Creating Dynamic Characters

Every fiction writer will tell you—and every fiction reader instinctively knows—that compelling characters are at the heart of all good fiction. Creating believable characters and bringing them to life on the page requires observation, understanding, imagination and skill in the techniques of character development and characterization.

Course Level:  Beginner / Intermediate

Required Book:  Dynamic Characters by Nancy Kress

Workshop Length:  6 weeks

Tuition:  $250.00 ($225 for VIP)

Start Date: View Creating Dynamic Characters Course Schedule

Course Structure
The workshop will consist of six one-week sessions. Each session will include online lectures (text based) and associated textbook reading assignments, along with a writing assignment to be submitted to the instructor for private review. In addition, work will be posted each session for group review and feedback. Throughout the workshop you will be able to participate in asynchronous lecture discussion and encouraged to take advantage of ongoing informal discussions and posted self-directed writing and creativity exercises. (1.2 CEUs)

You will learn:

  • Techniques of character development and characterization
  • How to apply these skills to specific fictional characters of your own choosing

Who should take this course:

  • Writers of all genres who want to create characters that come to life on the page and pull readers into your story
  • Individuals looking to focus on the skill of characterization and learn specific character development techniques
  • Students looking for key insights from a Published Author to help them advance their writing skill base

Register for Creating Dynamic Characters Writing Workshop

Workshop Outline

Session One: Character Basics—The Externals

  • Choosing descriptive details
  • Using names to convey character
  • The role of setting in creating character
  • Using the world of work to enhance characterization

Writing Assignment: Complete Parts One and Two of “The Intelligence Dossier” for a protagonist you have in mind. Then write a 500-word narrative description of your protagonist based on these external traits.

Session Two: Character Basics—The Internals

  • Using personal thoughts to characterize
  • How not to let your assumptions torpedo characterization
  • Basing characters on real people

Writing Assignment: Complete Parts Three, Four and Five of “The Intelligence Dossier” for the same character you began developing in Session One. Then write a 750-word narrative description of your character’s inner traits and motivations.

Session Three: Special Character Types

  • How to make your villains as readable as your heroes
  • How to create an unsympathetic main character without driving your readers away
  • Definitions and roles of secondary and other minor characters

Writing Assignment: Complete an “Intelligence Dossier” on an unsympathetic character—either an opposing character for the main character you developed in Sessions One and Two, or an unsympathetic main character. Write a 750-word narrative description of this character, including a description of both internal and external traits as well as how this character would contrast and conflict with your main character (if you’ve chosen to develop an opposing character) OR why this character will make a suitable main character (protagonist) in spite of negative qualities (if you’ve chosen to develop an unsympathetic main character).

Session Four: Your Protagonist and Point of View

  • Selecting the best character to tell your story
  • Review of viewpoint options and definitions
  • Selecting—and maintaining—POV

Writing Assignment: Write a short scene (no more than 500 words) between two characters (preferably the two characters you developed in Sessions One—Three), from the first-person viewpoint of one character; then rewrite the scene from the third-person viewpoint of the other character (also 500 words).

Session Five: Characterization Techniques

  • Characterization through dialogue
  • The art of writing description
  • Using characters’ thoughts to characterize
  • Using dreams and newscasts for characterization

Writing Assignment: Write a longer scene between the two characters you’ve been developing, using the techniques covered in this session. Pick a scene with some dialogue as well as narrative and action (maximum 1,000 words).

Session Six: Character and Plot

  • How to start anywhere and arrive at plot
  • Secondary characters and plot
  • How character, change, and plot intertwine
  • The connection among characters, plot and theme
  • Characters and the writer

Writing Assignment: Using the two characters you’ve developed in this workshop (and/or other characters you have in mind), write a 500-word synopsis of a story line that could grow naturally from these characters and the traits you’ve created for them. Then, in 1,000 words or less, write an opening scene for that story that—using the techniques discussed in this workshop—introduces at least one of the characters and provides some insight into the character and the central story conflict.