Character Building

A story is only as good as its flimsiest character. You can have a complex plot, sumptuous prose and a wildly original concept, but if your characters are bland or baffling, the whole thing will be a cardboard sandwich. How, as fiction-writers, do we invent and reveal these fascinating people and keep them consistent, while allowing room for spontaneity, room for change? Do they really need to be likeable? In this class we’ll address these questions and many more about the exhilarating art of inventing people and having them interact with other invented people. Expect workshops, in-class writing exercises and in-class readings.