Dynamic Characters: How To Create Personalities That Keep Readers Captivated (2004) - Plot & Excerpts
Dynamic Characters by Nancy KresstNancy begins this writer’s aid book with a quote by Henry James. “Character is plot.’A little further on, she notes that, “…you must believe in your characters.” Dynamic Characters presents a good, solid entry into the development of the many needs of creative story telling.tAs the author/creator, you need to figure out how you are going to present your newly created world. To quote Nancy again,t“”With infinite variations, you have three basic choices: (1) mostly uninterrupted dialogue; (2) dialog slowed down but not really stopped by bits of narrative; and (3) dialogue brought to a dead halt for judiciously placed chunks of narrative.” tAnother section of merit concerns getting “Lost in Thought, making clear what, when, and how your character is thinking.” This is also where your character’s diction and personality show up. Slick, smooth, southern, parsimonious, and all those other features we show to others. Make sure they stay true to your character’s persona. For me, the key is in the dialog and how it flows. Too many times I have read other’s work and been treated to stylized fragments that were dropped in as unique paragraphs, as if they had impact that way. They don’t, but the author doesn’t see it.tThis is another of my writing shelf standbys. Remember that you don’t need some glossy novel for a good, sunny day, backyard read. I add to my writer’s aid book stash because they were written with a writer in mind. Like any other book, if it isn’t written in an instructive, entertaining, or conscientious fashion, it isn’t worth having.
Nancy Kress does an outstanding job outlining all the elements that contribute to creating believable 3 dimensional characters, elaborating on them, and tying them all together.The book covers topics such as:- the definition and purpose of characters- the influence of setting on characterization- defying characters through dialogue- naming characters- how plot affects characterization- growth and transformation in characters- setting up protagonist, antagonist, other secondary characters- and much more.I must say after hours of researching the topic both in the book stores and on the web, I found this book to be one of the best resources. While many references purely state facts, Kress takes the time and effort to explain them and shows in a very clear, understandable manner, how certain small choices we make about our characters can make a huge impact on how the readers will perceive them.A must read for every aspiring fiction writer out there.
What do You think about Dynamic Characters: How To Create Personalities That Keep Readers Captivated (2004)?
I read this book when I started converting some of my old manuscripts for public release. Overall, it is a pretty basic guide to character development...which was exactly what I needed at that time. It is easy to read, easy to understand and its only weakness is that it give little to go back to as your writing skills grow more advanced. I highly recommend it to aspiring authors or those who never took the time to study basics. Despite going back to it very little, I chose to retain it in my writing tools library.
—Dean Sault
I didn't think this was all that helpful in terms of "how to create" characters - but it had a lot of practical information that I've not seen in other books on writing (like a discussion of conveying a character's thoughts - italics or not, w/ or w/out tags; good, practical advice on interspersing narrative in with dialog; etc). The character dossier is also worth photocopying or typing up one of your own. If I'd paid for it... hmmm... not sure if I'd have found it worth full price, but if you can pick it up at the library (which is what I did) or find a used copy, I think it has some helpful info.
—Jackie Bouchard
Another really excellent book on creating characters by Nancy Kress. In some ways it feels like a precursor to her later Characters, Emotion & Viewpoint: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting Dynamic Characters and Effective Viewpoints, which I think does a slightly better job at explaining a lot of the issues, but this one is well worth a read in its own right. I could have done with more information on creating and strengthening the theme through characterisation, as this felt a little bit thin and not particularly useful. Otherwise, a great read for anyone wanting to learn to write better fictional characters.
—C.A. Hawksmoor
