Where to begin

Main Points/ Transcript:

This mini-course will give you the framework to build a believable character and their backstory.

I wanted to bring together some of the behaviors and reactions so we write more trauma informed characters

There are six videos where we cover:

- Speech and dialect

- Description of movement and body language

- Fears and quirks

- How they respond to others

- How they'd reveal backstory

- What their goals and motivations are


 This also applies if you have an idea of the character already but I would love it if you came to the course with at least an idea of what this person is doing in the story (the main character, villain, sidekick, looking for riches, trying to get the gender non conforming wizard to grant them wings, etc.)

I always get the best idea of a character by working in scenes and situations- even if these never make it to the final writing. So after each section, you can look at the text but to be assigned your homework and create the outline of a scene. You are perfectly welcome to skip around to what interests you most.



Mini Homework:


Here’s what I want you to start with- this mini homework shouldn’t be stressful. Just write down what you already know.

 

  1. Write out what you know about or need for your story- what actions/ reactions does your character take or need to take (it’s ok if you don’t know yet)? What backstory have you already written?
  2. What trama would have caused that reaction- what reactions does that same trauma cause? Think about the world they live in, the people they’d interact with, the things they would do to try to make their life better.
  3. Write down what backstory you have thus far. A sentence or five pages is fine.


Complete and Continue