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LESSON TWO: WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE ANYWAY?

OBJECTIVE: Dissecting your hero and heroine; understanding goals, motivations and external conflicts; understanding hero/heroine archetypes; learn how to describe characters in specific ways.

Warning: this is a long lecture and you might want to plan to read it in more than one session, but leave yourself enough time for the assignment!

I firmly believe the most foolproof way of solidifying your pitch is to fully understand your characters. In most stories, it's the people that count. The first part of this lecture is going to take you through a lesson in building characters. If you already know your characters well enough, you might find this more of a review, but do focus on the characters of your story while you read through this process of characterization.

PART 1

Writers I've heard struggling during a pitch simply didn't know their characters well enough, or at least they didn't understand how to describe them in a way that reached the agent or editor. In query letters it's even more important. You have only a paragraph to use to entice that agent or editor to ask for more!

In the characterization methods I’m going to share with you (that you'll use in fine tuning your pitch), you need to be able to describe each of your main characters using 3-5 traits.

Stick to 3-5 -- more can cause them to blur for the reader (in our writing it’s not so much like real life where our own traits change according to the situation).

Keep in mind that character traits are demonstrated in

· attitudes

· reactions

· patterns of living

· feelings

When you are describing your character, make sure you look for something a little different for your list of 4 or 5 traits. A convincing character is both unique and common. One thing we like about reading is the universality of the people we read about. We desire to identify with the hero and the heroine in romances, for example. We recognize traits in them that remind us of ourselves, of others, or, perhaps, the people we strive to be.

***Tip: When you create your characters, give each a flaw or vulnerability. This makes them more believable and sympathetic (have you ever been told that your hero is not sympathetic enough? Really working on characterization is one way to ensure you won’t see that phrase in a rejection letter!). And it’s true: we don’t want perfect people in the books we read. We want to read about flawed people, and watch how they solve their problems and change. If you're having trouble getting to know your hero, try asking him to tell you about his father and do some "free-writing".....you're bound to discover some flaws or vulnerabilities!

Here's one way to get started determining the best way to describe your character: write down three sort of normal traits for your current hero or heroine, and then make sure you add something a little different for the 4th trait.

If you’re feeling stressed, refer to the traits list below:

Traits List (main characters, secondary characters, villains)

academic

accident prone

adventurer

agreeable

aggressive

alert

ambitious

amoral

apathetic

arrogant

asexual

asexual

attractive

avoids intimacy

binges

blame of self

boastful

bold

bossy

brusque

calm

careless

casual

cautious

chameleon

champion

charismatic

charming

chatty

childish

child-like

clown in groups

coarse

coercive

cohesive in groups

cold

collaborative

combative

comical

compassionate

competitive

compliant

compulsive

concerns about appearance

confident

congenial

conservative

considerate

consistent

contemplative

conventional

cooperative

creative

critical of others

critical of self

dangerous

deceitful

delusional

demanding

dependable

depressed

desires excitement

detached

detail oriented

devious

dictatorial

difficulty with closeness

disapproving

disciplined

disenchanted

disobedient

disobedient

disorganized

disregard of others

distant

distractible

distracted

dogmatic

dominant

domineering

dramatic

dramatic

effective

efficient

empathetic

embarrassing

emotionally constricted

enabler

energetic

envious

euphoric

evasive

excessive

excitable

exhibitionist

exploitative

explosive

expressive

extrovert

factitious

faker

fanciful

fear if death

fear of being alone

fear of travel

fears evaluation

feelings of inadequacy

feminine

fickle

flamboyant

flighty

flirt

follower

forceful

forgetful

friendly

frustrated

fun loving

gambler

goal oriented

grandiose

gregarious

guarded

guilty

gullible

happy

harsh

hasty

hateful

heckler

helpful

hostile

humble

humorous

hypervigilent

hypnotic

hypochondriac

imaginative

immature

impersonal

impractical

impulsive

in denial

inconsistent

independent

indifferent

indirect

ineffectual

inept

inflexible

informal

inhibited

innocent intent

insensitive

insightful

intense

interdependent

intimate

intolerant

intolerant of criticism

introvert

irritable

irresponsible

irritating

isolated

jealous

joyful

lack of authenticity

lack of empathy

leader

liar

lonely

loner

looter

loss of balance

loving

low tolerance for frustration

loyal

macho

malicious

manipulative

masculine

mature

mediator

migratory

mild mannered

mistrustful

modest

mood swings

moral

naive

narcissistic

nauseating

negative

nonconformist

nonverbal

nostalgic

numb

numbing

nurturing

obedient

oblivious

oblivious to others

oblivious to social cues

obscene

obsessive (about...)

