new posts in all blogs
Viewing: Blog Posts Tagged with: #temperament, Most Recent at Top [Help]
Results 1 - 14 of 14
How to use this Page
You are viewing the most recent posts tagged with the words: #temperament in the JacketFlap blog reader. What is a tag? Think of a tag as a keyword or category label. Tags can both help you find posts on JacketFlap.com as well as provide an easy way for you to "remember" and classify posts for later recall. Try adding a tag yourself by clicking "Add a tag" below a post's header. Scroll down through the list of Recent Posts in the left column and click on a post title that sounds interesting. You can view all posts from a specific blog by clicking the Blog name in the right column, or you can click a 'More Posts from this Blog' link in any individual post.
.png.jpg?picon=4257)
By: Diana Hurwitz,
on 8/12/2016
Blog:
Game On! Creating Character Conflict
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
#novel,
#fiction,
#writingtips,
#StoryBuildingBlocks,
#genre,
#screenplay,
@Diana_Hurwitz,
#writingfiction,
#critiquegroup,
#temperament,
Add a tag
Ability obstacles are created by a character's need to decide what to do, form a plan, and take the necessary action. Some are able to make a plan and stick with it. Others prefer to wing it. Some make quick decisions. Others dither. Pairing opposites to get the job done creates conflict.
Every character has strengths and weaknesses. He has areas of expertise and areas of ignorance. When action needs to be taken, different characters take it in different ways.
Let's look at ten ability obstacles.
1. A character lacks the strength or expertise to perform a physical or mental task.
2. He struggles with forming a plan and seeing it through. Planning may not be one of his strengths or his need to have a plan can keep him from taking action on the fly.
3. He does not have enough or has too much time to think it through. The more a character needs time to process, the more anxious he becomes when under the gun. Does he scatter or can he pull it together?
Some characters struggle with spontaneity, others are chronically impulsive. Sometimes having too much time to think can give the character a chance to doubt the wisdom of his choice.
4. Characters differ in their approach to the problem.
Characters with differences in problem solving methods will clash. Whose method is better? Which will work in the specific instance? Can they balance each other out and succeed or drill holes in the boat and sink the effort? One needs to have a plan, another wings it. One needs to be sure of the outcome, the other doesn't care. He will build wings on the way down.
5. His natural approach fails and he must rely on his weak side.
Giving your character a task that requires him to use his weaknesses can be an opportunity to show growth.
6. He tries the opposite approach and it backfires.
Use this when you want a spectacular failure during the time when it appears all is lost. He can then tell his partner: "I told you so."
7. He invests effort in the wrong solution and fails.
During the early part of the story, this tactic is often used. The character thinks he knows what the problem is, who the bad guy is, or where the problem lies. He wastes the first half working toward the wrong goal. At the appropriate turning point, he realizes his mistake and recalculates.
8. He is uncomfortable deciding.
Your character's inability to decide can be his worst nightmare or a silent strength. Perhaps he holds back while everyone else rushes ahead and ends up being the only one left standing. He can be pushed by others into the wrong job, the wrong relationship, or the wrong cause. He can act as sole voice of reason. Others will be irritated with his dithering, but his dithering can result in him being the only one to see clearly. Or it can simply cause passive-aggressiveness that drags out the conflict.
9. His timing can be off. He decides too soon or too late.
His amorous attempts can be too little to late or he can come through at the very last minute and change his love interest's mind. He can choose the wrong girl, then meet the right one. He can decide to join the battle too late and strike out on his own to rectify his mistake. Deciding too late could save him from being collateral damage so he can solve the problem on his own.
10. He just wants the problem gone and takes the wrong action.
This is useful in the early part of the plot where you want things to go wrong for your protagonist. A story problem arises, so he make a snap decision or makes a wrong move. This sets up the conflict for the next act. He must spend the saggy middle cleaning up his mess and choosing a new course of action. This course of action often fails as well and he finds the right path in the final act.
For more about how to craft plots using conflict check out, Story Building Blocks: The Four Layers of conflict available in print and e-book and check out the free tools and information about the series on my website.
By: Diana Hurwitz,
on 8/5/2016
Blog:
Game On! Creating Character Conflict
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
#novel,
#fiction,
#writingtips,
#StoryBuildingBlocks,
#genre,
#screenplay,
@Diana_Hurwitz,
#writingfiction,
#critiquegroup,
#temperament,
Add a tag
At each stage of the story problem, you have to decide what your character knows, when he knows it, how certain he is, and how hard it would be to convince him he is wrong.
Knowledge obstacles prevent understanding and complicate communication.
How do your characters communicate?
Do they ask questions or give orders?
Do they listen to answers or brush them off?
Higher education teaches characters to think and debate, rarely does it teach them to get in touch with their feeling side. When it comes to our sweet sixteen, each could strengthen his weak side.
In previous posts, we discussed persuasion plot holes. Knowledge obstacles can create internal and interpersonal conflict. They often require your characters to persuade another to their way of thinking. When they are presented with knowledge obstacles, they can be forced to use persuasion tactics.
1. Missing information.
Some characters are fine with proceeding without all of the information. Others need lots of data to make decisions. Forcing opposites to work together or placing a character in a situation where they need to act outside of their comfort zone increases the tension.
2. Conflicting ways of obtaining information.
Some characters prefer facts, others prefer impressions. The dichotomy between solid and fuzzy data will make different characters uncomfortable. Pair opposites or force your characters to require the opposite of what they rely on. They can argue whether the information obtained was obtained correctly or incorrectly based on their opinion.
3. Receiving the same information but interpreting it differently.
Your characters can look at the same collection of facts, figures, or opinions but have completely different reactions to them. Their differences of opinion can cause low-level or explosive conflicts.
