I’ve heard there are only a dozen or so stories to write and believe it’s true. You know what I mean, boy meets girl, boy wins girl, boy looses girl, that sort of thing. The ability to retell this limited number of storylines is derived by creating imaginative setting and characters.
So, how is it we create these elusive, yet all-important, characters?
As authors, we’ve all heard the old saw our reader must “identify” with our characters for our stories to fly and our books to fly off the shelves. Yet, despite this sage advice, all this identifying is so very difficult to achieve.
Or is it? Not so much as you might think.
Consider those you appreciate in life. What is it about them that calls to you, makes them interesting or likeable? Now, armed with those thoughts, can you guess what traits your characters require? Yep, those very same characteristic that resonate with you will probably do so with your readers. Personally, I’ve often gravitated to those who color outside the lines, just enough, and my best characters always seem to be those who are a tad irreverent.
Do your friends have a dark side, a weakness, a hidden strength, a freakish mannerism? What is their failing in life? What type of emotions do they possess and what brings those to the fore? What challenges them or excites them?
Once you’ve determined what makes your friends tick, by translating their idiosyncrasies to the page, you’ve got credible characters. They’re believable because they are real.
A cute trick I often use is to mix personalities to create a whole new person. In my newest manuscript, I’ve created a single character with the cross-pollinated personalities of all my siblings. He sort of the priest-who-murders-for-fun type. (Yeah, I did have an interesting childhood…)
You now have all the fundamental tools needed for effective characterization. However, there are a few tricks you can use to enhance your readers’ enjoyment.
Find that universal human experience and put them in it. For example, how do people feel when they lose a love? How about losing a child? (God forbid!) Use this sort of situation to bring their true inner being to life.
Face them with a timeless truth. Is every boss kind and generous? Not a chance! Have them face this type of conflict.
Give him a life-sustaining mantra and kick him in the teeth with it. “Always say something nice or don’t say nothing at all,” is an easy one. Put your character in a situation where there is nothing nice to say. It’s the old fish-out-of-water trick and it’s real effective.
Let your character become a better person. Personal growth is always accepted by your audience and, in fact, necessary for a good story. Let your protagonists learn and people will identify.
Read my previous post for more clues to effective characters.
There are a thousand ways to improve your characterizations, but this is a good start. Take it to heart and you’ll be a better writer for it.
Until my next post, may all your books be best sellers.
C. Patrick Schulze
Showing posts with label writing novels. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing novels. Show all posts
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Characters Count
Good day, Writers,
We all know two of the things required in a novel are story and characters. Today, we’ll speak a bit about how to develop those people, or even creatures, which populate your manuscript.
The reason it’s important you know these character types is to give you, as their creator, molds with which to build characters your reader will appreciate. For we all know if your reader can not identify with those in the story, they will not read, (which also translates to “buy”), your book.
As with The Hero’s Journey, we learned how formula within storytelling will assist you in creating a readable tale. Molds for characters will accomplish the same thing and insure your readers enjoy your story.
Another benefit to molds is they provide built-in conflict, also necessary for a good story.
Consider, if you will, a soft-chinned character that never raises his voice, never moves at more than three miles an hour and shrinks from adversity at every opportunity. Now contrast him to a hero with a bold chin which he sticks into every crevasse within your story. He flies aircraft three feet above the ground at a thousand miles an hour and charges into his enemies with sword swinging. Which is the more interesting character? The crazy guy, of course.
Could it be he’s designed upon a time-tested character mold?
Though some consider only five molds, I like to present nine. They are:
Lawful Good
Lawful Neutral
Lawful Evil
Neutral Good
Neutral
Neutral Evil
Chaotic Good
Chaotic Neutral
Chaotic Evil
Hum… There’s even a formula even within character types.