optimistic

outgoing

over attachment

overeater

overwhelmed (by...)

overwhelming

panicky (about...)

paralyzed (by...)

passive

peacemaker

perfect (at...)

perfectionist

performer

perseverant

persistent

personable

persuasive

pessimistic

phobic (about...)

phobic of excitement

phony

pleasant

popular

possessive

precise

predator

preoccupied with death

quarrelsome

questions own judgment

realistic

rebellious

reckless

reliable

remorseful

reserved

resourceful

responsible

responsive

restricted

restrictive

rigid

ritualistic

rude

ruthless (about...)

sad (about...)

sadistic

sarcastic

searching for love

seducer

seductive

seeking attention

self-absorbed

self-centered

self-destructive

self-indulgent

self-sufficient

sense of humor

sensitive

shy

simplistic

solitary

stable

stilted

stingy (about...)

stubborn

submissive

superficial

takes initiative

talkative

taskmaster

tease

teasing

temperamental

tense

threatened (by...)

threatening

thrill seeker

timid

traditional

trustworthy

unassertive

unattractive

unaware (of...)

unconventional

undependable

unethical

unexcitable

unexpressed anger

unhappy

unhelpful

unpleasant

unpopular

unpredictable

unresponsive

unstable

vain

values (what?)

verbal

violent

visionary

voyeur

vulnerable

warm

withdrawn

works alone

worrier

yielding

This list is meant to give you ideas to brainstorm about -- AND you’ll probably want to be more specific about many of them. Use the list as a springboard and create your own list that you'll add to from time to time.

For example, if you choose pessimistic as one of your traits. Take that trait and expand on it.....say your hero is optimistic for the most part, but pessimistic about love, or maybe not really ABOUT love--he’s pessimistic about his ABILITY to love. Do you see how that trait becomes more individualized?

Really get serious about people watching and record other people’s traits. In Linda N. Edelstein’s “The Writer’s Guide to Character Traits” she recommends you collect notes on:

· physical appearances

· psychological traits and habits

· dialogue and phrases

· names

· professions

· other traits

***TIP: A good writer's tool is to create a notebook filled with observations about people (both real, imaginary, characters in movies, etc.). In it you might also create pages of pictures of people from magazines and catalogs that you can draw from for physical descriptions.

You can also utilize personality typing and archetypes to build your characters from scratch and come up with traits lists for each. This is often what I'll do. I'll come up with a hero type or archetype and then match him up with a heroine who is a very different type of archetype (this creates automatic conflict).

Enneagrams are a powerful tool to use. In this personality typing, there are nine basic types or "characters". Judith Searle has written a book called "The Literary Enneagram" in which she utilizes character examples from literature, stage, and the movies to illustrate the different personality types. Below is her general explanation, so you can get the idea:

One (The Critic): principled, orderly, self-doubting, irritable; fears being seen as evil or corrupt. Gregory Peck in 'To Kill A Mockingbird'.

Two (The Lover): nurturing, seductive, emotional, proud; fears being unloved and unappreciated. Susan Sarandon in 'Dead Man Walking'.

Three (The Achiever): energetic, practical, driven, vain; fears being seen as loser or failure. Tom Cruise in 'Jerry Maguire'.

Four (The Aesthete): authentic, passionate, depressed, envious; fears being seen as ordinary. Meryl Streep in 'Out of Africa'.

Five (The Analyst): observant, independent, cool, stingy; fears being overwhelmed by others. Ralph Fiennes in 'The English Patient'.

