writing:

Character Hierarchy 102-02

/ Adam / 2 Comments

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.

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Creating Characters 102-01

/ Adam / 2 Comments

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.

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Plot Patterns & Structures 101-05

/ Adam / 2 Comments

A good story keeps the audience focused on what’s happening, while allowing them to subconsciously recognize the underlying the patterns. As a writer it’s important to understand how and why a story works. I will often start with an idea, character, or conflict, and wait until the revision process to try and understand what pattern I’m trying to create, but that is only a preference.

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Conflicts & Climaxes 101-02

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Cycling Through the Middle
The middle of the story is comprised of many small conflicts. A successful resolution transitions into a new one, while a failed resolution creates new complications. In rare instances a conflict may end in a draw or interruption. The resolution is postponed. This is more common in relationship based conflicts, which are often used to add subplots (more on subplots in a later post). During the middle of the story the various small conflicts expand the scope of the story, creating a sense of new perspective in the character and the reader.

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