Creating Characters: How To Build Story People (2008) - Plot & Excerpts
I recommend this book but do so with a word of caution, especially for any Christian would-be writers out there. I'll come back to this point at the end of the review.First, a bit about myself. I would like to be a professional author some day and, to that end, like to read as many resources as I can. The fact that you're reading reviews about this book indicates that you might be in the same boat."Creating Characters" has mostly sound advice on how to approach the craft. For example, despite all the pointers he gives, Swain is careful to mention that a step-by-step writing approach can lead to frustration and make you too overwhelmed to complete a single story; he instead recommends writing the story first, and then go back over what you've written and apply his rules (and even then, only to do so on the areas where you think the story needs work). As someone who has seen the pitfalls of a too-rigid approach, I really appreciate this and wish that more writing books mentioned it. Had I come across his book earlier, this could have saved me a great deal of grief (although it will definitely save me from some future grief, at least).That said, not all of his advice is as useful. Take the chapter on humor, for instance. I agreed with the basic idea (create an expectation and then subvert it in a ridiculous way), but the jokes he included as examples (and his explanations on why they were good jokes) really didn't make me laugh at all; they just made me groan and roll my eyes. Also, his examples on good writing include extensive use of adverbs; I feel that, when used to the extent that Swain uses them, adverbs amount to telling instead of showing in your writing, and most writers (Swain himself included) agree that this usually weakens a story.So check it out, but be prepared to take some of its contents with a grain of salt, especially since Swain is more well regarded for his books on writing than he is for his actual fiction (I've noticed, with a mixture of amusement and frustration, that this is rather common when it comes to books on writing in general).Now, about my warning from earlier. Chapter 15, "The Character Out of Time", talks about how to write about characters who are not like you or come from a different background than you do. One of the things Swain recommends is reading magazines and publications you don't normally read in order to better get inside the heads of other demographics. I think that, within reason, this is a great idea, but note that I said "within reason". Expanding on this advice, Swain advises reading, among other things, Playboy Magazine.For any young Christian who is struggling with lust or other sexual-related sins, I can think of very few worse things than following Swain's advice here. Even if you don't wrestle with those issues, exposing yourself to this stuff could plant very destructive seeds in your life; somewhere down the line, you may find yourself struggling with things that you had been immune to before.So, to any Brothers or Sisters out there who have been bitten by the writing bug, I implore you: do not follow that advice to the extent that Swain recommends. Do not expose yourself to destructive things (including things that don't even involve sex), even if someone tells you it will help you become a better writer. I've been there; it won't.
Very useful information-I really like that he states that the only way to learn to write is to write. Some of his examples may be a bit dated, but his information is very useful. Very helpful resource.
What do You think about Creating Characters: How To Build Story People (2008)?
One of my recent story rejections contained a personal note from the editor. "I felt too distanced from the main character to be captivated by the story." It took me a few days to get over the sting of rejection, but when I finally came back to reality, I saw my problem. A few of my stories have great characters. I love those stories, because I love the characters. But it had happened accidentally. If I plan to continue writing, I need to learn how to write characters.Enter this book. I had it on my shelves, but I'd never read it. Let me tell you, this is exactly the book I needed. If you're struggling with how to write characters that are both believable and unique, then consider getting this one. The language is straight-forward and personable. There are no magic tricks here, just a nice list of things to take care of and things to look out for, and dozens of admonishments to PAY ATTENTION to your life and the characters in it. I especially enjoyed the chapter on writing humor. I flipped the idea and used the techniques for some of the horror I'm writing, and it helped tremendously.If you're a writer and your characters aren't springing to life on the page, consider reading this one. I'm sure there will be a few tips in here that will help any writer improve their craft.
—Amy