Six (The Pessimist): loyal, authority conscious, suspicious, fearful; fears being unsupported by others. Sally Field in 'Norma Ray'.

Seven (The Optimist): enthusiastic, egalitarian, self-indulgent, dilettantish; fears being deprived and in pain. Andre Gregory in 'My Dinner with Andre'.

Eight (The Trail-Blazer): forceful, confrontative, excessive, vengeful; fears being in a subordinate position. George C. Scott in 'Patton'.

Nine (The Connector): accepting, generous, distractible, indolent; fears conflict and disharmony. Frances McDormand in 'Fargo'.

If this sort of personality typing appeals to you, explore the Web and look for sites on Enneagrams -- there are lots!

The Enneagram Institute uses different "titles" for the nine types:

One (Reformer), Two (Helper), Three (Achiever), Four (Individualist), Five (Investigator), Six (Loyalist), Seven (Enthusiast), Eight (Challenger), Nine (Peacemaker). Click here to read their descriptions: http://www.enneagraminstitute.com/FreeStuff.asp

Another site is www.9types.com where you'll find great info on the different types and also how they act and react.

**Tip: go to the website www.9types.com and open up one of the types, then look to the column on the left and you'll see "E in love and work" to read specifics about that type!

Remember, your goal is to create believable, sympathetic, interesting, and usually likable characters. Using something like Enneagrams helps you to create believable personalities for your characters and makes it much easier to describe them and show them acting and reacting in believable ways.

Archetypes are another tool to use (my personal favorite). The Complete Guide to Heroes & Heroines: Sixteen Master Archetypes" by Tami D. Cowden, Caro LaFever, and Sue Viders, provides information on eight hero archetypes and eight heroine archetypes, and also information about how the archetypes mesh and clash (ideal for setting up your romance conflict). Take a look at the list below:

Hero Archetypes:

The Chief: a dynamic leader, he has time for nothing but work. He might have been born to lead, or perhaps he conquered his way to the top, but either way, he’s tough, decisive, goal-oriented. That means he is also a bit overbearing and inflexible. Think William Shatner in Star Trek; Harrison Ford in Sabrina, or Marlon Brando in The Godfather.

The BAD BOY: dangerous to know, he walks on the wild side. This is the rebel, or the boy from the wrong side of the tracks. He’s bitter and volatile, a crushed idealist, but he's also charismatic and street smart. Think James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause, Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting, Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing

The BEST FRIEND: sweet and safe, he never lets anyone down. He's kind, responsible, decent, a regular Mr. Nice Guy. This man doesn't enjoy confrontation and can sometimes be unassertive because he doesn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. But he'll always be there. Think Jimmy Stewart in It’s a Wonderful Life, Adam Sandler in The Wedding Singer, Hugh Grant in Four Weddings & a Funeral, Kevin Spacey in American Beauty

The CHARMER: more than a gigolo, he creates fantasies. He’s fun, irresistible, a smooth operator, yet not too responsible or dependable. He might be a playboy or a rogue, but he's doesn’t commit to a woman easily. Think Leonardo DiCaprio in Titanic, James Garner/Mel Gibson in Maverick, Don Johnson in Nash Bridges, Dustin Hoffman in Midnight Cowboy

The LOST SOUL: a sensitive being, he understands. Tortured, secretive, brooding, and unforgiving. That’s this man. But he's also vulnerable. He might be a wanderer or an outcast. In work he's creative, but probably also a loner. Think Mel Gibson in Lethal Weapon, David Duchovny in The X-Files, Beast in Beauty and the Beast, Shrek

The PROFESSOR: coolly analytical, he knows every answer. He’s logical, introverted, and inflexible, but genuine about his feelings. At work, he likes cold, hard facts, thank you very much, but he's also honest and faithful, and won’t let you down. Think Leonard Nimoy in Star Trek, Robin Williams in Flubber, Kelsey Grammer in Frasier, Russell Crowe in A Beautiful Mind

The SWASHBUCKLER: Mr. Excitement, he’s an adventure. This guy is action, action, and more action. He's physical and daring. Fearless, he’s a daredevil, or an explorer. He needs thrills and chills to keep him happy. Think Antonio Banderas in The Mask of Zorro, Michael Douglas in Romancing the Stone, Harrison Ford in Raiders of the Lost Ark.