4. Conflicting information.
Information can come from conflicting resources, multiple resources, or inaccurate people. Muddying the waters will make some characters more uncomfortable than others. It will come down to who they trust or who they believe. How much do they like the person? What do they want to hear or believe? When the facts don't add up, it creates dissonance.
5. Inaccurate information.
Characters can be intentionally or unintentionally misled. How they feel about going forward with faulty information can result in guilt, recrimination, or resentment. It can result in a failure to meet their overall story or scene goals. This results in a need to gather new information or take action to fix the problem it has created. This moves the plot forward.
6. Inability to understand the information due to language differences.
Whether you are talking Mars and Venus, different ethnicity, or alien versus human, not being able to communicate effectively creates conflict. Attempts to overcome these differences can be comic, poignant, or frustrating.
7. Inability to deliver an important piece of information.
Your character can meet many obstacles when he needs to impart crucial information to another character. It could be lack of cell phone signal, being bound and gagged, or being physically prevented from approaching his target.
8. Knowing something he doesn’t want to acknowledge.
This can be a harsh reality for your character. As long as he refuses to accept the truth, he will be unable to solve the issue at hand.
9. Communicating what they know.
This comes back to persuasion techniques. He may not be taken seriously by his audience. He may not be considered a valid source of information. He may not be in a state to inspire confidence in his rantings.
10. Who he chooses to tell.
Your character can refuse to talk unless he is allowed to speak to someone he trusts. He can trust the wrong person. He can withhold important information which can lead to further conflict.
11. How and when he chooses to tell.
By: Diana Hurwitz,
on 7/22/2016
Blog:
Game On! Creating Character Conflict
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
#fiction,
#writingtips,
#StoryBuildingBlocks,
#genre,
#screenplay,
@Diana_Hurwitz,
#writingfiction,
#critiquegroup,
#temperament,
#novel,
Add a tag
In addition to the problems the story world, antagonist, friends, and foes cause for our protagonist, there are internal obstacles that prevent him from achieving his overall story or scene goals.
Internal obstacles are supplied by the protagonist’s own mind. They are difficult to overcome because most characters lack objectivity and insight into their subconscious motivations. Rarely are characters self-aware enough to know their strengths, weaknesses, and triggers.
Friends and foes and the antagonist can hold up mirrors so the character can see himself better. Most people lack self-awareness. Have other characters point out their faulty thinking.
Other characters reinforce these obstacles or help him overcome them. All characters have emotional triggers and cause explosions by pulling other people’s emotional triggers.
Internal obstacles can take several forms:
[ Internal resistance based on temperament to things that go against his natural inclinations.
This is where you can utilize their core traits (introversion/extraversion, intuition/sensing, feeling/thinking, perception/judging) for or against them. If they are introverted, make them go public. If they are an on the fly guy, make them have to come up with a plan and stick with it. If they don't, the plan goes to hell and creates further conflict. If they hate being in the limelight, shine it on them. If they struggle with commitment, give them no choice.
[ Fears and phobias that keep him from going where he needs to go or taking the action he needs to take.
You can make this a crippling phobia (though a lot of these have been overused). You can make it more subtle, but equally effective if they overcome an unreasonable fear to solve a problem.
[ Desire for a personal currency that tempts him to do the wrong thing or sidelines his efforts.
We covered the sixteen currencies in earlier posts. It is hard to encourage someone by promising them something they don't want or threatening to take away something they don't care about.
Tapping Your Character's Currency
Character Currency in Action
[ Character flaws such as low self esteem, arrogance, or pride that keeps him from doing what needs to be done or makes him do things that are better left untried.
In SBB II, I talk about ways to bend and twist your character's personality. You can use those emotional wounds and neuroses to create intense conflict at the scene and overall story levels.
[ Psychological barriers, such as conditioning, belief systems, mental illness, anxiety, depression, and addiction keep a character from seeing the situation clearly or keep him from making healthy decisions about what needs to be done or said.
Your characters don't live in a vacuum. There are societal rules, family rules, or organizational rules that they have internalized. Some characters break rules easier than others.
Make it hard. For more about how to craft characters, pick up a copy of Story Building Blocks II: Crafting Believable Conflict, available in paperback and E-book and Story Building Blocks: Build A Cast Workbook, available in paperback and E-book.
By: Diana Hurwitz,
on 7/15/2016
Blog:
Game On! Creating Character Conflict
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
#novel,
#fiction,
#writingtips,
#StoryBuildingBlocks,
#genre,
#screenplay,
@Diana_Hurwitz,
#writingfiction,
#critiquegroup,
#temperament,
Add a tag
In addition to the antagonist (sometimes in place of) there will be friends and foes who provide obstacles to the scene and overall story goals.
They don’t have to be evil masterminds or have malevolent intent. They can be fake friends, family members, coworkers, the antagonist’s henchmen, or part of Dick’s social circle. They can be loved ones and love interests.
The Obstructionist: Jane loves to play Devil’s advocate. She points out how things can go wrong and the reasons why Dick shouldn’t consider his goal. She puts up roadblocks just to prove her point. She erodes Dick's ambition and makes his resolve falter. She encourages Dick to give up instead of push for the finish line.
The Snake: Sally likes to push buttons: everyone’s buttons. She has no personal issue with Dick; she simply enjoys messing with people. If Dick innocently wanders into her path, she strikes instinctively like a cobra. She examines per prey carefully and figures out what he wants and makes certain he doesn’t get it. She might trick Dick into doing something he doesn’t want to do. If Dick unknowingly alienates her, she attacks aggressively. Her secret weapon is her ability to manipulate people. She can keep Dick distracted from reaching his goal or convince him he does not really want it. If she has the power to withhold what he needs, she does so with a sly smile.