Let’s first consider Lawful Good. This guy never fails to act with honor and a sense of duty. Whom might you think of in a story that would fit this mold? Superman, perhaps? What kind of conflicts would this type of person face? What if he’s given his word never to draw his weapon in front of his little girl but now the bad guys are holding his daughter hostage?
Next in line is the Lawful Neutral character. This guy reminds me of a sheriff or someone who follows a personal code. He always follows the rule of law regardless his personal feelings for good vs. evil have little room in his mind. He might be a battlefield corpsman who treats the enemy with as much compassion as his own men. His conflict comes into play when good and evil are the one and the same. A good example of the Lawful Neutral is James Bond.
Next comes the Lawful Evil. This guy is usually the diabolical character in the story. He uses the system to his own benefit. He typically keeps his word and follows instructions but cares little for others. His conflict arises when that rare person he does care for crosses his path.
The classic example of this character is Magneto is X-Men.
The Neutral Good character usually acts in a moral fashion without considering laws or tradition. He does not hesitate to act in unison with the authorities, but does not consider them the end-all of righteousness. His natural conflict is found in differences between contradictory things that are both correct. Consider the doctor who must decide if he is to save the man who raped his daughter or let him die. I like Spiderman for an example.
Considering the fully Neutral character, we might find Han Solo. He typically has no feelings toward good and evil. He has little to no moral judgment and often plays both sides of the fence. His conflict arises when that rare person or thing for which he does care gets into a pickle.
We now have the Neutral Evil character. Here we find those selfish personages with no qualms of turning against their benefactors the instant someone else comes along with a better offer. He doesn’t care if they harm others but neither does he go out of his way to cause damage to them. He simply cares only for himself. When might his conflict give him pause? Find what means something to him and take it away. Consider Mustique in X-Men as your example.
Next, let’s discuss the Chaotic Good character. This guy is your typical rebel. He hates bureaucracies and feels personal freedom is of utmost importance. His purpose is to do what is correct but his methodologies often conflict with everyone else’s sense of right and wrong. He’ll step out of line if it suits the greater good. A possibility of conflict might arise when a soldier is forced to assassinate his commander to save his fellows soldiers. Think Robin Hood.
Now to the Chaotic Neutral character. This is usually the free spirit who answers only to his heart and often ignores law and tradition. He acts only out of self-interest but does not intend for others to get hurt in the process. Their most endearing quality is their complete lack of reliability. Conflict for them is rampant in the lives of those around them. Captain Jack Sparrow of Pirates of the Caribbean fame is our example.
Finally, we have the Chaotic Evil character to face. This is the BAD GUY in every respect. He cares for no one and nothing save his own personal pleasure. This guy never went to kindergarten and has not learned to share or play nice. They see honor as a weakness and enjoy seeing others suffer. His conflict comes when he does not get his way. Think The Joker in The Black Knight.
There ya have it. If you create characters that fit into these molds, you’ll have a good story. Simple, isn’t it?
Until my next posting, good writing.
Patrick
We all know two of the things required in a novel are story and characters. Today, we’ll speak a bit about how to develop those people, or even creatures, which populate your manuscript.
The reason it’s important you know these character types is to give you, as their creator, molds with which to build characters your reader will appreciate. For we all know if your reader can not identify with those in the story, they will not read, (which also translates to “buy”), your book.
As with The Hero’s Journey, we learned how formula within storytelling will assist you in creating a readable tale. Molds for characters will accomplish the same thing and insure your readers enjoy your story.
Another benefit to molds is they provide built-in conflict, also necessary for a good story.
Consider, if you will, a soft-chinned character that never raises his voice, never moves at more than three miles an hour and shrinks from adversity at every opportunity. Now contrast him to a hero with a bold chin which he sticks into every crevasse within your story. He flies aircraft three feet above the ground at a thousand miles an hour and charges into his enemies with sword swinging. Which is the more interesting character? The crazy guy, of course.
Could it be he’s designed upon a time-tested character mold?