The WARRIOR: a noble champion, he acts with honor. This man is the reluctant rescuer or the knight in shining armor. He's noble, tenacious, relentless, and he always sticks up for the underdog. If you need a protector, he’s your guy. He doesn’t buckle under to rules, or and he doesn’t go along just to get along. Think Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry, Russell Crowe in Gladiator, Mel Gibson in Braveheart

Hero Archetypes:

The BOSS: a real go-getter, she climbs the ladder of success. This is a “take charge” female, who accepts nothing but respect. Reaching her goal post the most important thing in life to her, and she isn’t bothered by a few ruffled feathers along the way. Think Annette Bening in American Beauty, Candice Bergen in Murphy Brown, Cate Blanchett in Elizabeth.

The Seductress: an enchantress, she gets her way. This is a lady who is long accustomed to sizing up everyone in a room the minute she enters. Mysterious and manipulative, she hides a streak of distrust a mile wide and ten miles deep. Cynicism guides her every action, and her tough sense of survival gives her the means to do whatever is necessary to come out ahead. Think Liz Taylor in Cleopatra, Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct, Vivian Leigh in Gone With the Win. Madonna in Evita.

The SPUNKY KID: gutsy and true, she is loyal to the end. She is a favorite of many writers, and for good reason. You can’t help but root for her. She’s the girl with moxie. She’s not looking to be at the top of the heap; she just wants to be in her own little niche. She’s the team player, the one who is always ready to lend a hand. Think Meg Ryan in Sleepless in Seattle, Melanie Griffith in Working Girl, Mary Tyler Moore in The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Whoopi Goldberg in Sister Act, Fiona in Shrek.

The FREE SPIRIT: eternal optimist, she dances to unheard tunes. Playful and fun-loving, she travels through life with a hop, skip and a jump, always stopping to smell the flowers and admire the pretty colors. She acts on a whim and follows her heart, not her head. Think Jenna Elfman in Dharma & Greg, Lucille Ball in I Love Lucy, Alicia Silverstone in Clueless.

The WAIF: a distressed damsel, she bends with the wind. She’s the original damsel in distress. Her child-like innocence evokes a protective urge in the beastliest of heroes. But don’t be fooled, because the WAIF has tremendous strength of will. She won’t fight back; she’ll endure. Think Judy Garland in the Wizard of Oz, Marilyn Monroe in The Misfits, Peta Wilson in La Femme Nikita, Demi Moore in Ghost, Halle Barry in Monster’s Ball.

The LIBRARIAN: controlled and clever, she holds back. She’s prim and proper, but underneath that tight bun lurks a passionate woman. Dressed to repress, she might be the know-it-all whose hand is always up in class, or maybe she is the shy mouse hiding in the library. Think Kathleen Turner in Romancing the Stone, Ellen Barkin in The Big Easy, Shelley Long in Cheers, Gillian Anderson in The X-Files.

The CRUSADER: a dedicated fighter, she meets her commitments. No shrinking violet, no distressed damsel, here. This lady is on a mission, and she marches right over anyone in her way. Tenacious and headstrong, she brushes off any opposition to her goal. Think Diana Rigg in The Avengers, Sigourney Weaver in Alien, Sarah Michelle Gellar in Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, Lucy Lawless in Xena, Warrior Princess

The NURTURER: serene and capable, she nourishes the spirit. Not always Suzy Homemaker, this lady takes care of everyone. She is a wonderful listener, and a joy to have around, this heroine takes care of everyone. She’s serene, capable and optimistic. Think Michelle Pfeiffer in Ladyhawke, Alicia Nash in A Beautiful Mind, Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins

Okay, are you starting to feel character overload? No matter how you create your characters, you'll need to get to know them enough to be able to describe what kind of people they are when you are pitching and within a query letter.

Do understand, however, that your job as storyteller is to illustrate your characters’ traits within your story (not list them like a laundry list!).

How?

