Characterization: Going Deeper to Grab Your Reader
by Jennifer Slattery  http://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com  [email protected]
Know your ____________________ better than you know __________________________________.
Great characters are ____________________________________, __________________________________,
________________________________, _________________________ and _________________________________________.
Your character must have an overriding _______________ and ________________ goal.
Giving your character a secret or secrets helps add _________________ and also allows for them
to ____________________________.
5) When developing unique characters, consider their physical, ___________________,
______________, _________________, eccentricities, fears, phobias, and ___________________.
When crafting complex characters, avoid making them ____________________________________,
reveal ________________________________ and _________________________________, allow them to make
________________________________________________ and allow their ___________________________ on
occasion to ______________________________ what they believe or value.
Some examples of cliché characters are:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
To create imperfect characters:
Look for the ___________________________________ attached to their _______________________________.
Create a _____________________________.
Utilize __________________________________________________ and ________________________________________
Reveal their ___________________________ and use it __________________________________________________
____________________________ and ________________________________ their inner lie.
Characterization: Going Deeper to Grab Your Reader – NCWA Renewal workshop by Jennifer Slattery
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Dynamic characters:
__________________________________ then ___________________________ their weakness/weaknesses
_________________________________ something about __________________________________
_____________________________ from their _________________________________
_________________________________ an unexpected ______________________________
Clear and compelling goals tell your readers ____________________________________________________
and __________________________________________________________________________________________________.
For each POV character you need: ________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
An abstract goal is __________________________________________________________________________________.
The concrete goal is how the character believes they’ll reach __________________________________.
Character arcs are usually connected to _______________________________________, ___________________
______________________, and __________________________________________________. It’s the _________________
journey as they reach an _______________________.
An inner lie is something ____________________ the character believes about _________________________.
Examples of inner lies include: “I’m ________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________”
The black moment is ______________________________ in the character’s past that created a
__________________________________________________________.
Examples of black moments include:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Examples of arcs include: ___________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Characterization: Going Deeper to Grab Your Reader – NCWA Renewal workshop by Jennifer Slattery
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