Writing Roots

Characters are the base of any story. Without well-developed characters, the plot will always fall flat. This series is dedicated to creating realistic, believable, and deep characters. It means getting to know them on a personal level. It takes developing more than their powers or strengths, but their flaws. It’s not easy but it is possible, even for those pantsers.

Nothing influences character decisions more than their flaws and strengths. Every character needs a reason to be party of the story and that reason is usually their strength. Sometimes they can first appear as a weakness, but it always defines the character. From physical strengths to mental fortitude, this episode is focused on what makes a character strong in a story.

First aired May 25, 2020.

The post S10E7 – Developing Character Strengths appeared first on Writing Roots.

Characters are the base of any story. Without well-developed characters, the plot will always fall flat. This series is dedicated to creating realistic, believable, and deep characters. It means getting to know them on a personal level. It takes developing more than their powers or strengths, but their flaws. It’s not easy but it is possible, even for those pantsers.

Nothing influences character decisions more than their flaws and strengths. A protagonist’s flaws will hinder them, slow them, and challenge them to become better than before. Antagonists can use those weaknesses to exploit and torture the protagonist. As Susan Bearman put it, fictional flaws “should be genuine and difficult to overcome.” It’s not simple clumsiness, either. Good flaws consist mainly of psychological weaknesses with some physical manifestations. Leigh and Ley explore different kinds of flaws and how they can be used to create realistic characters.

First aired May 21, 2020.

The post S10E6 – Developing Character Flaws appeared first on Writing Roots.

Characters are the base of any story. Without well-developed characters, the plot will always fall flat. This series is dedicated to creating realistic, believable, and deep characters. It means getting to know them on a personal level. It takes developing more than their powers or strengths, but their flaws. It’s not easy but it is possible, even for those pantsers.

Psychologists have been arguing for decades about what dictates personality. It’s an argument that can help authors develop realistic and deep characters. Last episode was dedicated to nature and how a character’s physiology can determine actions through a story. This episode is the other half of the psychology argument: nurture. Many psychologists believe a person’s experiences as a child are the major factor in who they become later in their life. Hosts Leigh and Ley share how memories and traumas can influence a character, and why knowing some of their backstory is so important for good development.

First aired May 18, 2020.

The post S10E5 – Character History: Nurture appeared first on Writing Roots.

Characters are the base of any story. Without well-developed characters, the plot will always fall flat. This series is dedicated to creating realistic, believable, and deep characters. It means getting to know them on a personal level. It takes developing more than their powers or strengths, but their flaws. It’s not easy but it is possible, even for those pantsers.

It’s an argument almost as old as the study of psychology. What is more influential in someone’s life: nature or nurture? Both of these are aspects of a character an author needs to consider while they’re writing. A character’s history is made of pieces of nature and nurture. This episode focuses on nature: the physical aspects that create what a person is, from brain chemistry to DNA, and how that is applied to writing.

First aired May 14, 2020.

The post S10E4 – Character History: Nature appeared first on Writing Roots.

Characters are the base of any story. Without well-developed characters, the plot will always fall flat. This series is dedicated to creating realistic, believable, and deep characters. It means getting to know them on a personal level. It takes developing more than their powers or strengths, but their flaws. It’s not easy but it is possible, even for those pantsers.

Much of what makes a character is their relationships with the other characters. Opposition and support can push the protagonist into action or hold them back from their potential. In order for realistic development to occur, an author needs to create realistic relationships. This episode breaks down the types of relationships a character can have, focusing on family, friends, and romantic relationships.

First aired May 11, 2020.

The post S10E3 – Creating and Developing Character Relationships appeared first on Writing Roots.