Through scenes....and within those scenes, preferably through:

(The top two are

· Dialogue

· Action and reaction

Character is also demonstrated through:

· The eyes of another

· Setting

· Narration

· Introspection (inner thought and flashbacks should be used sparingly, though, because it tends to stop the story)

Screenwriters recommend you illustrate one or more of your character’s dominant traits within each scene.

The secret to this is to show HOW your characters act and react. With firm personality types in place, it becomes much easier.

Another "must" in your describing your story is knowing each character’s arc.

How is your character different in the end of the book than what he or she was in the beginning?

One exercise you might do is to take two books that you know well. Write a few sentences about one of the main characters as you know him/her at the beginning of the book (character traits and more). Now describe the character at the end of the book.

The difference is the character’s arc, and the effectiveness of your story is greatly affected by this.

In order to create believable characters, you have to show how they change -- in a romance there has to be growth and your main characters have to change. In a coming-of-age story, change is pretty much the premise of the whole story.

Do you have a romance where only one character changes?

You can get by with it, but your story will be more powerful if they both change. Sometimes, one character’s change will be greater. When that happens, writers will describe the story as “her story” or “his story” -- picking whichever character had the most dramatic change.

Now, a therapist will tell you that change is made up of 3 parts:

· receptivity to change

· causal events

· validation

And change within fiction should mirror real life change.

Receptivity to change, that first step, simply means your character is capable of changing. Keep this in mind as you are doing your character interviews and coming up with backstory. Don’t paint yourself into a corner by building a character who cannot change!

Okay, to illustrate what I mean, I’m going to shift for a short while to plotting and how this change happens....

Prepare the reader somewhere in the first chapter by demonstrating in a subtle way that your character is flexible. Try to do this before the main plotline is revealed.

A fatal flaw in a romance is to allow your character to simply come to the realization that he/she has been in love with the wrong person all along. You have to show the change.

Within the plot, your job will be to create causal events throughout your story where the character slowly realizes she really loves him. Each event changes your character a little so that by the end, the reader believes the change.

At the end, you’ll also need to show validation. Make sure you illustrate through a self-chosen action -- and not fate -- that the character has really changed. Validate the change so your reader believes the transformation is real. You can also accomplish this by showing something the character can do by the end of the book that he wasn’t able to do in the beginning.

Author Jolie Kramer says, “The essence of character transformation lies in vulnerability and risk.” She also says, “Change will occur if given a sufficiently compelling catalyst. For our books, that catalyst is love. But remember, it is in loving the other person that the character becomes willing to change, not in being loved. Because my heroine loved my hero, she became willing to look at her own life, see her flaws, and make new decisions.”

In showing you how to build characters, I’ve been talking mostly about heroes and heroines. But remember, you may need to complete this same process--or at least part of it--for secondary characters or for villains.

Do give secondary characters at least one strong trait.

Specifically for Villains:

· Make your villain multi-dimensional (backstory is helpful to learn this about your villain)

· Make sure your villain is well-motivated in order to be believable (he needs reasons to be the way he is and to have the goal he has)

· Give your villain at least one characteristic that is likeable (he can’t be all bad, just as your hero can’t be all good)

Come up with questions that will reveal what you need to know about your villain:

How do you justify your actions?
Any significant events in your past that motivate you?
Any past secrets or traumas?

Spend some time with your villain, then write at least a page about his/her prevailing attitude; be clear on character traits and consider giving him/her a character trait the reader isn’t expecting. I’ve seen villains be completely horrid about everyone...except animals, for example.

Okay, what if you're type of writer who starts with plot first? What if you are really motivated to write about a particular setting, or have a basic idea of what the story is about already?

Figure out the most interesting character to put in the setting or situation you have in mind, and go from there....

If you write by the seat of your pants, I envy you.

I am too afraid to NOT build my characters first.

And besides, I often come up with subplots and plot twists that I never would have known if I hadn’t developed the characters and learned their histories.

Here's a secret: even if you don’t have a plot at all, you may very well come up with one directly from your characters as you build them. As you build your characters, be sure to jot down scene ideas in the margins or on a separate sheet of paper so you don’t lose them!

