Book Review - Characters, Emotion, and Viewpoint

Just in case you wanted to know, the Coffeehouse for Writers blog has a feature entitled  
On Our Bookshelves.  I recently shared this review there, and thought it might be of interest to
some of you. :)

Characters, Emotion, and Viewpoint                           

By Nancy Kress

Writer’s Digest Books

 
Need help with characters? I do. Since non-fiction is more my thing, I was hoping that this book would assist me with character development.  It does! Author Nancy Kress makes good on her promise to provide “Techniques and exercises for crafting dynamic characters and effective viewpoints”.

The author of sixteen novels, Kress is well versed in what makes characters tick. From defining what readers want to putting it all together, she outlines everything needed to create compelling characters. She defines how to assemble your cast of characters and put each one in their proper place. Chapter one includes a mini-bio sheet listing traits, marital status, and other important elements so brainstorming can begin immediately. I like handy tools like this –  it helps us hit the ground running, putting things into practice.

We are encouraged to “audition our players” to consider, for example, if we are genuinely interested in the character. Kress also challenges us to ask:

“Is this character or situation fresh and interesting in some new way?”

“Do I find myself thinking about him/her in odd moments…inventing bits of dialogue?”

These kinds of questions, she says, help determine whether or not a character will make the grade for a great book.

Chapters include clear how-to details on point of view, dialogue, emotion, backstory, how characters “learn”, and more. Exercises are sprinkled liberally throughout to help bring motivation, turmoil, and depth to characters. Kress covers how to develop and use humor, love, and action – including how to handle fight scenes. The appendix contains a checklist of critical character points which acts as a handy rubric to guide the process.

I enjoyed Kress’s friendly style and encouragement. I came away knowing that I had the tools to create good characters. This is a book that will remain on my shelf in the trusted resource category.    

For more Coffeehouse book reviews and other good stuff, click here.

What books are on your "Must Have" list? 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Blessings,

Karen

Image credit: bluegum  http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1187388

Writing Compelling Characters

If you missed the info, here's the background on The Great Blogging Experiment:

Elana Johnson, Alex Cavanaugh, and Jennifer Daiker hosted the Great Blogging Trifecta a few weeks ago. They teamed up for The Great Blogging Experiment, where they invited bloggers to post today about "Writing Compelling Characters". The experiment? To prove that no two blog posts will be exactly the same. 

My first thought was that it didn't apply to me. After all, I haven't completed, okay, or really even started a manuscript. My WIP consists of copious notes, printouts, bookmarked links, images and scenes floating around in my head and a fair sized stack of research books. I don't have all the characters figured out yet, but figure I've got enough to call it a WIP, even if it is just the starting fringe.

But then I thought, why not give it a try? After all, Elana said that it would be interesting to see all the variations from this experiment. I've created characters for kid's stories, taught fiction writing to teens, and I know what kind of characters that appeal to me, so I signed up. 

Writing Compelling Characters


We need compelling characters for great stories. Setting is good, plot is important and a knack for writing is crucial too. But characters, whether people, animals, or something else - this is what the story is about. I've always thought that plot, setting, and conflict swirls around the characters. 

Five things first come to mind when I consider character development.

1) The power to draw the reader in. Love 'em or hate 'em, a character has to grab my attention. I want them to be interesting. An MC needs personality and depth. I need to see how and why they relate to the story. If not, I quit reading.

2) They need to be believable. Unless I'm reading fantasy, I want to see real people. I want them to think and feel and have all sorts of emotions, actions, struggles and consequences.

3) They need to be consistent. They can't be having jealousy issues in chapter one and suddenly become unjealous in chapter two. (Is unjealous a word?) Growth and change through a story is great, but it's got to be natural.

4) The presence of physical characteristics. I want enough description of the character to be able to visualize them. A good writer, I think, paints images that enhance the reading experience. I'm not talking elaborate or lengthy, particularly with flash fiction, just enough to complement the rest of the story's elements.

5) They need to be memorable. Main characters should be memorable. For example, I just finished reading The Preacher's Bride, by Jody Hedlund. Over the course of the past week, I kept thinking about the book's MC, Elizabeth Whitbread. Her tenacity to do what she thought right was inspiring, and I will replay her comments, actions, and emotions in my head for a long time.

There you have it. My two cents on Writing Compelling Characters. Once my WIP is finished, I'll share what I've learned. :)

If you'd like some tried and true advice, check out this Writer's Digest link featuring quick tips for developing characters.

What do you think makes a character great? What tips do you have for writing compelling characters? 


Please join me next week when I review The Preacher's Bride. This special feature will include a giveaway and interview with Jody. Happy Weekend!

Blessings,

Karen










 

 


























Blessings and Happy Weekend!

Karen


Image credit: bulleTT  http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1248121