The Gossip: Jane says what she wants when she wants regardless of its impact. If Dick has a secret, she blurts it out, usually at the worst possible moment. If you alienate Jane, she gossips and digs until she finds a juicy bone she can use against you when you least expect it. Jane can be thoughtless or deliberate in her attack. She wouldn’t know a healthy boundary if it bit her. Her behavior can embarrass or betray, create an awkward moment, or a dangerous one.
The Manipulator: Sally is dangerous because you never really know what she is thinking. She never offers a sincere opinion. She answers questions with questions. She isn’t intentionally manipulative; she’s simply a vat of Jello in which Dick can drown. Her opinions vary from moment to moment, so you can’t trust anything she says. Her emotions and attachments are shallow. If Dick needs information from her, even if she gives a direct answer, he won’t be able to trust it. If he needs her cooperation, she’ll fail him. If thwarted, Sally pretends to be Dick’s ally but stands on the sidelines bursting with laughter when he fails.
The Narcissist: Jane isn’t interested in messing with Dick. She is focused on the woman in the mirror. Jane is all about Jane. It never occurs to her that other people have needs, wants, and opinions. Getting something from her is an impossible task unless Dick has something Jane wants. She will concede for personal gain, not to help Dick out. Dick wastes time trying to figure out the right carrot. Once Jane has her carrot, she can’t be trusted.
The Enforcer: Sally acts as the thought police. She has a very stringent view of right and wrong. She is quick to point out when people behave in unacceptable ways. If Dick needs her approval or assistance, he may have to hide what he is doing or waste time pretending to be someone he isn’t. If he disappoints her, she quickly withdraws her support and makes certain other people do too. She will actively work against his goal just to put him in his place.
These friends and foes are not rational. Dick can’t reason with them. He has to find ways to mollify them or go around them and that creates effective tension and stretches out the timeline.
They can make Dick doubt his goal or convince him to give up. They can make Dick believe he is the crazy one.
Use these friends and foes to create speed bumps, stop signs, and road blocks at scene and overall story level.
For more on how to create obstacles, pick up a copy of Story Building Blocks II: Crafting Believable Conflict available in paperback and E-book.
By: Diana Hurwitz,
on 7/1/2016
Blog:
Game On! Creating Character Conflict
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
#novel,
#fiction,
#writingtips,
#StoryBuildingBlocks,
#genre,
#screenplay,
@Diana_Hurwitz,
#writingfiction,
#critiquegroup,
#temperament,
Add a tag
We continue our evaluation of character reactions to stress. The higher the stress level, the more extreme their position becomes on the behvioral spectrum. You can give them a problem where their approach works and they gain ground, or they fail utterly which causes them to lose ground.
9. Joss
Joss is a man of action and few words. He may never talk about the problem or what needs to be done about it. Stress can make him impulsive. He may attempt things that were better left alone. He may drag in a few other maverick loners like himself. They may drive each other to ridiculous lengths.
10. Kelly
Kelly is a one-man show. He’s wild and crazy. Stress makes him more impulsive than usual. He has no trouble confronting people or tasks. His efforts won’t be focused and the results are iffy. He will probably charm someone else into taking a hit for him.
11. Greer
Greer is a quiet, elusive kind of guy. He isn’t very social to begin with. As long as people leave him alone, he really doesn’t care what they do. When they dump problems in his lap, he becomes resentful and withdraws. He may be forced to tackle the problem in his careful, logical way, but whoever caused it will pay the price for disturbing his peace.
12. Taylor
Taylor thrives on being social and gaining cooperation. He becomes rigid and irritable when stressed. If someone provokes him, he will hold tight to his goal and snap at everyone he dragoons into helping him. He is good at getting people to do what he wants them to. His opponent will feel the sting.
13. Cam
Cam isn’t terribly social. As long as people leave his lofty logical fortress alone, he ignores them. Attack him and he freezes in amazement. He leaves other people alone. Why would they go after him? He calmly sets about destroying his attacker in his creative, methodical way. He won’t broadcast his success or ask for help. He’ll just take quiet satisfaction in his work. 14. Morgan
Morgan is erratic in nature. He’s a rolling stone that gathers no moss. He isn’t interested in fighting unless someone brings the fight to him. When stressed, he becomes scattered. He’ll find it hard to focus, but his scattershot approach may have many undesirable consequences for his enemy.15. Lee
Lee is lethal. He is used to getting his way and cuts down anyone brave enough to confront him. He isn’t a touchy-feely, let’s be a team kind of guy. He is good at dragooning others into carrying out his wishes. He becomes hypercritical when stressed and snipes and cracks the whip. His enemies should just move out of the way.
16. River
River is a pacifist. He wants what is best for everyone. He isn’t interested in fighting unless someone brings the war to him. He becomes critical and self-absorbed when stressed. His strength lies in his uncanny intuition. He will figure out his opponent’s weakness in a heartbeat and use it to his advantage.
The more stressed your character feels, the more anxious your reader feels in response. Turning up the heat on your characters makes the reader eager to see the stress relieved. That keeps them turning pages.
For more about how to craft characters, pick up a copy of Story Building Blocks II: Crafting Believable Conflict, available in paperback and E-book and Story Building Blocks: Build A Cast Workbook, available in paperback and E-book.
By: Diana Hurwitz,
on 7/1/2016
Blog:
Game On! Creating Character Conflict
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
#critiquegroup,
#novel,
#fiction,
#writingtips,
#StoryBuildingBlocks,
#genre,
#screenplay,
@Diana_Hurwitz,
#writingfiction,
#temperament,
Add a tag
We continue our evaluation of character reactions to stress. The higher the stress level, the more extreme their position becomes on the behvioral spectrum. You can give them a problem where their approach works and they gain ground, or they fail utterly which causes them to lose ground.
9. Joss
Joss is a man of action and few words. He may never talk about the problem or what needs to be done about it. Stress can make him impulsive. He may attempt things that were better left alone. He may drag in a few other maverick loners like himself. They may drive each other to ridiculous lengths.
