About this course: At the center of a good story are the characters in it. In this course aspiring writers will discover how to build and bring to life complex, vivid and unforgettable characters. We will study the choices a writer makes to bring all characters to life on the page, and we will perform written exercises in order to develop a variety of writing and pre-writing techniques, in order to create a variety of characters. We will learn how to use our own life experiences, and the people we know (and how not to!). We will develop inner (thoughts and feelings) and outer (appearance, habits, behavior) lives for our characters and see how that can lead us to richer and more interesting stories. We will breathe life into our characters and let them surprise us.

Created by: Wesleyan University

Taught by: Amy Bloom, Distinguished University Writer in Residence and Director of the Shapiro Center for Creative Writing

Basic Info	Course 2 of 5 in the Creative Writing Specialization
Commitment	4 weeks of study, 2-4 hours/week
Language	English
How To Pass	Pass all graded assignments to complete the course.
User Ratings	4.5 stars Average User Rating 4.5See what learners said

Syllabus

WEEK 1

Discovering Characters from Your Life and Elsewhere

What happens in the writer's mind before any words are written on the paper? Characters then reveal themselves through conflict and drama. Without conflict there is no purpose to the story. We then discuss desire. Human beings want things, even when we don't really know what it is we wish for. Finally, we conclude the module like Michelangelo, chipping away everything that is not the masterpiece statue of David. Learn to find what is germane to the story you are telling by looking closely at the character.

5 videos, 2 readings

Video: Conception
Video: The Conflict Within (Shop Talk with Brando Skyhorse)
Video: Desire and Goals
Video: Hearing, Selecting, and Seeing
Reading: A Note on Assignments
Video: Feedback Expectations for the Specialization
Reading: Promo Codes

Graded: Creating a Character from an Idea

WEEK 2

Creating Characters on the Page

Here, we delve deeper into the characters. What is their physical description, and how can we describe them through action? How do they speak? What makes me want to read about them? When your characters need help or understanding, or even rescuing, this draws the reader in, far more than likability. Finally, we discuss how the plot reveals the inner life of characters through what they do as well as say.

4 videos

Video: Visiting Writer: Richard Blanco
Video: Voice
Video: Making Them Matter to the Reader (with Visiting Writer Dani Shapiro)
Video: The Story Reveals Who We Are (Shop Talk with Salvatore Scibona)

Graded: Observation and Implication

WEEK 3

Dialogue and Monologue

How do we lead a reader to a world that feels real? Narrators have an attitude, towards subjects and audience, about the world and its events. We discuss in this module considerations involved in planning for these realities, including the differences between first and third person and the construction of dialogue with verisimilitude - the feel of real life - while stripping away the tedium. We ask what idiosyncrasies your characters possess and how to control them to advance the narrative.

4 videos

Video: Inflection
Video: Picking Your Point of View (Shop Talk with Amity Gaige)
Video: Conversation's Greatest Hits
Video: Idiosyncrasies

Graded: Location, Location, Location

WEEK 4

Set Your Characters Free.. and Give Them Somewhere to Go

In this module, we reflect on how our readers learn about our characters - and how we as writers do, as well. We ask questions about who is telling the story, why, and with what goal. We conclude the course with a conversation about the narrator and, distinctly, the narrative, to see how they shape the reader's perception of character and story.

4 videos

Video: What We Do and How We Do It
Video: The Relationship Between the Character and the Wide World (with Visiting Writer Valerie Martin)
Video: Voice of Narrator
Video: Voice of Narrative

Graded: Point of View

FAQs

How It Works

Coursework

Each course is like an interactive textbook, featuring pre-recorded videos, quizzes and projects.

Help from Your Peers

Connect with thousands of other learners and debate ideas, discuss course material, and get help mastering concepts.

Certificates

Earn official recognition for your work, and share your success with friends, colleagues, and employers.

Creators

Wesleyan University

At Wesleyan, distinguished scholar-teachers work closely with students, taking advantage of fluidity among disciplines to explore the world with a variety of tools. The university seeks to build a diverse, energetic community of students, faculty, and staff who think critically and creatively and who value independence of mind and generosity of spirit.

Pricing

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Access to course materials	Available	Available
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Ratings and Reviews

Rated 4.5 out of 5 of 553 ratings

Loved the lectures and the assignments have improved my writing. It's a course, like the Plot course, that I can see myself retaking and it being just as useful. Would love to see a follow-on set of writing classes here too ;)

Very good course, including excellent input from the teachers, and, in my opinion, some challenging assignments, which enable the student to learn more.

I truly loved the tasks in this course. Also, the community found in the forums contributed to a noticeable progression of interesting topics and courseware.

This course was great for stretching me into area I was looking to improve on. I knew from my writing I needed to get out of doing certain habit because it seemed monotonous to read. Amy did a great job of jarring me from my ruts. I think this has opened up my writing a bit more also. Thank you Amy.

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Creative Writing: The Craft of Character

Creative Writing: The Craft of Character

Creative Writing: The Craft of Character