Using emotion to create strong, emotional characters and move a plot is critical for any writer in any type of genre. Knowing what kind of emotion to use and how to use it is a different matter, however. And while our fictional characters experience the same wide range of emotions that we do, frustration is...
I often talk in my TV-writing classes about the importance of giving characters TANGIBLE wants, obstacles, conflicts, etc. In other words, we sometimes give our characters internal objectives and obstacles– like the desire to find love, absolve guilt, give forgiveness, be at peace, etc.– but it’s important to find physical, tangible, or visual ways...
Special thanks to Russell, a loyal reader who turned me on to the Keirsey Temperament Sorter, as talked about recently on The Thinking Writer, film exec/producer Jon Deer‘s screenwriting site. Basically, the Keirsey Sorter categorizes personalities into basic archetypes, and as Russell and Jon point out, it’s a great tool for thinking about your...