10. Kelly
Kelly is a one-man show. He’s wild and crazy. Stress makes him more impulsive than usual. He has no trouble confronting people or tasks. His efforts won’t be focused and the results are iffy. He will probably charm someone else into taking a hit for him.
11. Greer
Greer is a quiet, elusive kind of guy. He isn’t very social to begin with. As long as people leave him alone, he really doesn’t care what they do. When they dump problems in his lap, he becomes resentful and withdraws. He may be forced to tackle the problem in his careful, logical way, but whoever caused it will pay the price for disturbing his peace.
12. Taylor
Taylor thrives on being social and gaining cooperation. He becomes rigid and irritable when stressed. If someone provokes him, he will hold tight to his goal and snap at everyone he dragoons into helping him. He is good at getting people to do what he wants them to. His opponent will feel the sting.
13. Cam
Cam isn’t terribly social. As long as people leave his lofty logical fortress alone, he ignores them. Attack him and he freezes in amazement. He leaves other people alone. Why would they go after him? He calmly sets about destroying his attacker in his creative, methodical way. He won’t broadcast his success or ask for help. He’ll just take quiet satisfaction in his work. 14. Morgan
Morgan is erratic in nature. He’s a rolling stone that gathers no moss. He isn’t interested in fighting unless someone brings the fight to him. When stressed, he becomes scattered. He’ll find it hard to focus, but his scattershot approach may have many undesirable consequences for his enemy.15. Lee
Lee is lethal. He is used to getting his way and cuts down anyone brave enough to confront him. He isn’t a touchy-feely, let’s be a team kind of guy. He is good at dragooning others into carrying out his wishes. He becomes hypercritical when stressed and snipes and cracks the whip. His enemies should just move out of the way.
16. River
River is a pacifist. He wants what is best for everyone. He isn’t interested in fighting unless someone brings the war to him. He becomes critical and self-absorbed when stressed. His strength lies in his uncanny intuition. He will figure out his opponent’s weakness in a heartbeat and use it to his advantage.
The more stressed your character feels, the more anxious your reader feels in response. Turning up the heat on your characters makes the reader eager to see the stress relieved. That keeps them turning pages.
For more about how to craft characters, pick up a copy of Story Building Blocks II: Crafting Believable Conflict, available in paperback and E-book and Story Building Blocks: Build A Cast Workbook, available in paperback and E-book.
By: Diana Hurwitz,
on 7/1/2016
Blog:
Game On! Creating Character Conflict
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
#novel,
#fiction,
#writingtips,
#StoryBuildingBlocks,
#genre,
#screenplay,
@Diana_Hurwitz,
#writingfiction,
#critiquegroup,
#temperament,
Add a tag
We continue our evaluation of character reactions to stress. The higher the stress level, the more extreme their position becomes on the behvioral spectrum. You can give them a problem where their approach works and they gain ground, or they fail utterly which causes them to lose ground.
9. Joss
Joss is a man of action and few words. He may never talk about the problem or what needs to be done about it. Stress can make him impulsive. He may attempt things that were better left alone. He may drag in a few other maverick loners like himself. They may drive each other to ridiculous lengths.
10. Kelly
Kelly is a one-man show. He’s wild and crazy. Stress makes him more impulsive than usual. He has no trouble confronting people or tasks. His efforts won’t be focused and the results are iffy. He will probably charm someone else into taking a hit for him.
11. Greer
Greer is a quiet, elusive kind of guy. He isn’t very social to begin with. As long as people leave him alone, he really doesn’t care what they do. When they dump problems in his lap, he becomes resentful and withdraws. He may be forced to tackle the problem in his careful, logical way, but whoever caused it will pay the price for disturbing his peace.
12. Taylor
Taylor thrives on being social and gaining cooperation. He becomes rigid and irritable when stressed. If someone provokes him, he will hold tight to his goal and snap at everyone he dragoons into helping him. He is good at getting people to do what he wants them to. His opponent will feel the sting.
13. Cam
Cam isn’t terribly social. As long as people leave his lofty logical fortress alone, he ignores them. Attack him and he freezes in amazement. He leaves other people alone. Why would they go after him? He calmly sets about destroying his attacker in his creative, methodical way. He won’t broadcast his success or ask for help. He’ll just take quiet satisfaction in his work. 14. Morgan
Morgan is erratic in nature. He’s a rolling stone that gathers no moss. He isn’t interested in fighting unless someone brings the fight to him. When stressed, he becomes scattered. He’ll find it hard to focus, but his scattershot approach may have many undesirable consequences for his enemy.15. Lee
Lee is lethal. He is used to getting his way and cuts down anyone brave enough to confront him. He isn’t a touchy-feely, let’s be a team kind of guy. He is good at dragooning others into carrying out his wishes. He becomes hypercritical when stressed and snipes and cracks the whip. His enemies should just move out of the way.
16. River
River is a pacifist. He wants what is best for everyone. He isn’t interested in fighting unless someone brings the war to him. He becomes critical and self-absorbed when stressed. His strength lies in his uncanny intuition. He will figure out his opponent’s weakness in a heartbeat and use it to his advantage.
The more stressed your character feels, the more anxious your reader feels in response. Turning up the heat on your characters makes the reader eager to see the stress relieved. That keeps them turning pages.
For more about how to craft characters, pick up a copy of Story Building Blocks II: Crafting Believable Conflict, available in paperback and E-book and Story Building Blocks: Build A Cast Workbook, available in paperback and E-book.
