Comments on: Answering Questions on Characterization

By: Therese Walsh

Therese Walsh — Mon, 25 May 2009 23:41:25 +0000

You’re welcome, LJ. Good luck with your edits. :)

By: LJCohen

LJCohen — Mon, 25 May 2009 14:08:22 +0000

Thanks for answering my question! The play against expectation issue is something I hadn’t articulated, but I think it will really help as I edit a story that needs a better antagonist. Many thanks.

By: Therese Walsh

Therese Walsh — Wed, 20 May 2009 23:34:46 +0000

I’m glad you all liked the post!

Richard, enjoy that course with Don. You’ll have to blog on it when you’ve finished, and then shoot us an email; we’ll link to you.

Melanie, I love Clint. I don’t think Gran T is on my NetFlix list yet, but I’m about to remedy that…

By: Satima Flavell

Satima Flavell — Wed, 20 May 2009 06:44:55 +0000

Nicely put, Therese, and great examples!

By: Kristan

Kristan — Tue, 19 May 2009 16:36:42 +0000

I loved this Q&A, thanks!!

By: thea

thea — Tue, 19 May 2009 16:09:45 +0000

Richard breaks fingers, too.

By: Melanie

Melanie — Tue, 19 May 2009 14:58:46 +0000

I just saw Clint Eastwood’s Gran Torino and that is an excellent example of a character that you hate in the beginning but grow to appreciate.

Great post!

By: Richard Mabry

Richard Mabry — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:03:22 +0000

“Play against expectations.” Great advice, and something that should be stressed. If the reader wants a hard-boiled cop, a fallen woman with a heart of gold, a self-centered bureaucrat, they can find those anywhere. But to avoid stereotypes and give the character a trait with which the reader can identify is a way to engage them and carry them along for the ride.
By the way, Donald Maass is indeed one of the people who stresses this. I’ll be taking his course in September, and I can hardly wait.

By: Karen Amanda Hooper

Karen Amanda Hooper — Tue, 19 May 2009 12:56:06 +0000

Great advice. Thanks so much!