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Swain  \nUniversity of Oklahoma Press  \n2800 Venture Drive  \nNorman, Oklahoma 73069  \n[www.oupress.com](www.oupress.com)  \nOriginally published by Writer’s Digets Books, an imprint of F&W Publications, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio, copyright © 1991 by Dwight V. Swain. Oklahoma Edition copyright © 2008 by the University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, Publishing Division of the University. Manufactured in the U.S.A.  \nAll rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the United States Copyright Act—without the prior permission of the University of Oklahoma Press.  \nFor information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to Permissions, University of Oklahoma Press, 2800 Venture Drive, Norman, Oklahoma 73069 or email [rights.oupress@ou.edu](rights.oupress@ou.edu).  \nISBN 978-0-8061-3918-0 (paperback : alk. paper)  \nISBN 978-0-8061-8384-8 (ebook : mobipocket)  \nISBN 978-0-8061-8385-5 (ebook : epub)  \nThis eBook was converted from the original source file by a third-party vendor. Readers who notice any formatting, textual, or readability issues are encouraged to contact the publisher at [ebooks@ou.edu](ebooks@ou.edu).  \nFor Phyllis A. Whitney . . . fine writer and good friend  \nCONTENTS  \nPreface  \nONE/THE CORE OF CHARACTER  \nWhat’s the one key element any major character must have?  \nThe ability to care.  \nTWO/SEARCHING OUT YOUR CHARACTERS  \nHow do you find the right character?  \nYou scan the applicants until you locate one who turns you on and fits the part.  \nTHREE/LABELS, LABELS  \nWhy do you label a character?  \nYour reader needs some clue or two to help him recognize each of your story people.  \nFOUR/FLESHING OUT  \nHow do you make a character real?  \nYou provide him or her with appropriate tags, traits, and relationships.  \nFIVE/THE WORLD WITHIN: 1  \nHow do you motivate a character?  \nYou devise something that he or she must change in order to win happiness.  \nSIX/THE WORLD WITHIN: 2  \nHow do you keep a character moving?  \nYou point that character towards his or her private future.  \nSEVEN/THE BREATH OF LIFE  \nHow do you bring a character to life?  \nYou make the character reveal emotion.  \nEIGHT/BENT TWIGS  \nHow much background should you give a character?  \nOnly enough to make your reader—and you—believe in him.  \nNINE/WILD CARDS  \nWhat goes into building an offbeat character?  \nThe same elements that you use in creating any story person—only more so.  \nTEN/THE ROLE OF ROLES  \nHow do you treat a hero?  \nYou shape the hero to fit the job he or she has to do.  \nELEVEN/THE LIGHT TOUCH  \nHow do you make a character amusing?  \nYou replace reader assumptions with offbeat alternatives.  \nTWELVE/THE RIGHT WORDS  \nHow do you describe a character effectively?  \nYou build the character with significant specifics that lead readers to feel the way you want them to feel.  \nTHIRTEEN/THE THINGS THEY SAY  \nHow do you write good dialogue?  \nYou pay as much attention to feelings as to words.  \nFOURTEEN/VARIATIONS ON A THEME  \nHow do you treat characters in the various lengths, media, and genres?  \nYou design your people to fit your market.  \nFIFTEEN/THE CHARACTER OUT OF TIME  \nHow do you get people to read about characters in unfamiliar worlds?  \nYou provide emotional insight into the world and individuals involved.  \nSIXTEEN/THE DYNAMICS OF DISBELIEF  \nHow do you cope when readers don’t believe in your characters and stories? You plug the gaps where belief leaks out.  \nSEVENTEEN/THE SEARCH FOR ZEST  \nHow do you maintain your cutting edge as a writer?  \nYou draw on the stimulus of story people.  \nAppendix: For Further Reading  \nIndex  \nPREFACE  \nFiction grows from story people.  \nThis book is designed to help you bring such people into being. From it you’ll learn barn-brush c","cbCaioPGogXjvVc1","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaioPGogXjvVc1","pdf",910527,99,"English","# Preface\n# The Core of Character\n## What’s the one key element any major character must have?\n# Searching Out Your Characters\n## How do you find the right character?\n# Labels, Labels\n## Why do you label a character?\n# Fleshing Out\n## How do you make a character real?\n# The World Within: 1\n## How do you motivate a character?\n# The World Within: 2\n## How do you keep a character moving?\n# The Breath of Life\n## How do you bring a character to life?\n# Bent Twigs\n## How much background should you give a character?\n# Wild Cards\n## What goes into building an offbeat character?\n# The Role of Roles\n## How do you treat a hero?\n# The Light Touch\n## How do you make a character amusing?\n# The Right Words\n## How do you describe a character effectively?\n# The Things They Say\n## How do you write good dialogue?\n# Variations on a Theme\n## How do you treat characters in the various lengths, media, and genres?\n# The Character Out of Time\n## How do you get people to read about characters in unfamiliar worlds?\n# The Dynamics of Disbelief\n## How do you cope when readers don’t believe in your characters and stories?\n# The Search for Zest\n## How do you maintain your cutting edge as a writer?\n# Appendix: For Further Reading\n# Index","[{\"question\":\"What core element must a major character have?\",\"answer\":\"The book emphasizes that a major character needs the ability to care, presented as the one key element behind effective characterization.\"},{\"question\":\"How do you keep a character moving through a story?\",\"answer\":\"You keep the character moving by pointing them toward their private future, creating forward pressure based on what they must change to win happiness.\"},{\"question\":\"How should a writer handle readers who don’t believe the characters and story?\",\"answer\":\"When belief leaks out, the book advises you to plug the gaps—addressing where readers stop accepting the logic, emotion, or realism of the story people.\"}]","Creating Characters - How to Build Story People | PDF",152]