Creating Realistic Characters

In today’s Journal

* Quotes of the Day
* Creating Realistic Characters
* Of Interest

Quotes of the Day

“Don’t be a character assassin with your own characters. Even your villain can be noble.” David Farland

“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear—not absence of fear.” Mark Twain

“In marketing you must choose between boredom, shouting and seduction. Which do you want?” Roy H. Williams

There’s my problem right there. Boredom and shouting are, well, boredom and shouting. And seduction is dishonest.

Creating Realistic Characters

I almost launched into a whole long thing on characters. For example, that any major characters should be well-rounded. Duh.

That means that any so-called “good” characters (including your protagonist and his or her allies) should have three or four “good” character traits and at least one “bad” trait, plus whatever endearing or annoying personality quirks, etc.

And of course, vice-versa for the “bad” characters. Your antagonist and his or her minions should have three or four “bad” traits and at least one “good” or “redeeming” trait, again plus whatever endearing or annoying personality quirks, etc.

Just as when you encounter someone in real life, you start with a stereotype, then learn more about the characters until you come to know them.

And secondary and tertiary or cardboard (flat) characters should be memorable and have memorable dialogue since their most-often primary purpose is to foreshadow future events. (Think Joe Pesci’s character in the Lethal Weapon movies.)

Then I remembered I covered all of that and more, including a comprehensive list of character traits and quirks, in my book and audio series on the topic. Both are titled Creating Realistic Characters.

The short, concise ebook is available at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004SBOBDO and the audio lectures are available at https://harveystanbrough.com/lecture-series/. The audio lectures includes two handouts in pdf: “Cliché Traits Exercise” and “Partial Listing of Character Traits,” both of which are also included in the ebook.

Either version of Creating Realistic Characters is an awareness item. Its purpose is to make you aware of what goes into characters. Once you’ve read the information, I do NOT advocate “planning” or “character sketching” or “building” your characters. I advocate getting to know them just as you get to know human beings you encounter as their (and your) story unfolds.

After all, the title of my instruction is “creating realistic characters,” not “constructing” them.

Your creative subconscious knows most of what you need in order to write great characters. Reading or listening to Creating Realistic Characters will make your conscious, critical mind aware of those traits and quirks and give your creative subconscious permission to use them.

And your writing and your stories will be better for it.

Talk with you again soon.

Of Interest

See “Seductions And Promises” at https://www.thepassivevoice.com/seductions-and-promises/.

See “When Apple Comes Calling, ‘It’s the Kiss of Death’” at https://www.thepassivevoice.com/when-apple-comes-calling-its-the-kiss-of-death/. For those who believe Apple is “good” while Microsoft and Amazon are E-V-I-L. (grin)

See “Playing with a New Look” at https://deanwesleysmith.com/playing-with-a-new-look/. Shrug.

The Numbers

The Journal…………………………………… 490

Writing of Wes Crowley: Deputy US Marshal 2 (WCG9SF4)

Day 1…… 3231 words. Total words to date…… 3231
Day 2…… 2990 words. Total words to date…… 6221
Day 3…… 1805 words. Total words to date…… 8026
Day 4…… 2025 words. Total words to date…… 10051
Day 5…… 1451 words. Total words to date…… 11502
Day 6…… 1886 words. Total words to date…… 13388
Day 7…… 2002 words. Total words to date…… 15390
Day 8…… 1060 words. Total words to date…… 16450
Day 9…… 1903 words. Total words to date…… 18353
Day 10… 1143 words. Total words to date…… 19496
Day 11… 0323 words. Total words to date…… 19819
Day 12… 2445 words. Total words to date…… 22264
Day 13… 3184 words. Total words to date…… 25448

Total fiction words for April……… 17276
Total fiction words for 2023………… 83464
Total nonfiction words for April… 15460
Total nonfiction words for the year…… 77720
Total words for the year (fiction and this blog)…… 161184

Calendar Year 2023 Novels to Date…………………… 1
Calendar Year 2023 Novellas to Date……………… 0
Calendar Year 2023 Short Stories to Date… 4
Novels (since Oct 19, 2014)…………………………………… 72
Novellas (since Nov 1, 2015)………………………………… 9
Short stories (since Apr 15, 2014)………………… 221
Short story collections……………………………………………… 31

Disclaimer: I am a prolific professional fiction writer. On this blog I teach Writing Into the Dark, adherence to Heinlein’s Rules, and that following the myths of fiction writing will slow your progress as a writer or stop you cold. I will never teach the myths on this blog.