Though some consider only five molds, I like to present nine. They are:
Lawful Good
Lawful Neutral
Lawful Evil
Neutral Good
Neutral
Neutral Evil
Chaotic Good
Chaotic Neutral
Chaotic Evil
Hum… There’s even a formula even within character types.
Let’s first consider Lawful Good. This guy never fails to act with honor and a sense of duty. Whom might you think of in a story that would fit this mold? Superman, perhaps? What kind of conflicts would this type of person face? What if he’s given his word never to draw his weapon in front of his little girl but now the bad guys are holding his daughter hostage?
Next in line is the Lawful Neutral character. This guy reminds me of a sheriff or someone who follows a personal code. He always follows the rule of law regardless his personal feelings for good vs. evil have little room in his mind. He might be a battlefield corpsman who treats the enemy with as much compassion as his own men. His conflict comes into play when good and evil are the one and the same. A good example of the Lawful Neutral is James Bond.
Next comes the Lawful Evil. This guy is usually the diabolical character in the story. He uses the system to his own benefit. He typically keeps his word and follows instructions but cares little for others. His conflict arises when that rare person he does care for crosses his path.
The classic example of this character is Magneto is X-Men.
The Neutral Good character usually acts in a moral fashion without considering laws or tradition. He does not hesitate to act in unison with the authorities, but does not consider them the end-all of righteousness. His natural conflict is found in differences between contradictory things that are both correct. Consider the doctor who must decide if he is to save the man who raped his daughter or let him die. I like Spiderman for an example.
Considering the fully Neutral character, we might find Han Solo. He typically has no feelings toward good and evil. He has little to no moral judgment and often plays both sides of the fence. His conflict arises when that rare person or thing for which he does care gets into a pickle.
We now have the Neutral Evil character. Here we find those selfish personages with no qualms of turning against their benefactors the instant someone else comes along with a better offer. He doesn’t care if they harm others but neither does he go out of his way to cause damage to them. He simply cares only for himself. When might his conflict give him pause? Find what means something to him and take it away. Consider Mustique in X-Men as your example.
Next, let’s discuss the Chaotic Good character. This guy is your typical rebel. He hates bureaucracies and feels personal freedom is of utmost importance. His purpose is to do what is correct but his methodologies often conflict with everyone else’s sense of right and wrong. He’ll step out of line if it suits the greater good. A possibility of conflict might arise when a soldier is forced to assassinate his commander to save his fellows soldiers. Think Robin Hood.
Now to the Chaotic Neutral character. This is usually the free spirit who answers only to his heart and often ignores law and tradition. He acts only out of self-interest but does not intend for others to get hurt in the process. Their most endearing quality is their complete lack of reliability. Conflict for them is rampant in the lives of those around them. Captain Jack Sparrow of Pirates of the Caribbean fame is our example.
Finally, we have the Chaotic Evil character to face. This is the BAD GUY in every respect. He cares for no one and nothing save his own personal pleasure. This guy never went to kindergarten and has not learned to share or play nice. They see honor as a weakness and enjoy seeing others suffer. His conflict comes when he does not get his way. Think The Joker in The Black Knight.
There ya have it. If you create characters that fit into these molds, you’ll have a good story. Simple, isn’t it?
Until my next posting, good writing.
Patrick
Monday, September 28, 2009
Word Count Parameters
There’s a long list of diatribes as to the length of various types of writing, and everyone seems to disagree with everyone else. What’s a writer to do?
The reality is, people don’t read what YOU want, they read what THEY want. A second grader won’t read a two hundred thousand word tome, and there is nothing you can do about it. If you’re writing romance, nobody will pick up your thirty-seven page booklet. Ain’t gonna happen, bucko!
If you work is too long for your market, it probably needs to broken into two books and you’ve got a ton of unnecessary words. Yes, there are exceptions, but get over it, you are not The One. If it’s too short in length, you probably don’t have a story hidden in there. The lesson is, of course, writing to your market. What will they buy? Write that.
