Working with and Past Stereotypes
“Write what you know” is a common phrase people hear when starting out, but at some point every writer is creating characters different from themselves; people from different parts of the world, different professions, cultures, and personalities, not to mention the fact that half the world is a different gender.
102 Characters-1-creating
Relationships & Recollections 102-03
Character Networks
Life is all about relationships. Throughout our lives we are constantly creating and developing relationships with other people. Once you have a primary character, consider the relationships in their life, particularly friends. Create one or two characters that represent a strong foil for your character.
Character Hierarchy 102-02
Every character lives their own story, but within a story not all characters are equal.
Minor & Placeholder Characters
These are the characters that make up most of the people in the world of the story. A minor character performs one or two significant actions, and then fades away. They don’t change or evolve, they simply exist. They are often eccentric or exaggerated, but they lack the complexity of a main or major character. The audience is entertained, but doesn’t miss a minor character when they leave.
Creating Characters 102-01
Some writers start their creative process with character creation and then build plot and setting around the character(s), other writers begin with plot or setting and then populate it with characters. Regardless of where a writer is in the creative process, there are generally four techniques they can use to create new characters: real life, adapted from real life, concepts, or goals.