By: Diana Hurwitz,
on 7/1/2016
Blog:
Game On! Creating Character Conflict
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
#novel,
#fiction,
#writingtips,
#StoryBuildingBlocks,
#genre,
#screenplay,
@Diana_Hurwitz,
#writingfiction,
#critiquegroup,
#temperament,
Add a tag
We continue our evaluation of character reactions to stress. The higher the stress level, the more extreme their position becomes on the behvioral spectrum. You can give them a problem where their approach works and they gain ground, or they fail utterly which causes them to lose ground.
9. Joss
Joss is a man of action and few words. He may never talk about the problem or what needs to be done about it. Stress can make him impulsive. He may attempt things that were better left alone. He may drag in a few other maverick loners like himself. They may drive each other to ridiculous lengths.
10. Kelly
Kelly is a one-man show. He’s wild and crazy. Stress makes him more impulsive than usual. He has no trouble confronting people or tasks. His efforts won’t be focused and the results are iffy. He will probably charm someone else into taking a hit for him.
11. Greer
Greer is a quiet, elusive kind of guy. He isn’t very social to begin with. As long as people leave him alone, he really doesn’t care what they do. When they dump problems in his lap, he becomes resentful and withdraws. He may be forced to tackle the problem in his careful, logical way, but whoever caused it will pay the price for disturbing his peace.
12. Taylor
Taylor thrives on being social and gaining cooperation. He becomes rigid and irritable when stressed. If someone provokes him, he will hold tight to his goal and snap at everyone he dragoons into helping him. He is good at getting people to do what he wants them to. His opponent will feel the sting.
13. Cam
Cam isn’t terribly social. As long as people leave his lofty logical fortress alone, he ignores them. Attack him and he freezes in amazement. He leaves other people alone. Why would they go after him? He calmly sets about destroying his attacker in his creative, methodical way. He won’t broadcast his success or ask for help. He’ll just take quiet satisfaction in his work. 14. Morgan
Morgan is erratic in nature. He’s a rolling stone that gathers no moss. He isn’t interested in fighting unless someone brings the fight to him. When stressed, he becomes scattered. He’ll find it hard to focus, but his scattershot approach may have many undesirable consequences for his enemy.15. Lee
Lee is lethal. He is used to getting his way and cuts down anyone brave enough to confront him. He isn’t a touchy-feely, let’s be a team kind of guy. He is good at dragooning others into carrying out his wishes. He becomes hypercritical when stressed and snipes and cracks the whip. His enemies should just move out of the way.
16. River
River is a pacifist. He wants what is best for everyone. He isn’t interested in fighting unless someone brings the war to him. He becomes critical and self-absorbed when stressed. His strength lies in his uncanny intuition. He will figure out his opponent’s weakness in a heartbeat and use it to his advantage.
The more stressed your character feels, the more anxious your reader feels in response. Turning up the heat on your characters makes the reader eager to see the stress relieved. That keeps them turning pages.
For more about how to craft characters, pick up a copy of Story Building Blocks II: Crafting Believable Conflict, available in paperback and E-book and Story Building Blocks: Build A Cast Workbook, available in paperback and E-book.
By: Diana Hurwitz,
on 7/1/2016
Blog:
Game On! Creating Character Conflict
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
#novel,
#writingtips,
#StoryBuildingBlocks,
#screenplay,
@Diana_Hurwitz,
#writingfiction,
#temperament,
#genre,
#fiction,
#critiquegroup,
Add a tag
We continue our evaluation of character reactions to stress. The higher the stress level, the more extreme their position becomes on the behvioral spectrum. You can give them a problem where their approach works and they gain ground, or they fail utterly which causes them to lose ground.
9. Joss
Joss is a man of action and few words. He may never talk about the problem or what needs to be done about it. Stress can make him impulsive. He may attempt things that were better left alone. He may drag in a few other maverick loners like himself. They may drive each other to ridiculous lengths.10. Kelly
Kelly is a one-man show. He’s wild and crazy. Stress makes him more impulsive than usual. He has no trouble confronting people or tasks. His efforts won’t be focused and the results are iffy. He will probably charm someone else into taking a hit for him.
11. Greer
Greer is a quiet, elusive kind of guy. He isn’t very social to begin with. As long as people leave him alone, he really doesn’t care what they do. When they dump problems in his lap, he becomes resentful and withdraws. He may be forced to tackle the problem in his careful, logical way, but whoever caused it will pay the price for disturbing his peace.
12. Taylor
Taylor thrives on being social and gaining cooperation. He becomes rigid and irritable when stressed. If someone provokes him, he will hold tight to his goal and snap at everyone he dragoons into helping him. He is good at getting people to do what he wants them to. His opponent will feel the sting.13. Cam
Cam isn’t terribly social. As long as people leave his lofty logical fortress alone, he ignores them. Attack him and he freezes in amazement. He leaves other people alone. Why would they go after him? He calmly sets about destroying his attacker in his creative, methodical way. He won’t broadcast his success or ask for help. He’ll just take quiet satisfaction in his work. 14. Morgan
Morgan is erratic in nature. He’s a rolling stone that gathers no moss. He isn’t interested in fighting unless someone brings the fight to him. When stressed, he becomes scattered. He’ll find it hard to focus, but his scattershot approach may have many undesirable consequences for his enemy.15. Lee
Lee is lethal. He is used to getting his way and cuts down anyone brave enough to confront him. He isn’t a touchy-feely, let’s be a team kind of guy. He is good at dragooning others into carrying out his wishes. He becomes hypercritical when stressed and snipes and cracks the whip. His enemies should just move out of the way.
16. River
River is a pacifist. He wants what is best for everyone. He isn’t interested in fighting unless someone brings the war to him. He becomes critical and self-absorbed when stressed. His strength lies in his uncanny intuition. He will figure out his opponent’s weakness in a heartbeat and use it to his advantage.
The more stressed your character feels, the more anxious your reader feels in response. Turning up the heat on your characters makes the reader eager to see the stress relieved. That keeps them turning pages.
