 min. If you have any questions, feel free to put them in the comments below and I'll be happy to take a crack at them.

Along with the video, here is a free download of my Character Profile Worksheet for you to use. (It's a Word doc. Right-click and save if you want a copy.) This is the very same worksheet I use in designing major characters for my books. (For secondary characters, I merely pare it down by skipping some of the steps.) It's the accumulation of many years of study, sifted out from several bookshelves full of reference books on writing. Hope you find it helpful!

Likes & shares of the video appreciated. More vids to come as the year unfolds. Next up, I think, will be Conflict & Plot Structure or something along those lines. Hopefully, I'll get smoother at this as I continue doing more of them. If I looked a little nervous getting started, that's because I was! lol. Enjoy. :)

6 Comments

Sherry

1/11/2016 10:04:07 pm

Thank you for this video. I am not a writer but I am a homeschool mom. I always try to use every word of the kids spelling list in a story. You know I have to use every word in a sentence so I just connect them into one wild, crazy, and sometimes very strange story. This video will help me think about and describe my characters better. My kids tell me I should write my stories down and maybe someday I will.

Gaelen

1/12/2016 01:53:58 pm

Hi Sherry! I'm glad it helped give you some ideas for your own characters! Using the spelling list words in your story for your kids is such a great idea! Very creative! It must be very rewarding to be a homeschool mom. My best to your kids and you! Thanks for visiting! :)

The Reading Chick link

1/16/2016 12:51:52 pm

Hi Gaelen,

This is so very interesting, and very helpful especially for those just starting out with writing. I've always wanting to start writing but never quite sure where to start.
Reading Chick x

1/16/2016 06:54:15 pm

Welcome back, Reading Chick! :) Character isn't a bad place to start! Thanks for visiting!

Irene Gray

1/21/2016 10:10:09 pm

Wow! How clear was this. I tried to explain all this to my English classes in High School & I wish I did so as clearly as you have done. it would have made many of the pieces of writing more interesting, easier to read & grade. I should try this myself especially after reading so many novels by so many successful authors, including your own works. Thank you.

1/24/2016 07:54:02 pm

Many thanks, Irene! I appreciate the feedback as I am new to doing videos. I think that writing for kids (as E.G. Foley) has helped me learn how to explain things more succinctly. Eric, my husband and co-writer, taught middle school for 10 years before going full-time as a writer with me, but he really drummed it thru my head that when it comes to kids, you'll lose 'em if you don't get to the point. It's helped me break my habit of rambling too much! Well, except for the outtakes. *g*

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