Now, what is the correct length for each type of genre? As mentioned, there is a wide range of answers but according to The Guide to Literary Agents, here are you limits.
Adult novels :
80,000 to 90,000 words is your word count.
110,000 is your upper limit.
70,000 is your lower limit.
Sci-Fi and Fantasy
100,000 to 115,000 is your target word count.
125,000 is your upper limit.
90,000 is your lower limit.
Middle Grade
Upper middle grade or “tweens”,
32,000 – 40,000 is your target word count.
Lower middle grade
20,000 to 30,000 is your target word count.
The Guide did not offer upper and lower limits in these categories so stay within these bounds.
YA (Young Adult)
55,000 – 69,000 is your target word count.
80,000 is your upper limit.
47,000 is your lower limit.
Remember, agents receive thousands of manuscripts a year, but only need a few dozen. They are looking for a reason to say, “No.” Don’t give them that reason. Color within the lines until after you have sold those million copies.
Best of luck.
C. Patrick Schulze
Author of "Born to be Brothers"
Twitter.com/CPatrickSchulze
The reality is, people don’t read what YOU want, they read what THEY want. A second grader won’t read a two hundred thousand word tome, and there is nothing you can do about it. If you’re writing romance, nobody will pick up your thirty-seven page booklet. Ain’t gonna happen, bucko!
If you work is too long for your market, it probably needs to broken into two books and you’ve got a ton of unnecessary words. Yes, there are exceptions, but get over it, you are not The One. If it’s too short in length, you probably don’t have a story hidden in there. The lesson is, of course, writing to your market. What will they buy? Write that.
Now, what is the correct length for each type of genre? As mentioned, there is a wide range of answers but according to The Guide to Literary Agents, here are you limits.
Adult novels :
80,000 to 90,000 words is your word count.
110,000 is your upper limit.
70,000 is your lower limit.
Sci-Fi and Fantasy
100,000 to 115,000 is your target word count.
125,000 is your upper limit.
90,000 is your lower limit.
Middle Grade
Upper middle grade or “tweens”,
32,000 – 40,000 is your target word count.
Lower middle grade
20,000 to 30,000 is your target word count.
The Guide did not offer upper and lower limits in these categories so stay within these bounds.
YA (Young Adult)
55,000 – 69,000 is your target word count.
80,000 is your upper limit.
47,000 is your lower limit.
Remember, agents receive thousands of manuscripts a year, but only need a few dozen. They are looking for a reason to say, “No.” Don’t give them that reason. Color within the lines until after you have sold those million copies.
Best of luck.
C. Patrick Schulze
Author of "Born to be Brothers"
Twitter.com/CPatrickSchulze
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Social Networking
Been studying social networking for a while now and have it figured out!
Not so tough after all...
Not so tough after all...
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Interesting New Trend in Hardbacks
Want to see what the future holds for book readers? Follow the link!
Thanks to http://twitter.com/mariaschneider for the info.
Thanks to http://twitter.com/mariaschneider for the info.
Friday, August 21, 2009
The Road Back
Good day, Writers.
We’re continuing with our discussion, one-sided though it may be, of The Hero’s Journey where we’ve reached that part of the story where your hero decides to head on home.
This may sound somewhat simple in concept, but as with everything about The Hero’s Journey, there is more here than it seems.
Remember, your hero has fought the great battle, defeated the ultimate enemy, (or has he?), and now holds the great elixir in hand. You’d think things would get simple now, wouldn’t you? A bus ride home and back to everyday living, right?
Wrong.
Your hero is not out of the woods just yet. He knows it is time to return home, but he has yet to navigate that treacherous road for no telling what might happen on the way! He’s carries this great reward with him at all times but there might still be others who want it for themselves. Did the big bad wolf really die? Might your hero encounter others who, now that the big Cahoonah is gone, think they can attain the treasure for themselves? Anything can happen as he tries to return home.