For more about how to craft characters, pick up a copy of Story Building Blocks II: Crafting Believable Conflict, available in paperback and E-book and Story Building Blocks: Build A Cast Workbook, available in paperback and E-book.
By: Diana Hurwitz,
on 7/1/2016
Blog:
Game On! Creating Character Conflict
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
#novel,
#fiction,
#writingtips,
#StoryBuildingBlocks,
#genre,
#screenplay,
@Diana_Hurwitz,
#writingfiction,
#critiquegroup,
#temperament,
Add a tag
We continue our evaluation of character reactions to stress. The higher the stress level, the more extreme their position becomes on the behvioral spectrum. You can give them a problem where their approach works and they gain ground, or they fail utterly which causes them to lose ground.
9. Joss
Joss is a man of action and few words. He may never talk about the problem or what needs to be done about it. Stress can make him impulsive. He may attempt things that were better left alone. He may drag in a few other maverick loners like himself. They may drive each other to ridiculous lengths.
10. Kelly
Kelly is a one-man show. He’s wild and crazy. Stress makes him more impulsive than usual. He has no trouble confronting people or tasks. His efforts won’t be focused and the results are iffy. He will probably charm someone else into taking a hit for him.
11. Greer
Greer is a quiet, elusive kind of guy. He isn’t very social to begin with. As long as people leave him alone, he really doesn’t care what they do. When they dump problems in his lap, he becomes resentful and withdraws. He may be forced to tackle the problem in his careful, logical way, but whoever caused it will pay the price for disturbing his peace.
12. Taylor
Taylor thrives on being social and gaining cooperation. He becomes rigid and irritable when stressed. If someone provokes him, he will hold tight to his goal and snap at everyone he dragoons into helping him. He is good at getting people to do what he wants them to. His opponent will feel the sting.
13. Cam
Cam isn’t terribly social. As long as people leave his lofty logical fortress alone, he ignores them. Attack him and he freezes in amazement. He leaves other people alone. Why would they go after him? He calmly sets about destroying his attacker in his creative, methodical way. He won’t broadcast his success or ask for help. He’ll just take quiet satisfaction in his work. 14. Morgan
Morgan is erratic in nature. He’s a rolling stone that gathers no moss. He isn’t interested in fighting unless someone brings the fight to him. When stressed, he becomes scattered. He’ll find it hard to focus, but his scattershot approach may have many undesirable consequences for his enemy.15. Lee
Lee is lethal. He is used to getting his way and cuts down anyone brave enough to confront him. He isn’t a touchy-feely, let’s be a team kind of guy. He is good at dragooning others into carrying out his wishes. He becomes hypercritical when stressed and snipes and cracks the whip. His enemies should just move out of the way.
16. River
River is a pacifist. He wants what is best for everyone. He isn’t interested in fighting unless someone brings the war to him. He becomes critical and self-absorbed when stressed. His strength lies in his uncanny intuition. He will figure out his opponent’s weakness in a heartbeat and use it to his advantage.
The more stressed your character feels, the more anxious your reader feels in response. Turning up the heat on your characters makes the reader eager to see the stress relieved. That keeps them turning pages.
For more about how to craft characters, pick up a copy of Story Building Blocks II: Crafting Believable Conflict, available in paperback and E-book and Story Building Blocks: Build A Cast Workbook, available in paperback and E-book.
By: Diana Hurwitz,
on 6/8/2016
Blog:
Game On! Creating Character Conflict
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
#novel,
#fiction,
#writingtips,
#StoryBuildingBlocks,
#genre,
#screenplay,
@Diana_Hurwitz,
#writingfiction,
#critiquegroup,
#temperament,
Add a tag
Deadlines and obstacles encourage some of your characters to push harder and some of them to fall apart. How your character reacts under stress is critical to any plot with tension.
Stress can be from a mild annoyance, such as delayed traffic. It can stem from a direct, perhaps mortal, threat.
Whether the stimulus is mild or monstrous, your characters react initially based on their natural tendency. Circumstances can force them to move past this innate response, but their initial reaction tends to be true to their nature.
SBB II introduced sixteen mannequins. Each character has a natural tendency to deal with things in a specific way. Natural tendencies can be shifted by life events from balanced to severely unbalanced.
Let's see how our character mannequins handle stress. Remember each mannequin has a male, female, androgynous, and transgender counterpart. I use he to avoid the plural they.
1. Wynn
Wynn is the responsible, practical type who thrives on order and plans. It doesn’t take much to upset his apple cart. His natural inclination is to withdraw and avoid conflict. He becomes rigid in the face of opposition or criticism. He shuts down and turns away. Getting him to face the threat will be a challenge. The motivation level needs to be high.
2. Francis
Francis is responsible, practical, and thrives on order and plans. He becomes controlling when anxious. He has no problem confronting other people and believes he is always right. He annoys some and infuriates others (ruining any chance he had of cooperation) when he takes over the efforts to solve the scene or overall story goal. However, less decisive characters might look up to Francis at a time of crisis, putting their faith in someone who at least has an idea.
3. Nevada
Nevada is responsible, practical, and thrives on order and plans. His natural inclination is to gather consensus and get people to cooperate. He becomes hypercritical and controlling when things don’t go his way and people refuse to work together. He irritates some of the people he attempts to corral while convincing them to do what he wants. The less they cooperate, the more livid Nevada grows. He’s trying to save you! Why won’t you listen? If the person doesn't want or need Nevada to save him, the conflict heats up.
4. Arden
Arden works hard and is a stand-up kind of guy. He likes being in control. He becomes hypercritical and controlling when stressed. The more he imposes his will, the harder others will resist him, which feeds the cycle. He will offer more criticism and impose more limitations. His method may be needed, but often is not appreciated.
