CHARACTER:The People Of Your Story

This presentation is brought by former Green Beret and NY Times bestselling author of Factual Fiction... Bob Mayer

For more Information:Please contact Bob Mayer at bobmayer@coolgus.com

or Jen Talty at jentalty@coolgus.com

Wednesday, June 19, 13

“An invaluable resource for beginning and seasoned writers alike. Don’t miss out.” Terry Brooks. #1 NYT Bestseller.

“Bob Mayer is a gifted writer and generous teacher.” Susan Wiggs. #1 NYT Bestseller.

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Character Is Pre-Eminent

•Emotion is more important than logic.

•Mission or the Men?

•Goals are what characters are striving for.

•Motivation is why they are striving for their goals.

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Motivation•Every character thinks the story is about

them.

•Everyone has a core motivation.

•Victor Frankl called this the ‘One Thing.’

•The motivation can be anything.

• The motivation must be believable to the reader.

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Blind Spot•Needs produce blind spots.

•Everyone has blind spots.

•As an author, make sure you know yours.

•Strongest defenses are built around the blind spot. Therefore . . .

•Often the blind spot is the part of character thought to be the strongest.

•Denial defends blinds spot and justifies needs.

•Blind spots are the making of tragedy.Wednesday, June 19, 13

Develop Characters•Where do you characters come from?• Invented or real life?•How does the reader meet them?•How do you get to know people?•First scene.•What is the key point in their life?•Domino theory.•Motivation.•Do you know everything about your character?•You have to.•Reader doesn’t have to.•Less is better.

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Types Of Characters

•Protagonist: The person who owns the story.

•Antagonist: Person in opposition.

•Supporting characters (named).

•Spear Carriers (not named).

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Protagonist

•Drives the main story line.

•Always have one.

•Reluctant protagonists.

•Empathetic protagonists.

•Negative protagonists.

•What if your protagonist fails?

•Protagonist would usually fail in climactic scene as they are as the book opens.

• If they fail, reveals what’s at stake in your story.

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Antagonist•Always have one.

•Should be human.

•Has a believable motivation.

•If removed, the plot collapses.

•Usually drives the plot initially by introducing the problem.

•Do the antagonist’s plan.

•Stronger antagonist= stronger protagonist.Wednesday, June 19, 13

Characters In Conflict

•Conflict is rooted in different motivations, even if they want the same thing.

•Three levels to motivation: inner, personal, universal.

•Fear is often a primary motivator.

•Often your protagonist must overcome fear, even if it isn’t their primary motivator.

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Show, Don’t Tell

•Actions speak louder than words.

•Do your characters react ‘naturally’?

•Give the spark of redemption.

•How do your characters react in a crisis?

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Character Description

•Keep it brief and distinctive.

•You’re not writing a personal ad.

•Use placeholders if it helps.

•Cliche: Having character look in a mirror.

•Can use other points of view to describe other characters.

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Character Names

•Choose a name that fits the character, evokes personality, but doesn’t make the reader giggle.

•Choose a name that can be read without causing the reader to pause.

•In prose, use only one name for each character.

•Try to avoid names that begin with the same letter.

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Character And

•Your character is part of a larger cast.

•Most people want a sense of community.

•Community give you great latitude in tone, pacing, POV.

•Community often forms around one character.

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Kinds Of Community

•Ensemble casts.

•Disposable characters.

•Characters can fill roles.

•Romance.

•Must meet early.

•As protagonist and antagonist?

•Buddy stories.

•Usually just meet.

•The protagonist is the one who drives the story.

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Character And Change

•Can people change?

•Change produces character arc.

•You want to show change, not tell it.

•Change requires three things to happen . . .

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The Climax & Character

•By the end of the book we want to know our protagonist has changed.

•Take your protagonist as she is at the beginning of the book and put her in the climactic scene.

•She should fail.

•If she does, then you have arc.

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The Resolution& Character Arc

•By the end of the book we want to know our protagonist has changed.

•We need to see them do something emotional they weren’t capable of doing at the beginning of the book.

•This completes the character arc that is the core of your book.

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Wednesday, June 19, 13