The main thing I struggle with when I write is making my characters different from each other on the page. In my head I know how the characters sound and speak to each other. Any tips on how to really make my characters traits show through?
Brenda Belcher Boyle's Lounge Discussions
2-minute play
Hello, I'm a screenwriter who wants to have a contest for community theater in the form of 2-minute plays. Has anyone ever done this sort of thing? I think it would be so fun and would bring fresh ideas and entertainment to our community's, otherwise predictable, theater season. I have questions lik...
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Try writing your characters using extremes - you can always scale things back if you don't feel it is working. An example: if he's tall, I try making him VERY tall; short, VERY short; timid...well, yo...
Expand commentTry writing your characters using extremes - you can always scale things back if you don't feel it is working. An example: if he's tall, I try making him VERY tall; short, VERY short; timid...well, you get the idea. Each characteristic or trait drives the details of who they are and how they would behave, sound, appear, react.
Wish they would make an app that plugs in to my thoughts and prints them on the page! Meanwhile, I do use an app that types what I say -- sometimes talking it out makes it easier.
I agree with Cherie and Zachariah's comments. I usually write out backgrounds for all my characters along with the psychological, physiological, and sociological aspects. I feel that it helps me out a lot when I'm writing. Every character has a story, even the minor ones. So have fun! :)
Not sure if y'all can see this. Thank you so much for your ideas! I really appreciate it!
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Hi pals, Great comments. I use a little of each with my characters. First, I definite the 3 dimensions profile for each one, and I give him a past, an education level, a family life... Then I spend so...
Expand commentHi pals, Great comments. I use a little of each with my characters. First, I definite the 3 dimensions profile for each one, and I give him a past, an education level, a family life... Then I spend some time discussing with him about his life and interests, how he sees the other characters and his own role in my story... quite like an interview; and this gradually give him more consistancy and precise traits, physical and language tics inspired by real people similar to him. Then in my first drafts, I use many parentheticals,...