tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post1560147356140650878..comments2024-01-12T00:48:48.031-06:00Comments on Go Teen Writers: 4 Steps to Showing Character DevelopmentStephanie Morrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-30226219035638210002013-02-03T03:44:53.209-06:002013-02-03T03:44:53.209-06:00Tris changes lots through Divergent as does Ron th...Tris changes lots through Divergent as does Ron through the harry potter series. Also Katniss in the Hunger Games.<br />My mail character will change lots, but still keep her original personality. If that makes senseAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06453104914400582873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-46721874876037245952013-02-01T22:27:15.737-06:002013-02-01T22:27:15.737-06:00I don't think Emma is a cliche answer at all! ...I don't think Emma is a cliche answer at all! That's a great one. Love Emma :) Stephanie Morrillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-83406946634751825482013-01-29T11:16:00.627-06:002013-01-29T11:16:00.627-06:00This is so great! Thank you so much, Stephanie. T...This is so great! Thank you so much, Stephanie. The best part is that I can kind of-sort of see where I've used these steps without knowing them. Now that I do know them, though, it will be much easier to put them into practice...<br /><br />I know this is kind of a cliche answer, but one of my favorite examples of character development is Jane Austen's Emma. She thinks she's so smart and a perfect matchmaker. But her main attempt at matchmaking fails miserably, which leaves her humbled (but not so humbled that she doesn't keep on making more mistakes!) All the way through the book, there's Mr. Knightley, who exposes her faults, criticizes her, rips into her, and of course, is desperately in love with her.Ellynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01902646780678873511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-27989786869359770982013-01-29T11:06:30.944-06:002013-01-29T11:06:30.944-06:00In my story, there is somthing called the "Ag...In my story, there is somthing called the "Agents Assesment" and my MC struggles throughout the story to pass. Does that count?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-22587933321170747462013-01-28T21:35:31.598-06:002013-01-28T21:35:31.598-06:00Thanks so much! Stephanie, you are so smart. I'...Thanks so much! Stephanie, you are so smart. I'm in the beginning throes of a book right now (read, first 10 k of first draft), so this will be a good thing to keep in mind, as well as when I'm editing. As always, you manage to have perfect timing. :)<br />-KatiaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-46661010707978508352013-01-28T21:29:45.314-06:002013-01-28T21:29:45.314-06:00Sweet! Good tip, Tonya!Sweet! Good tip, Tonya!Stephanie Morrillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-85527928095598753322013-01-28T21:28:23.855-06:002013-01-28T21:28:23.855-06:00Wellll, watch the free kindle books the week of Va...Wellll, watch the free kindle books the week of Valentine's day ;)Tonyahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14500897912581589616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-91771899512597215582013-01-28T21:14:03.556-06:002013-01-28T21:14:03.556-06:00Kaitlin, that's one reason it can be so hard t...Kaitlin, that's one reason it can be so hard to base books on real life. I've done a post or two about secondary characters, so maybe something in there can be helpful:<br /><br />http://goteenwriters.blogspot.com/2011/01/secondary-characters.html<br />http://goteenwriters.blogspot.com/2012/05/making-your-characters-matter.html<br /><br />Stephanie Morrillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-72762727068156055292013-01-28T21:09:44.122-06:002013-01-28T21:09:44.122-06:00These are both great examples, Amo!These are both great examples, Amo!Stephanie Morrillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-24781352396413721162013-01-28T21:07:36.395-06:002013-01-28T21:07:36.395-06:00I think that could work really well, Sierra! I lov...I think that could work really well, Sierra! I love it when characters think they need to achieve something, only to figure out why they really don't. Great thought!Stephanie Morrillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-18322306930780114572013-01-28T21:04:35.246-06:002013-01-28T21:04:35.246-06:00I'm so glad, Kate!I'm so glad, Kate!Stephanie Morrillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-63922405673428504092013-01-28T21:04:06.507-06:002013-01-28T21:04:06.507-06:00How weird! Glad it was helpful :)How weird! Glad it was helpful :)Stephanie Morrillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-48748266977082456422013-01-28T21:03:29.220-06:002013-01-28T21:03:29.220-06:00Yes, Katniss definitely does! Yes, Katniss definitely does! Stephanie Morrillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-78464210284214152132013-01-28T21:02:50.025-06:002013-01-28T21:02:50.025-06:00I love that series title :) Haven't had a chan...I love that series title :) Haven't had a chance to read it, though.Stephanie Morrillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-4769246939526161002013-01-28T21:02:11.893-06:002013-01-28T21:02:11.893-06:00I haven't seen the Patriot. *Ducks head in sha...I haven't seen the Patriot. *Ducks head in shame* Actually, I have this weird thing with war movies. I don't handle them well at all, so I just don't watch them. War movies or anything that involves torture scenes. <br /><br />But I've heard that movie mentioned in classes about character development, so I feel pretty confident telling you you're right on, Gillian ;)Stephanie Morrillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-37557112794858809412013-01-28T20:57:26.867-06:002013-01-28T20:57:26.867-06:00Oh, what a fun idea, Amanda@ I can see how that wo...Oh, what a fun idea, Amanda@ I can see how that would be very effective. Thanks for sharing!Stephanie Morrillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-19726516942737446432013-01-28T17:41:44.414-06:002013-01-28T17:41:44.414-06:00Great post Stephanie! I've had some problems w...Great post Stephanie! I've had some problems with my secondary characters being really flat since I'm so focused on my main character. If I have ten major characters in a book, I think only three change at all. This is kind of bad because my book is based on a life changing situation. Hopefully your advice will hep!Kaitlin Scherzingerhttp://sweetnessinthedreaming.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-15338291057796987352013-01-28T16:51:10.610-06:002013-01-28T16:51:10.610-06:00From Amo Libros:
