johannahefer Presents: Tips and a sneak peek

a) Tips on Writing Better Characters

b) Sneak Peek into my story 'Sweet Lips'

Hey everyone, I am Johanna and very excited to be here. I would like to thank Kelly for allowing me the opportunity to participate in yet another Wattpad Block Party. KellyAnneBlount thank you so much❣ I really appreciate all the hard work you are putting in to have each and every one of us featured in this Block Party❣❣❣

a) Tips on Writing Better Characters

As a writer I always research ideas and tips to make myself a better writer. In my previous #WattpadBlockParty entry I talked about writing the Perfect Scene.

Today I want to talk about Writing Better Characters.

When writing a story you create two different kinds of characters. Two dimensional or Three-dimensional characters. I've discovered this blogpost of Changing Minds about this topic.

Two-Dimensional Characters

These characters are simple, flat and lifeless, like the characters you often pass on the street. This is good for minor characters but not for your major characters, which will leave your story without credibility and let you lose your readers because they will get bored.

Three-Dimensional Characters

These are strong believable characters with flaws and failings. Creating a Three Dimensional character you have to develop a character over time, not too much and too quickly. Like when you get to know and discover your friend's attributes over time.

Two Dimensional vs Three Dimensional

So the question now is, "How do I create a more Three Dimensional Character?"

Readers identify with these complex and unique characters that seems like real people. They engage our emotions and we buy into the story. According to Screencraft there are three aspects to ad to your characters credibility:

Physical

Male or female or transgender?

How old are they?

What is their race?

Are they athletic?

How is their health?

Are they graceful, clumsy, sexy or sickly?

Naturally attractive or ugly?

Do they have a high-pitched, squeaky voice or a deep, soothing voice?

This affects the characters attitude toward the world and the world's attitude toward them.

Psychological

Are they outgoing or shy?

Optimistic or pessimistic?

Patient or short-tempered?

Greedy, overly-sensitive, confident, competitive, charming, uptight, lecherous and/or kind?

What are they most afraid of?

What do they enjoy?

What are their political, philosophical, and religious beliefs?

Are they gay, straight, or somewhere in between?

Psychological traits are the elements of the character's personality.

Social

Is the character single, married, divorced?

Are they dating – if so, who and for how long?

Do they have kids?

Are their parents alive and do they get along with them?

Is the character popular, stylish, a jock, or a nerd?

What is their job?

What religion do they belong to (which may be different from their spiritual beliefs) and do they actively participate in it?

What is their socioeconomic class?

Education level?

What ethnicity, and are they a minority in their environment?

What social groups are they part of – friends, work groups, hobby groups?

Where do they live – what city and what kind of domicile? Whom do they live with?

Build multidimensional characters by listing traits under each of those three categories.

Use the following three exercises to help you make your characters more complex, realistic and believable:

Give them plans
If you want your character to seem real they have to have plans. Give them short-term, medium-term and long-term plans. The movie Little Miss Sunshine demonstrates this well. Richard isn't sitting around waiting for his daughter to get into a beauty pageant. He has plans. His short-term plan involves the inconvenience of taking in his brother-in-law, Frank, after Frank's attempted suicide. In the medium term he's trying to confirm a book deal for his "9 Steps" plan. In the long term he wants to be a motivational guru. Showing the characters' plans helps to establish who they are and what they want.

Make them really good at something and really bad at something.
We love exceptional characters. But a character who is perfect in everything is unbelievable and somewhat annoying. The best characters have an exceptional talent and a massive flaw. That's what makes Tony Stark one of the best characters in the Marvel cinematic universe. He's a brilliant inventor, but he's saddled with a massive ego that constantly gets him in trouble.

Break the stereotype
Usually most characters fit into some kind of stereotype – the doctor who is smart and arrogant, the soldier who is macho, the CEO who is rich, sexy, greedy and heartless, the scientists who is a nerdy man. When you settle for this stereotype, your character will seem like an icon rather than a person. Look at your stereotypical version of your character, and then do something different. Right away your character will be a more unique individual. Sometimes maintaining the element of the stereotypical character is good. Let's say you need that CEO to be greedy and heartless. What other elements of the stereotype can you change? Maybe rather than a middle-aged white guy, you make your greedy, heartless CEO a southern Black woman. In the Netflix show Jessica Jones, Jessica is in many ways a stereotypical noir detective. She is tough, brooding, antisocial, and a raging alcoholic. But by making her a young woman with superpowers and a close relationship with her sister, she feels fresh and unique.

To randomly attach adjectives to your character will create a confusing, questionable character. But sometimes adding one or two unexpected elements will bring a character to life. The more specific and detailed you are, the better. Find some kind of consistency when you utilize these techniques

When you've created fleshed out and realistic three-dimensional characters, the reader will be eager to read more.

What strategies do you have to create more Three-Dimensional Characters? Please share with us your ideas.

     b) Sneak Peek into my story

'Sweet Lips'

Aviana and Kace slumped together trying to keep warm. Bleary-eyed and exhausted due to the lack of sleep he stared at her.

"I'm sorry I got you into this mess." He whispered while clutching her hands.

She said nothing and lowered her head onto his shoulder, trying to move even closer to him. His musky smell was hard to ignore, she closed her eyes and smiled secretly. Although they've had a tough time the past couple of days, she was glad she was with him. At that very moment she felt save as long as he was there.

"I promise I'll get us out of this." he was rubbing her cold hands and blowing on them. She felt his unshaven face when he brought her hands closer to his face.

Unable to respond she felt every muscle giving into gravity. Finally, after trying his best to warm up her frozen fingers he spoke softly,

"Get some sleep, sweet lips."

"Don't call me that!" she said dispirited.

"I love calling you that." He chuckled.

"This is not the time or place to be funny, Kace! I'm tired and cold and haven't eaten in two days. And being captured by lunatics is not my idea of fun!"

"I'm sorry."

She closed her eyes and tried to sleep. Night had fallen fast. When she closed her eyes earlier, red and orange hues painted the sky. After Kace spoke the first time and she opened her eyes she was shocked by the black canvas dotted with thousands of stars.

The camp they were being held at against their will was deep in the forest. Who could have thought the words 'A stolen kiss' would have brought them all the way out here.

And that's all for now folks. If you would like to read more, head on over to my profile and add the story to your reading list. I am 'revamping' the story at the moment and try to update weekly.

It's going slow because I finished my degree in Ministry last year and was planning on writing more this year. But I decided to continue with my master's degree. I promised myself more writing time, so I'll see what this year holds for me.

To celebrate this Wattpad Block Party I am giving away some prizes. Please enter my giveaway, who knows, maybe you could be a lucky winner!

I will be reviewing the first three chapters of a story of the writers choice!

My giveaway is open internationally!!!

Thank you for taking the time to read my post. I really do appreciate it. As you know all votes and comments are greatly appreciated! And... Please, please support the other awesome writers in this party by checking out their posts as well. Thank you❣

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