5. Blair
Blair is responsible and practical, but highly emotional. His natural inclination is to become passive and withdrawn when anxious. Getting him out the door to take the necessary action requires a very seductive carrot, or a very large stick. He sneers and turns subversive in the face of opposition. His opponent may not know that Blair is actively working against him in the background.
6. Dallas
Dallas is fanciful and free-flowing. He hates being restricted and limited. His natural inclination is to become passive-aggressive when stressed. Rather than openly confront people, he hides in the shadows and conducts sneak attacks. He may present a very cooperative front while secretly undermining his foe.
7. Hadley
Hadley is fun and freedom loving. He is practical but hates being limited in any way. He becomes excessively impulsive under pressure. His erratic nature makes him scatter when he needs to focus. He may get lucky and hit the target as he shoots up the room, or not.
8. Shelby
Shelby is a live and let live kind of guy. He’s guarded. He becomes highly emotional and critical when stressed. He vents and rages. He finds it difficult to stay calm and work his way through the problem. He isn't looking for reassurance. He wants someone to agree with him. "Yes, it's awful. Now let's go do this." He may need someone to force him to focus on what needs to be done.
Next week, we will complete our exploration of how our mannequins react to stress. For more about how to craft characters, pick up a copy of Story Building Blocks II: Crafting Believable Conflict, available in paperback and E-book and Story Building Blocks: Build A Cast Workbook, available in paperback and E-book.
By: Diana Hurwitz,
on 5/26/2016
Blog:
Game On! Creating Character Conflict
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
#novel,
#fiction,
#writingtips,
#StoryBuildingBlocks,
#genre,
#screenplay,
@Diana_Hurwitz,
#writingfiction,
#critiquegroup,
#temperament,
Add a tag
Last week, we discussed how to find your writing tribe. Once you find them, it is time to lay down the ground rules.
1.Decide what type of feedback/group you truly want and need.
Are you all at the same level of beginner, intermediate, or expert? Sometimes a mix is good, but sometimes it causes aggravation. If you need help growing your craft, find a mentoring group. If you just want to be encouraged, find a nurturing group. Are you able and prepared to exchange high-level analysis, editing, proofreading, etc.? Find a master class group.
2. You must be willing to commit to it as if it were a job.
Uneven groups foment resentment. It is bad for the group when some people submit and critique and others don't. Members who don't show up are disruptive. Everyone has "life" events that intrude, but you should try to schedule a time and place and hold it sacred.
3. Make rules and stick to them.
Decide how often you will meet, where or how you meet (in person, online groups, Skype, etc.), how many pages are submitted, the type of feedback you need for each submission, and the format of the feedback (written notes, verbal exchange, notations in Word for Windows, or a combination). Some may be at the final draft stage, others at the first draft.
4. Assign a "clock watcher." It is best to divide your time up evenly so no one gets left out or feels their work has not received equal attention. Make it someone's job to keep time.
5. Assign a "temperature taker." This person keeps everyone on topic and keeps the discussion from becoming heated. Hurt feelings can fester and destroy a group quickly. Make it someone's job to keep the flow positive. It is best to confront any negative interaction right away.
6. Check your ego at the door. If you can't handle constructive criticism, then this is not the venue for you. Everyone will have a different take on your work. They will catch different things. They will have opinions. You do not have to respond to or adapt to them. Say thank you and move on. But if more than one person says the the same thing, you should listen a little closer.
7. No gossiping about each other. Period. No trolling members you don't like.
8. Don't make assumptions. You are fiction writers. Don't assume anything is autobiographical.
9. What happens in the group stays in the group. You should not discuss the other members, their work, their critiques, etc. with other people unless you have their permission. To do so is a violation of trust.
10. If you have a problem member, address the topic openly amongst everyone. Give them a chance to fix things (i.e. not submitting, critiquing, attending) with a deadline. Enforce the rules. If you decide to make exceptions because of special circumstances, make sure everyone agrees.
By: Diana Hurwitz,
on 5/19/2016
Blog:
Game On! Creating Character Conflict
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
#novel,
#fiction,
#writingtips,
#StoryBuildingBlocks,
#genre,
#screenplay,
@Diana_Hurwitz,
#writingfiction,
#critiquegroup,
#temperament,
#writingclasses,
Add a tag
As writer, especially one just beginning the journey, it is important to find your tribe.
If you leave your writer cave and venture out, there are several places you can go to meet like minds.
1. Book events in your community such as literary festivals, book sales, and author's luncheons.
Printers Row Literary Festival in Chicago, Illinois.
The Augusta Literary Festival, Augusta, GA.
The Tucson Festival of Books, University of Arizona campus, Tucson, Arizona.
Virginia Festival of the Book in Charlottesville, Virginia,
North Texas Book Festival, Denton, Texas.
Word of South Festival of Literature and Music in Tallahassee, Florida.
SC Book Festival at theColumbia Metropolitan Convention Center in Columbia, South Carolina.
2. Local books stores have author events and sometimes have notice boards for people looking for critique partners.
3. Local writing classes and workshops are great places to find your tribe.
4. If you have the means, don't be afraid to travel to workshops. You may even meet someone from your locale. I did.
MWA-U 2.0, Mystery Writers of America, Boston, Massachusettes.
Sleuthfest annual conference for mystery, suspense, and thriller writers, Deerfield Beach, Florida.
5. Libraries often have classes or community writing events. They may have a notice board where writers post ads looking for critique partners.
6. Check out local colleges. You don't have to take classes there, but they may have other budding authors looking for their tribe.
If you prefer to stay in your jammies, you can look for your tribe online.
7. Join social media groups for your genre or writing in general. Interact, don't just observe. There are pages for all of the main genres on Facebook. Many have their own websites you can follow.
