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Tangent: The Powerpoint

Topic 3: Characters. Tangent: The Powerpoint. You Know What a Character Is. Character – a person depicted in a narrative Two-dimensional “flat” characters Three-dimensional “round” characters. Characters and Plots. Plot should be built around characters, not the other way around!

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Tangent: The Powerpoint

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  1. Topic 3: Characters Tangent: The Powerpoint

  2. You Know What a Character Is • Character – a person depicted in a narrative • Two-dimensional “flat” characters • Three-dimensional “round” characters

  3. Characters and Plots • Plot should be built around characters, not the other way around! • A strong character can save a shallow plot. A strong plot, no matter how strong, cannot make a reader like a shallow character.

  4. Good Characters Have… • Wants • Needs • Skills • Flaws • Quirks • Likes • Dislikes • Goals • CONFLICTS

  5. What Not To Do • Don’t focus excessively on your character’s appearance UNLESS their appearance reflects their personality – and even then, don’t go overboard. • Don’t give your character dozens and dozens of skills and next to no flaws. • Faux flaws, like “adorably clumsy” and “too beautiful” don’t count.

  6. The Mary Sue • An overly idealized and basically flawless character who most commonly serves as a vehicle for wish fulfillment for the reader – or, more commonly, the author. • Despite the name, they can be male too – the designation for male Mary Sues is either Gary Stu or Marty Stu, depending on preference.

  7. The Unbreakable Rule • Do NOT, for the love of EVERYTHING you hold dear, base your character on yourself, your friends, or your family! • Giving your character some traits of yourself or incorporating details of people you’ve encountered is okay – moderation is important here. • Side effects of this include: • Getting offended when someone criticizes your character. • Using the character as a mouthpiece for your own beliefs and views. • In the case of family and friends, it may prove difficult to portray the character negatively in any way. • The editor kicking you in the shins (as they should).

  8. The Characters Challenge • Select 3 characters from Tom Gauld’s “Characters For an Epic Tale.” • Note: “Units” of characters (ex: The Three Witches) only count as one. • Write a story around them. • Cosine: Draw one (or two, or three) characters in your own style, as you see them. • Bonus points if they’re interacting.

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