One of the greatest rewards you’ll receive by building your characters first is that it helps you, the writer, stay out of your story. You’ll know your characters so well that they will naturally and more easily SHOW the story and you won’t be tempted to do so much TELLING of the story. And you’ll know you’ve got it right when the characters "take over" the story!

PART 2 -- LECTURE PLUS ASSIGNMENT

Now, let's put all this knowledge of character into something you can use in pitch-form.

The next exercise is designed to help you focus exactly on what the editor or agent needs to know about your characters and your story -- and from this you should be able to work out the three different length pitches.

Fold a piece of paper into quarters...or you can use index cards...or utilize the cards below: (continue reading, though, for detailed instructions on how to fill the cards out, and you'll be doing only the first two cards (of four cards total)l in this lesson and the rest of the cards will follow in Lessons 3 and 4.)

Heroine

Describe her (choose an adjective and a descriptive noun)

State her goal (what does she want? Think: “as the story begins, she wants to...”)

State her motivation (why does she want it?)

State the external conflict (what is the roadblock? Often, it’s the hero.)

Hero

Describe him (choose an adjective and a descriptive noun)

State his goal (what does he want? Think: “as the story begins, he wants to...”)

State his motivation (why does he want it?)

State the external conflict (what is the roadblock? Often, it’s the heroine.)

By the end of this entire exercise (which, again, takes you through Lesson 4)...and once you’ve filled out each card -- you’ll end up with 4 note cards to memorize or take with you to an agent or editor appointment as reminders -- or even to read, if you really freeze up.

First, you’re going to label two of your four squares or note cards...or you can simply use the squares on the samples I've included for you above.

First card: Heroine

Second card: Hero

The first step is to describe both your hero and your heroine. But you’re going to do it in a specific way.

Debra Dixon has a great way of describing characters in her book, GMC: Goal, Motivation & Conflict (I keep a copy within reach at all times!)

She credits Dwight Swain with this wonderful method of describing your characters in descriptive ways. He calls it “dominant character impression.” The theory is to use the initial image that you think of when you describe someone -- Dwight Swain says to use an adjective and a noun of vocation...”

Spineless attorney. Shy policeman. Happy-go-lucky parole officer.

Debra took this concept and tweaked it by using an adjective and a descriptive noun (not limiting it to a vocation). It’s an easy and interesting way to define your character’s basic nature.

And...you can also use your alliteration exercise from the previous session to help come up with examples of adjectives. Sometimes you have to fool your brain by making the work fun!

All right, read one of Debra Dixon’s examples -- which is more evocative?

A self-confident man?

or

A self-confident outlaw?

Okay, take a minute or two to write an adjective and descriptive noun on your card for your heroine (or write several and narrow it down later). If the character’s vocation is especially descriptive, you can certainly use it...and look back at your alliteration exercise -- is there something there you can use?

The idea here is to use your descriptive adjective and noun INSTEAD OF using the heroine’s name -- honest, the name is not that important...what you want the editor or agent to remember is who your characters are and what your characters’ personalities are like.

So, your heroine card begins with that description...

Okay, let’s continue with the rest of the card.

Now you're going to tackle her GOAL, her MOTIVATION, and the EXTERNAL CONFLICT.

Read through the entire explanation, and then you’ll be writing your heroine’s GMC onto the card below your descriptive phrase.

So, think about your heroine’s goal...what does she want? One way to get started is to think...”as the story begins”....she..........what?

After that you’ll be stating her motivation...WHY does she want it?

And lastly, you’ll be stating the external conflict...what is the external roadblock? What gets in the way?

Usually the goal is pretty easy -- she wants something, right?

One way to get the motivation right is to stick the word “because” at the end of your goal statement.

This is how you might structure your sentence....

My heroine wants to ___(blank)____ because....__(blank)____

Remember, motivation is the “why” -- right? So, adding the word “because” at the end of your goal statement forces you to answer the question of why she wants whatever it is she wants...

Then, after you’ve listed “the why” -- add on the word “but” to your sentence, which leads you into the “why not” (which is the roadblock).