A few things are certain. This is the time when your hero must grow into a better person than he was before his quest began. He needs to realize the value of what he has won and how this great boon should be shared with those in his Ordinary World. He must somehow grow to accept the element of sacrifice he needs to make.
Also, this part of your story often has the best chase scenes, for those who still wish to take the prize from your hero now come after him. Your protagonist might be prime pickings and here come everyone else who wants to wrest the prize from him! (See the chase scene now?) A good scene might go like this, the hero inadvertently brings those stalking him into his Ordinary World and he must again fight to save his home and family. (Good stuff!)
Finally, the hero might not want to return home. What if the locals crowned him king and we all know being king is good. You can see where The Road Home needs some sort of event to push your hero on his homeward path. All of a sudden, The Road Home turns into a conflict between the hero’s head and his heart. He might want to stay, but some force or event forces him on the way.
Keep in mind, like any strong turning point, the action found within The Road Back might alter the direction of your entire story. You, as author, must decide if and how all this happens.
Okay now, we’ve got your hero haven been pushed toward home, more people are chasing him and he’s come to understand he has to fight his way home and share his prize.
Now what?
The Resurrection, what else? More on that next time.
Until then, good writing.
C. Patrick Schulze
Author of "Born to be Brothers"
Twitter.com/CPatrickSchulze
CPatrickSchulze.blogspot.com
We’re continuing with our discussion, one-sided though it may be, of The Hero’s Journey where we’ve reached that part of the story where your hero decides to head on home.
This may sound somewhat simple in concept, but as with everything about The Hero’s Journey, there is more here than it seems.
Remember, your hero has fought the great battle, defeated the ultimate enemy, (or has he?), and now holds the great elixir in hand. You’d think things would get simple now, wouldn’t you? A bus ride home and back to everyday living, right?
Wrong.
Your hero is not out of the woods just yet. He knows it is time to return home, but he has yet to navigate that treacherous road for no telling what might happen on the way! He’s carries this great reward with him at all times but there might still be others who want it for themselves. Did the big bad wolf really die? Might your hero encounter others who, now that the big Cahoonah is gone, think they can attain the treasure for themselves? Anything can happen as he tries to return home.
A few things are certain. This is the time when your hero must grow into a better person than he was before his quest began. He needs to realize the value of what he has won and how this great boon should be shared with those in his Ordinary World. He must somehow grow to accept the element of sacrifice he needs to make.
Also, this part of your story often has the best chase scenes, for those who still wish to take the prize from your hero now come after him. Your protagonist might be prime pickings and here come everyone else who wants to wrest the prize from him! (See the chase scene now?) A good scene might go like this, the hero inadvertently brings those stalking him into his Ordinary World and he must again fight to save his home and family. (Good stuff!)
Finally, the hero might not want to return home. What if the locals crowned him king and we all know being king is good. You can see where The Road Home needs some sort of event to push your hero on his homeward path. All of a sudden, The Road Home turns into a conflict between the hero’s head and his heart. He might want to stay, but some force or event forces him on the way.
Keep in mind, like any strong turning point, the action found within The Road Back might alter the direction of your entire story. You, as author, must decide if and how all this happens.
Okay now, we’ve got your hero haven been pushed toward home, more people are chasing him and he’s come to understand he has to fight his way home and share his prize.
Now what?
The Resurrection, what else? More on that next time.
Until then, good writing.
C. Patrick Schulze
Author of "Born to be Brothers"
Twitter.com/CPatrickSchulze
CPatrickSchulze.blogspot.com
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Tests, Allies and Enemies
Good day, All,
We’re working toward telling our novel’s storyline by way of The Hero’s Journey, a formula for storytelling that has survived the millennia. In our case, we’re following Luke of Star Wars fame. We’ve followed him through his Ordinary World, watched as he receives his Call to Adventure and shook our heads when he made excuses to Refuse the Call. After that, he Met his Mentor then Crossed the Threshold to his new adventure.
