Podcast – Episode 1 – Making Characters Three Dimensional With Goals

Episode 1 - Developing Three Dimensional Characters With Goals

This is the first of a series of podcasts I have recorded on elements of writing.  This podcast is a little over 30 minutes long and discusses how Character’s Goals can be leveraged to further braid character and plot, as well as add dimension to your characters. 

 

 

 

I.                   Introduction

a.       What a writer … “wants is a set of rules on what to do and what not to do in writing fiction….”when one begins to be persuaded that certain things must never be done in fiction and certain other things must always be done, one has entered the first stage of aesthetic arthritis, the disease that ends in pedantic rigidity and the atrophy of intuition.”–John Gardner, The Art of Fiction

 

b.      Take what you want and leave the rest.

 

II.                Five Core Elements of Story

a.       Deep Character – ask ‘WHY’

b.      Theme – the point of your story

c.       Braiding internal and external conflict – intertwine plot and characters

d.      Layering – multipurpose scenes and multidimensional characters

e.       Surprise

 

III.             Why are Goals Important?

a.       They are the first step in defining and understanding your character.

b.      It’s not about WHAT, it’s about WHY.

c.       Corporate Mogul:  Difference between ‘To be rich” and “Never to be poor:”

d.      Story = Character

e.       “How much your character cares about their goals is in direct proportion to how much the reader will care.” — Laura DeVries

f.       Use goals to inject conflict in your story

 

IV.             Two Types of Goals: Long Range Goals, Short Range Goals

a.       Long Range Goals

                                                              i.      Internal goal akin to self-concept, hopes, wishes, and dreams – overriding drive in the characters’ life

                                                            ii.      Colors all choices the character makes

                                                          iii.      “What would it take to make the character content with his/her life?”

                                                          iv.      One major character will see their Long Range Goal change in popular fiction (or the meaning of the goal will change).

                                                            v.      Long Range Goal can be conscious or subconscious.

                                                          vi.      The key is to ask ‘WHY’

                                                        vii.      Use role-playing techniques, character biographies, character interviews, bubble charts,

                                                      viii.      Example:  Jerry Maguire and Dorothy Boyd from the movie, Jerry Maguire.

b.      Short Range Goals

                                                              i.      Tangible goal for character at the beginning of the book.

                                                            ii.      Short range goals show character

                                                          iii.      A new short range goal ends every scene

 

V.                For More Information

a.       www.robinperini.com or www.discoveringstorymagic.com

b.   Podcast – Episode 1 – Making Characters Three Dimensional With Goals

Arc of the Scene – Stepping Stone for a Hero

I recently judged a writing contest and half of the entries included scenes that didn’t really work very well.  The writers could write.  The characters were good, but the scenes fell flat.  As I studied the entries more closely in order, I realized that the scenes had one thing in common.  There was no arc to the scene.

One of my critique partners and I have been talking a lot about the arc of the scene.  It’s one of those elements of story that writers don’t mention very often.  Many of you have read Techniques of the Selling Writer, by Dwight Swain, or Scene and Structureby Jack Bickham.  They talk about the structure of scene. 

Scene includes:  goal, conflict, disaster
Sequel includes: emotion, quandary, decision, action

I’ve always found these books useful, but while I’m writing, I don’t think about Swain or Bickham.  What I do think about is what’s happening as I’m writing.  I knew early on that I wanted to write books about heroes: characters who face difficult odds, and who do what I hope I would do when faced with such a situation.  The right thing.  And in the process of facing those odds, heroes grow and change and learn and become better human beings, because of the difficulty they face.

As I first began writing, I focused on the challenges my characters would face: the villian, the struggle.  Then I layered in the idea that the hero or heroine would have to face their own internal fears in order to defeat the villian.  So, my story now had an arc.  A change. 

Well, just as a story has an arc, so does a scene.  A scene changes the story.  The plot changes; the character changes.  If the character and plot don’t change, then the question becomes, what’s the point of the scene.  These days, as I’m writing, I really focus on how the emotions of my character will change over the course of the scene.   At the end of each scene, I ask myself two questions.  Has my character changed, and has the plot moved forward.  If I can answer yes, then my scene has an arc.  If  the answer is no, then that scene has no purpose.  It is not a stepping stone toward growth of the hero or heroine.  The scene is a stagnant pond without movement, without life.

A story is about life, and if there is one truth about life, it is forever changing.  Just as scene should a small journey on a character’s path.

Happy Writing,
Robin

www.RobinPerini.com

Welcome to Writer’s Notes by Robin – The Most Important Thing I Know

Hi everyone.  Well, this is my first foray into blogging.  Until May of this year, I was finishing up my MBA and there are only so many things one can do.  However, now that my MBA is complete, I can focus more on my writing career.  I’ve spent the last few months catching up with life after four years of taking classes at night.

I really do love studying the craft of writing. For the last decade or so, I’ve been part of an amazing journey called Discovering Story Magic (www.discoveringstorymagic.com).  This workshop has inspired so many people, but for me, the most valuable part of giving Discovering Story Magic (DSM) with Laura Baker is what I have learned from the students.  We’ve now moved away from in-person workshops to online workshops, mostly through www.writersonlineclasses.com, though we occasionally do a few classes around the country.  It’s a true gift to be able to teach, because I believe I learn so much more than I ever impart to students.

In addition to DSM, though, I’ve been lucky enough to give workshops at the Romance Writers of America(R) national conference since 2004 (though I did skip last year).  It’s been an amazing opportunity.  I don’t pretend to know and understand everything about writing.  In truth, more often than not, the more I learn, the more I realize what I don’t know.  But, I hope to, in the course of this blog, provide insight into what I believe help me the most in my writing.  And, I am sure, I will learn so much from those who comment.

I think that the most important piece of advice that I can give is to NEVER STOP LEARNING, and to BE OPEN TO GROWING and CHANGING.  I hope I’ve allowed myself to do that over the years.

Some time ago, when I first started writing, I met an author who had sold over 50 novels to a New York publishing house where I wanted to sell.  I had just been a part of creating the Land of Enchantment Romance Authors Writer’s Guide 1st Edition (www.leranm.com).  This author bought this ‘how-to’ book, and asked a lot of questions about an article that a co-author and I had written.  Then and there I knew I wanted to emulate this writer as I went through my writing career.  After 50 books, she was eager to learn.  And not just by those more successful than herself–by two beginners who had worked hard to study and understand.

My wish for you is that you open yourself to learning from anyone and everyone because you never know where new inspiration and information can come from.

Happy Writing,
Robin (www.RobinPerini.com)