One of the things about character...From Amo Libros:<br />One of the things about character development that always strikes me when I'm reading or watching a movie is the way the character's behavior changes. Take Return of the Jedi, in the beginning, where Luke, Leia, etc., are trying to rescue Han from Jabba the Hutt. They have mixed success, Leia gets Han out of carbonite - but then they get captured. Luke comes to barter for them and gets thrown into conflict with a rancor pit monster. At one point, they are all captured (and, if I remember, on a sand skiff about to get fed to the sarlacc monster) when Luke leans over to Han and says, with complete calm and confidence, something like "Just stick close to Chewy and Lando. I've taken care of everything". Han looks at him rather skeptically. He's had to rescue Luke twice to date, and doesn't think much of his friend's abilities when it comes to rescue attempts - not successful ones, anyway. But Luke has been training. I suppose this would be an example of the try-fail, try-succeed step. Because not only does Luke get everyone away, they also get rid of the bad-guys and blow some stuff up. It's great! And it shows you just how far Luke has progressed. And the difference in his demeanor, his overall "calm, cool and collected"-ness is very striking.<br />Another really good example of moments when you realize characters have changed would by the next-to-last chapter in Return of the King (The Scouring of the Shire). Contrast the actions and demeanors of the hobbits we see there to the bunch that stumbled there way out of the Shire (with a great deal of help) back in book one.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-49350604131935210322013-01-28T13:23:47.092-06:002013-01-28T13:23:47.092-06:00I love the character development in the cartoon se...I love the character development in the cartoon series Avatar: The Last Airbender. It's done in a way so that you barely notice the changes happening (the characters maturing, their skills improving, some of them coming to terms with and facing personal challenges), but when you suddenly go 'wow, they have changed!' you realise it's been happening all along - it's just woven into the plot so well that it's not 'in-your-face'.<br />I've been thinking about big issues and themes in my book right now, so this post is very useful. Thanks!Katenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-61626401716378052382013-01-28T13:04:08.444-06:002013-01-28T13:04:08.444-06:00Oh, and since for some reason, I couldn't repl...Oh, and since for some reason, I couldn't reply to your answer back in an older post, Thank you for your advice! :DDakota Densmorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00587804844274127979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-57403325124296737862013-01-28T13:02:07.716-06:002013-01-28T13:02:07.716-06:00I always LOVE how the MC's change over the cou...I always LOVE how the MC's change over the course of a book, but it's SO HARD TO DO!! *sigh.* hopefully this post will help. ;) Dakota Densmorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00587804844274127979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-13156951536879320712013-01-28T13:00:44.766-06:002013-01-28T13:00:44.766-06:00The Hunger Games! Katniss changes more times than ...The Hunger Games! Katniss changes more times than i can count. Especially in book 3 :)<br /><br />Amazing post! Just what I needed!ChihuahuaCharmshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16514779973262822741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-67069093377914028452013-01-28T12:57:39.944-06:002013-01-28T12:57:39.944-06:00I love a good list :) it's so hard develop a s...I love a good list :) it's so hard develop a story without being clunk or contrived. I'm re-reading Sandra Byrd's French Twist series and think her character development is amazing, I'd love to write books like that series. Tonyahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14500897912581589616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-24971021669760219162013-01-28T11:10:20.666-06:002013-01-28T11:10:20.666-06:00Great post, Stephanie. Thanks for putting characte...Great post, Stephanie. Thanks for putting character development into manageable steps for us.<br /><br />One of my favorite movies for character development is Patriot. It's one of my favorite movies in general, but the character work is excellent. Benjamin's change is gradual, and there are many times when he fails, but he continues to grow and change, and when he finally wins the battle in the end, it is all the more victorious. <br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00204802545454891530noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-43813900699959687162013-01-28T08:45:42.321-06:002013-01-28T08:45:42.321-06:00So helpful, because I'm working on this now in...So helpful, because I'm working on this now in my book. I love how that happens. :)<br /><br />I actually tried something different that I'd read about: writing the ending before the beginning. I wasn't sure how it'd work, but...it turned out really well. I already knew how I wanted her to change, so I showed that in the end (and added a bit of circularity there, too!) with that sort of "final test." I think it turned out okay! :DAmanda Fischerhttp://alifeonmission.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.com