Books on Writing Character

The ART of Character

I frickin’ LOVED this book! I bought it at the Strands Bookstore in New York City, so it’s special to me.

The content is Spot on!

A must for your shelf.

“Former private investigator and New York Times notable author David Corbett offers a unique and indispensable toolkit for creating characters that come vividly to life on the page and linger in memory. Corbett provides an inventive, inspiring, and vastly entertaining blueprint to all the elements of characterization-from initial inspiration to realization-with special insights into the power of secrets and contradictions, the embodiment of roles, managing the “tyranny of motive,” and mastering crucial techniques required for memorable dialogue and unforgettable scenes. This is a how-to guide for both aspiring and accomplished writers that renders all other books of its kind obsolete.”

The Only Character Workbook You’ll Ever Need: Your New Character Bible (Series Bibles for Writers)

I just bought this and I’m pumped!

I did the “flip through” and it looked amazing!

“Become a master of incredible characters. In this first installment of Series Bibles for Writers, discover the backstories, personalities, vulnerabilities, and what makes your fiction characters tick.

Contents include fully-customizable, in-depth pages for:

• 12 primary character profiles
• 24 secondary character profiles
• 108 minor character mini-descriptions
• Character groups and lists
• Relationship maps and family trees
• Reference lists (alphabetical and chronological)
• Extra note pages for thoughts as they come to you.

Whether writing a series or multiple stand-alones, this workbook is comprehensive enough to handle it all. Take a dive into your new and improved character bible, one that will prompt you into creating your own exceptional cast of genuine characters.”

The Psychology Workbook for Writers: Tools for Creating Realistic Characters and Conflict in Fiction

Great book for a deep dive into your character creations! It gave me an additional layer.

“Writers know that their characters and stories should be multi-layered and believable. Now here’s a simple workbook that uses the same knowledge that gives therapists insight into human behaviour to create fiction that hits the mark. Each chapter outlines an aspect of psychological theory as it can be used for writing and provides two worksheets to translate it into action – one to develop characters, one to develop the story.Darian Smith is a prize winning fiction writer with a degree in psychology, a Diploma of Counselling, and is a member of the New Zealand Association of Counsellors. He combines these two sides of his background to provide simple, easy to follow tools that make use of established psychological theory to help writers develop fully rounded, interesting, realistic characters and inject conflict into their stories.Give your writing the benefit of over a decade of training and experience and discover how to have readers wanting more.”

Build Better Characters: The psychology of backstory & how to use it in your writing to hook readers (Creative Academy Guides for Writers)

This is a very good compliment to Lisa Cron’s Wired for Story.

“Compelling characters are what keeps readers turning pages and buying books — from fantasies to mysteries to the great literary novel. But how to do you create characters that feel three dimensional and real on the page? Counsellor and author Eileen Cook shares common psychological techniques to help you build your characters and take your story to the next level.

Covering understanding your character’s backstory and how it impacts their choices in your book by doing a structured counselling interview, personality structure (Myers Briggs and Emotional Intelligence) and how that may lead to conflict, and understand dissecting the Stages of Change to see how your character moves through them .

Filled with practical tips, examples and prompts this is a craft book you will return to over and over.”

Between the Lines: Master the Subtle Elements of Fiction Writing

I shelved this book with the “Characters” because I thought the best chapters are about characters.

Plus–you get a lot more great writing tips!

Creating Characters: The Complete Guide to Populating Your Fiction (Creative Writing Essentials)

There is a lot of information in this book. I was almost overwhelmed. It’s like a giant cupcake with layers and layers of frosting.

“This book is a comprehensive reference to every stage of character development. You’ll find timely advice and helpful instruction from best-selling authors like Nancy Kress, Elizabeth Sims, Orson Scott Card, Chuck Wendig, Hallie Ephron, Donald Maass, and James Scott Bell. They’ll show you how to:

• Effectively introduce your characters
• Build a believable protagonist
• Develop strong anti-heroes and compelling villains
• Juggle multiple points of view without missing a beat
•  Craft authentic dialogue that propels the story forward
• Motivate your characters with powerful objectives and a believable conflict
• Show dynamic character development over the course of a story

No matter what your genre, Creating Characters gives you the tools necessary to create realistic, fascinating characters that your readers will root for and remember long after they’ve finished the story.”

The Story Works Guide to Writing Character: How to create characters your readers will love–or love to hate. (The Story Works Guide to Writing Fiction) (Volume 1)

Also a book PACKED with great information. The examples are very helpful–especially if you are also a reader.

“How do you create a memorable character? One as compelling as Katniss Everdeen, Harry Potter, Anne Shirley, or Sherlock Holmes? Breakout novels share a key element: a stand-out character.

So why do so many authors struggle to lift their characters off the page and etch them in readers’ memories? Because they haven’t paid attention to all the essential elements that go into making a great character. Luckily for us, author, writing coach, and renowned editor, Alida Winternheimer, has created the definitive step-by-step guide in The Story Works Guide to Writing Character.

Packed with practical examples and exercises, this superb resource ensures we not only know what to pay attention to, but exactly how to implement these powerful strategies for creating memorable characters.

I thought I had a good grasp of the critical ingredients of a strong character, but thanks to Alida Winternheimer’s outstanding resource for fiction writers, I discovered many areas I could improve. Not only that, I am now equipped with the precise tools to go about it. This book is a must-have secret weapon for all writers eager to stand out from the pack! —Robert Scanlon Author of the Blood Empire Series and the Dreamer Chronicles.”