The next section, Tests, Allies and Enemies, is one of the most intricate to develop and one of the most critical to your story. It can also be the longest. Here is where you flesh out your character and where he transforms to the true hero he needs to become. It shows your reader his true inner strength. However, it must be done in a way that keeps your reader connected with him. If your hero shows personality traits your readers dislike, they close the book. Here we also give the reader the exciting part of the story, those things that test your hero. This part of your novel also introduces more of those people, creatures and situations that assist your hero in completing his quest.
Okay, here are a few tips for writing this part of your story. First, consider the Rule of Threes. (“Huh?” You say.) As in so many things in life, threes work well with readers. By this I mean the story will do well to have the hero face three major tests, find three important allies and encounter three premier enemies. The Rule of Threes need not be followed, but it is a great concept if you’re new to storytelling. I don’t know why, but threes do seem to work.
Another hint is to have your hero encounter a simple test or two early on so he can grow into his new, more dramatic self in realistic fashion. You don’t want someone with a fear of heights to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel in chapter two. He has yet to build the necessary courage and knowledge. Instead, maybe he climbs a tree and freezes half way to the top. He falls and survives, thus learning a valuable lesson he needs to go over the falls. That’s the sort of thing I mean for your readers will not believe he goes over on purpose without first accumulating a bit of knowledge. Your reader also needs to know who your hero will react to various situations. If he fell over Niagara Falls right away, he’s going down screaming like a little girl, yet maybe only a yelp escapes him as he falls out of the tree. By the time he goes over Niagara, he’s able to hold his tongue and only moan a bit. Smaller tests help him to learn how to grow into the larger, more sinister tests.
A third tip, and a classic tip, is to use the seedy bar or nightclub as the setting. Of course, you can use any setting, but like the Rule of Threes, this seems to work. In my second book, “Pretty Boy and the Bugler” I used a saloon and it worked out quite well.
My fourth and final tip is to consider having the hero falter as he faces his initial tests. Again, this isn’t necessary but can lead to more excitement. If he does waver, how might he overcome? Ah, it’s good to have allies!
Okay, let’s take our regular look at Luke as he meets his Tests, Allies and Enemies.
Review the third tip above and you’ll see a seedy bar is a good place to begin. Well, remember the famous bar scene in Star Wars, A New Hope? What happened there? Luke confronted enemies, (the storm troopers, the creature who wanted to fight him), was tested, (he didn’t step down from the fight even though he would’ve lost), and he met two major allies, (Han and Chewbacca).
So, there you have it, Tests, Allies and Enemies. It was an interesting scene, wasn’t it? In fact, it was so interesting, it’s now classic of its own right. That is how important Tests, Allies and Enemies can be.
Keep in mind there may be more, many more, of these people and events in your story. For example, does Luke meet other allies? Sure he does. How about Yoda and the guy in charge of the cloud mining operation, (I don’t remember his name.). Does he meet other enemies? You betcha! He even meets someone who presents himself as an ally, (the cloud city guy), turns out to be an enemy, (he turns the band over to the Darth Vader), and an ally again. This guy even ends up a Rebellion general! Whew… what a roller coaster ride he is! By the way, this type of character is called a Shape-Shifter – something we’ll get into later.
Don’t think of this part of your story as done with a single scene for there should be many to build the excitement for your readers. Does Luke face other tests? How about the fight with Vader? He had a million tests as the story progresses. Does he meet other allies? Yoda is a perfect example. And talk about learning and growing! Yoda makes the guy hump around the planet with the Jedi on his back! It goes on and on.
So there you have it, Tests, Allies and Enemies. Make ‘em real, make ‘em scary and make a lot of ‘em.
Until we get together again, good writing.
Patrick
Twitter.com/CPatrickSchulze
Author of: Born to be Brothers
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