Creative Writing

1. Creative Writing Creating a character

2. Starter • Take a few minutes to imagine the relationships among the characters in the following painting. Assume the role of one of the pictured figures and write a dramatic monologue. • What do you understand that no one else does? • What will you do next?

4. Character • Our objective is to understand some of the basic elements and understandings that go into creating a character. • By the end of class you will have created a character and will be able to answer many intimate details about that character

5. Exercise 1 • In order to understand the characters we will create we must understand what makes the people we already know the people they are. • Recall three anecdotes you’ve heard about family members. Tell them to a partner and explain what each one captures about the personality of that relative.

6. Exercise 2 • With your group, log onto KLS and click on classifieds • Once there, pick the strangest item you can find (search no longer than 4 minutes). • 2 people in the group will conjure up the character who placed the item on KSL and the story line that might have led him or her to do so. • The other half of your group will brainstorm a character that wants to buy the advertised object, along with that person’s motive.

7. Individually • Write up a scene of a meeting between the two characters

8. Building your character • Age • Gender • Race • Nationality • Marital status • Region • Education • Religion • Profession • Appearance • Family

9. Exercise 3 • One of the most economical means of sketching a character is simply to show readers a personal space the character has created, be it a bedroom, locker, kitchen, hideout, office cubicle, or even the interior of a car. • Spend 10 minutes describing what makes up your newly created character’s personal space.

10. Exercise 4 • Personality test