 Drama: August 08, 2007 Issue [#1867] |
  Drama
This week: Edited by: SantaBee  
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Drama is:
#1 - The Greek word for "action."
#2 - A real situation or succession of events having the dramatic progression or emotional content of a play.
I'll be continuing last month's theme regarding character development in drama writing. Now it's time for part two - introducing your characters. |
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To Recap: We've outlined a coming of age story set in war torn Iraq. We've done bio sheets for our characters; a "go-getter," a likeable but unreliable pal, and a training officer that is loathed. For the sake of the story, we've decided our "go-getter" will be our protagonist.
 NOTE: You might want to do a little research so as to be accurate in your writing. You can find a lot of information about the military on the web.
NOTE: Also, we've determined to tell the story in the 3rd person using a limited POV, focusing on our protagonist, the "go-getter."
Whew. That's a lot. Let's move on to our topic.
INTRODUCING YOUR CHARACTERS
First impressions mean a lot, and names are important when it comes to the initial impression of a character. Ethnicity and gender are the most obvious assumptions readers make when they meet your characters. Remember when using ethnic names be consistent, keeping in mind various regions throughout the country. By being accurate, you give your fiction believability. Names also provide hints as to the character's background.
Names can also be used to tip off personalities. The Harry Potter series is a good example of that. Neville Longbottom and Hermione Granger are a couple of examples. Neville is destined to be the butt of jokes and ridicule, and Hermione's implies that she's very book smart. However, be careful when using this technique. It's appealing to juveniles and in young teen fiction, but most professional editors tend to shy away from it.
Keep in mind that names should feel natural to the character.
 Avoid flimsy sounding names like Joseph Jones for example. They don’t say much about the character.
Avoid giving characters similar names such as Damian/Dimitri. This usually confuses a reader.
Also, keep in mind that the other characters of the story might address your protagonist differently than you do.
EXAMPLE: In my story, "The Wolf's Torment," the protagonist is Prince Mihai Sigmaringen. His best friend, Viktor, calls him "Mihai," His father, the king, calls him "Boy," the servants call him, "Your Majesty or Your Highness," and his wife, Theresa calls him, "My Lion."
For the sake of our story, our protagonist is an eighteen-year-old girl who just graduated high school and entered the Army as an MP. Her name is Stephanie "Stevie" Franklin. Her best friend is Adam Banning, who also went to basic and Military Police training with her. When they arrive in Iraq, they are assigned to Staff Sergeant Jose Silvia's squad.
That said, what do those names imply? Are they plausible? Believable? Do they feel natural? What would you name them? Send me your feedback!
Also important when introducing your character is what they're wearing. You, the writer choose the clothing, hairstyle, and level of grooming.
For example: Stephanie's wearing a clean BDU uniform, her hair cut is short, in accordance with Army regulations, and her M16 is clean. What does this imply? That she cares about being a soldier.
If in the first scene we see her uniform dirty and torn, her hair below the bottom edge of her collar, and dust all over the sights of her M16, what does that imply? Is she battle weary or does she care about being in the army? Does it display a poor attitude? It might not or it just might.
Keep descriptions brief, but not bland.
POOR EXAMPLE: Stephanie straightened out her BDU collar as she looked in the mirror. Her brown eyes stared back at her. She tried to pick her curls into shape but they wouldn't go.
BETTER EXAMPLE: Stephanie adjusted her BDU collar and smiled in the mirror, proud of her private first class bars. Her walnut colored eyes sparkled with pride. Now, if only her curls would stay in place. She pursed her lips, a little frustrated, reached for her pick, and began to run it through her barely tamable frizzy hair.
THE APPEARANCE OF THE SUPPORTING CAST
Keep in mind that with those characters in the supporting cast, their appearance and initial impressions are very important, especially since they are not "POV" characters and the reader won't be privy to their thoughts. The pro to this is that the reader will get an impression of them that the supporting cast character wouldn't normally have of themselves. Let's use our scenario for example.
#1 - Stephanie sighed as she watched Adam pop out of his tent. It really wouldn't take much to wipe down his M16, but she spied a big chuck of dirt stuck in the front sight.
#2 - Stephanie stood at stiff attention as Sergeant Silvia inspected the squad. She had no idea how he made his uniforms so stiff. Did he actually iron it? When did he have the time? Where did he do it at? He was crazy. This was a war zone. It was more important to keep your weapon clean than it was to iron your uniform.
Now that we've met our characters we need to look at another aspect of them before we get into our story - what motivates them?
 NEXT: Your character's background
Sources for this newsletter: "Characters, Emotion, and Viewpoint," by Nancy Kress, published by: F&W Publications, 2005. "Writing Fiction," by Gotham Writer's Workshop faculty, edited by Alexander Steele, published by: Bloomsburg, 2003. |
EDITOR'S NOTE: This week's picks focus on character introductions and character names.
NOTE: Melania Tommaseo is an ethnic name which sets the tone for the story. Good voice here.
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NOTE: Set in the future, the names Ryan, Madison, and Jerry imply a present to future setting.
NOTE: Leena and Professor Rands are two names which fit the characters well.
NOTE: Gold Aspen Leaf and Many Hands are ethnic names which help establish the story and feel natural to the characters.
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NOTE: Mihai, Hecuba, Alice/Esmeralda are names that imply the supernatural.
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Thanks so much for your feedback regarding my July Newsletter! Here are some of your comments:
Fallser 
Hello StephB,
Thanks for the idea of creating the cast of characters that will be in a story. It's sometimes very easy to rush into an idea with a basic idea and one character. I really like the idea of brainstorming a cast. Thanks!
Fallser
I agree, it's really easy to rush into a story with a basic idea and a character. I hope this helps.
Starr Phenix 
Great article, Steph! Character creation is probably my favorite part of the writing process. It is so true that even a character with roots in a 'real' person will (if written correctly) eventually become an entity all its own.
Starr, I love the characters you create. Your whole "Once Upon A Time Series" is excellent. Your characters are firmly routed in th real world and your characters' names fit them well.
kiyasama
Very informative newsletter, Steph. Thanks so much for dealing with characters and their developments. I eagerly wait for the next chapter.
Thank you, Sweetie. I hope you liked this chapter of character development.
katherinerose
Great newsletter as usual StephB. Thanks.
You're welcome, Sweetie.
likenion
True so very true! Characters are important and doing them properly is crucial! Thank you for such a detailed insight on the topic! Bravo!
Keep up the good work!
dejavu_BIG computerprobs
Hi StephB, this was a wonderful and extremely helpful issue of the newsletter. I really enjoy how you match tips with examples. I can't wait for the next issue! Thank you again for including my story'Rules Of The Street'. SM Ferguson
I'm glad you liked it. I enjoyed reading your story "Rules of the Street," and I liked your writing style.
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SantaBee is a 911 Dispatcher for the LAPD. She recieved an Honorable Mention in the 75th Writer's Digest Annual Writing Contest in genre fiction for her short story, "The Music Box." Her novel, "Across the Fickle Winds of History," has been published through Lulu.
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