On Facebook there are open and closed groups. You can ask to be added to a closed group. None of these sites like to be spammed with book promotions. Join the community, interact, and make connections. You can find hundreds of local, national, and subgenre groups using the Search function on Facebook. Your Facebook avatar should be a photo of you or your book, not blank.
Do not post your work in progress on groups that are not designed for critiquing. Unsolicited pleas for input are a huge turnoff in writing communities.
Build a reputation as someone who is helpful and supportive. Don't give in to the urge to criticize or deride other authors, no matter how much you dislike their work.
Romance Writers of America
Mystery Writers of America
International Thriller Writers
Horror Writers Association
Historical Novel Society
Fantasy Writers
8. Take online workshops. You are often assigned to a critique group.
Gotham Online Writing Workshops
Writer's Digest Online Writing Workshops (they often do local workshops as well).
Ten Universities offering online writing workshops such as MIT and Purdue.
Stanford University
The Crafty Writer
9. Post your work in online critique forums. You may meet other writers in your genre who are interested in finding critique partners.
10. Fan fiction sites are a place to meet other writers who share your passion.
Here are links to more resources on how to find your tribe:
The Write Life: 40 Places to Find a Critique Partner
Writer's Digest: Find the Right Online Critique Group
Inked Voices: a source for small, private writing groups
Jane Friedman: How to Find the Right Critique Group
Writing World: a critique and discussion group
Jodie Renner has complied a list of workshops and festivals for 2015 and 2016.
Whether virtual or in person, there is nothing more exciting than finding your tribe to keep you motivated, improve your skills, and grow your audience when you have a book to promote.
Join Story Building Blocks on Facebook and Pinterest for more tips and tricks.
By: Diana Hurwitz,
on 5/6/2016
Blog:
Game On! Creating Character Conflict
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
#novel,
#fiction,
#writingtips,
#StoryBuildingBlocks,
#genre,
#screenplay,
@Diana_Hurwitz,
#writingfiction,
#critiquegroup,
#temperament,
Add a tag
Most writers are introverts. That’s just the nature of the beast. Writers spend a lot of time alone and palely loitering over their pads of paper or keyboards.
Introversion is not shyness or social anxiety. Those are fear-based psychological conditions.
I suspect there are more introverted editors, because they are usually confined in a cubicle or freelancing at home. Editing is tedious, lonely work.
It’s easy to tell whos's who at writing conferences. Introverted Jane tends to hang with the people she knows. She scans the crowd looking for familiar faces, or brings her buddies with her. She meets internal resistance when asked to pitch or take the microphone. That doesn’t mean she isn’t interesting or a witty conversationalist.
Once the ice has been chipped, she is eager to talk about what she loves most: writing and reading. She isn’t there to compete. She is there to absorb. She is interested in what other people are writing. She enjoys the individual exercises and lectures but struggles to share in public.
She attends the workshops to hone her craft. She enjoys meeting other introverted writers. It’s the self-promotion and exposing herself to public scrutiny that gives her ulcers. Jane may shun the bar after dinner, unless her friends go with her. Even then, she is likely to seek a table in a back corner. Jane leaves the conference drained and in need of a vacation. If she received negative feedback or criticism, she will ruminate in private or sound off to her trusted circle.
Extroverted writers are in the minority, mainly because they are not natively drawn to long periods of pondering and working in solitude. They tend to be sports or comedy writers, but can show up in any genre.
Dick writes for the recognition or impact. He wants to be the next J. K. Rowling. There are extroverted agents and marketing professionals present too.
Even if the agents, presenters, and editors are introverted, they are forced to schmooze and perform in an extroverted way. Extroverts thrive on it and are easy to spot. The introverted ones can be painfully awkward to watch.
Dick loves the limelight. He flits from table to table, introducing himself to perfect strangers. He hogs the microphone and loves publicly reading his work. He likes watching the other conference attendees. He likes talking about them as well as to them. He is more interested in who you know than what kind of writing you do. He is there to network and promote himself.
Dick finds it hard to focus on the individual exercises. He is easily bored and can be highly competitive. He likes the voting, the rah-rah, and the woo-woo. He likes winning. Dick is concerned about his image. He wants to fit in. He eagerly pitches his ideas to other people. He may never write them.
He is found networking at the bar after dinner long after dinner. Dick leaves the conference humming with energy. If he received negative feedback or criticism, he leaves fuming and vents to everyone about it.
The Dicks at the conference struggle with all the Janes. Extroverts tend to think introverts are boring loners. He couldn’t be more wrong, but that is his general impression. He thinks they are an unfriendly bunch, especially if they don’t eagerly embrace his overtures. He flits until he finds the extrovert’s table.
The Janes at the conference are annoyed by the Dicks. They think the extrovert tables are too loud and rude. They may very well discourage Dick from landing at their table. They will cross the room to avoid his.
Every writer must shore up his weak side. Jane is forced by the very nature of a conference to step outside her comfort zone. She is put on public display and forced to interact with people outside her inner circle. She must sell herself as well as her work. It feels slightly dangerous, but she is in good company.
Dick finds the conference slightly confining. He may not find an audience for his bubbling repartee. He may feel silenced or marginalized for the first time in his career. It isn’t a comfortable sensation. He may be rebuffed, left to bounce around the room like a loosed helium balloon.
Each needs to take pity on the other. They should spend a little time getting to know one another. Opposites can help each other grow. Dick can help Jane learn to network and put her best foot forward. Jane can help Dick learn the pesky details of craft. Both have something worthwhile to offer and to say. Getting Dick to sit down and Jane to speak up is the challenge.
Next week, we will continue to explore writer temperaments.
For more tips on how to craft believable characters, pick up a copy of Story Building Blocks II: Crafting Believable Conflict available in paperback and E-book, and Story Building Blocks: Build A Cast Workbook, also available in paperback and E-book.
