What will take your fiction from good to great? From decent to dazzling? From lackluster to blockbuster? Characters who "jump off the page."
Of course plot matters. So does conflict, and scenes, and every other aspect of the fiction craft. But without unforgettable characters, your books will always be less than they could be. Don't let that happen.
This book takes you through a different considerations for characterisation... along with a set of questions to ask yourself and exercises to dive deeper into your characters.
The Black Wolf Book Club reviewed this book in April 2024. Like all books in the Bell on Writing series, we found this book to be an easy read, filled with useful information and exercises to help you get into the heart of the topic. This is a book that can be used as a quick reference guide, providing you with useful tools to help deepen your characters. The examples used in the book are a mix of older and newer materials, and from a range of genres. As such, we believe that writers of different ages and genre practices will be able to connect with the material. And there is an entire chapter that is dedicated to the difference between plotters and pansters... and JSB reassures writers that all methods of getting into a character's head are okay!
The exercises presented in this book can be used at all stages of the writing process, from drafting through to rewriting and editing.
What will take your fiction from good to great? From decent to dazzling? From lackluster to blockbuster?
Characters who “jump off the page.”
Of course plot matters. So does conflict, and scenes, and every other aspect of the fiction craft. But without unforgettable characters, your books will always be less than they could be. Don’t let that happen.
In WRITING UNFORGETTABLE CHARACTERS you’ll learn:
•How to lay the foundation for a memorable character
•How to bond the reader with the main character from the start
•The super power of unpredictability
•The secrets of grit, wit, and moxie
•How to bring your character to life on the page
•How and when to reveal backstory
•All about arcs and what they truly mean
•The key to unforgettable villains
•How to make minor characters memorable, too
•How to create a great series character
And more, PLUS the powerful exercises James Scott Bell has taught in his sold-out writing workshops. No more flat stories! Give your readers what will turn them into career-long fans—characters who jump off the page.
