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Five Traps and Tips for Character Development - video
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by C.S. Marks
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Five Traps and Tips for Character Development - video
We all have the same goal as fiction writers: to transport our readers inside the pages so that they feel like a part of the story. Characters are an extremely important part of making that happen. And characters don’t just transport the readers—they drive the story. In this interview, author and professor C.S. Marks teaches you five traps and five tips for character development. First, she discusses the five potential traps that can lead to ineffective characters: creating characters that are one dimensional, stereotypical, too perfect, inconsistent, or dull. Marks provides tips on how to avoid these common mistakes in character development. Next, you'll learn five tips to make your characters even better. First, the devil is in the details. When you first introduce characters, you should include a few details, but the rest of their personalities, motivations, and back stories should be revealed gradually through their actions. Second, consider basing characters on real people. Third, remember that every character should have a history. Fourth, don’t neglect your secondary characters. Finally, devote plenty of attention to the villain of the piece. Whether you write good characters or poor ones will determine whether your readers stay with you to the end of the story. If the characters fail, the story fails. Hopefully these character development tips will help you avoid that.
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Barbara Franzen
Excellent-A lot of good information on the villain. I have done a villain. I have had a terrible time making her sympathetic or giving readers a likable side deserving of empathy. Others who read my manuscript find her fascinating. To me she is a Mommy Dearest. I wonder if the fascination around her says anything about whether to leave her alone or not.
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Former Member
That's wonderful David! Thanks for the feedback. :)
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David Dillon
I made a bio of all the characters and that made my secondary characters come to life. They took off in the story and made the story more real. I even fell in love with them. One of the bad guys had a good side, like you commented on, which made it sad when he met his final fate. Your tips made my writing experience easier and fun. Thanks.
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Former Member
You can do it Gary! :)
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Gary Cooper
I was very impressed with Dr. Marks presentation and authoratative demeanor. The challenge will be to utilize the techniques with the eloquence with which she speaks. Thank you
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