So now you have:

My heroine wants to ___(blank)____ ...because....__(blank)____....but....___(blank)_____

I promise you, if you can utilize this fill-in-the-blank sentence, you'll be miles ahead! I’ll use an example from one of my short contemporary romances called SWEET ON YOU:

My heroine wants (hmm...what does she want? -- to have her brand new and struggling gourmet cookie business utilized in a local radio promotion for Valentine’s Day)

because (here’s the why: she needs them to select her so she can get through the financial troubles she’s experiencing with this new business)

but (here’s the external roadblock -- the outside interference: the DJ making the decision doesn’t think her company is the best choice -- so HE’S the first roadblock)

Remember, this is what the initial goal is for the heroine -- eventually, both the hero and the heroine want each other....but in the beginning, it’s gotta be something else. And there will most likely be several external roadblocks throughout the story -- right now, though, focus on the initial one.

And in women's fiction or a coming-of-age story, this sentence formula still works just fine.

Here’s what my heroine card says for SWEET ON YOU:

The heroine is a widowed high-powered executive who gives up the fast lane to open her own gourmet cookie delivery business called “Celestial Cookies” (you wouldn’t necessarily provide this detail, but I did because I thought it provided more of a handle to remember the story!) She has traded in her business suits for silk blouses and gypsy skirts -- and her Mercedes for a pale blue VW van covered with painted chocolate chip cookies with angel wings (again, my thought was to plant a picture in the editor’s mind) She’s had her one true love in life and is sinking her energy into her new business venture. She is depending on a local radio station to choose her company for a Valentine’s Day promotion to keep her out of financial trouble.

It’s may be a little wordy, but I think it begins to paint the picture of who my heroine is.

Now, finish your heroine card -- you’ve already got your descriptive adjective and noun....now write down what she wants, why she wants it, and what’s in the way (remember, external conflict is outside interference -- it has nothing to do with her internal conflicts)

Heroine

Describe her (choose an adjective and a descriptive noun)

State her goal (what does she want? Think: “as the story begins, she wants to...”)

State her motivation (why does she want it?)

State the external conflict (what is the roadblock? Often, it’s the hero.)

Now, you need to do the same for your hero:

Hero card

Describe him (choose an adjective and a descriptive noun; honorable knight, cynical loner, loyal survivor)

State his goal (what does he want? Think: “as the story begins, he wants to...”)

State his motivation (why does he want it?)

State the external conflict (what is the roadblock? Often, it’s the heroine.)

Here’s what my hero card said for SWEET ON YOU:

The hero is a methodical, super-organized, stilted radio personality (okay, you can use a few extra adjectives if you want to) who has his entire life in order. He has the perfect job, the perfect fiancée, the perfect life -- everything’s right on schedule. He adores an ordered, categorized world. He’s totally in control. He’s just been promoted and wants to make a good impression on his boss, who happens to be his fiancée’s father. He’s successfully gotten away from his blue-collar roots and worked hard to climb the corporate ladder. He isn’t about to jeopardize his image by being forced by his boss to choose the silly Celestial Cookie business for the upcoming Valentine’s Day promotion. (Notice that I kind of ended my card with his goal, which is to make a good impression, and the “why” is sort of implied, and I don’t say the “why not” here -- I actually use this card more for set-up, to clearly show, hopefully, who this guy is. So, use the GMC format to check yourself, but realize that you can tweak things a little -- as long as you have a reason to -- it’s designed to help you reveal the important facts of your story.)

Now complete your hero’s card! And limit yourself to that small space -- no more information than what will fit on an index card!

Hero

Describe him (choose an adjective and a descriptive noun)

State his goal (what does he want? Think: “as the story begins, he wants to...”)

State his motivation (why does he want it?)

State the external conflict (what is the roadblock? Often, it’s the heroine.)

If you wish, post your assignment (your heroine and hero cards) on our eboard before Monday.

In Lesson 3: Internal Conflict: The Emotional Element, you'll be identifying the internal conflict for your characters.

© Janet Wellington 2005

(this information is not to be shared via print or electronically without permission from the author)

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