Channel Button

There are 13 articles on this title. You are reading the article ranked and rated #3 by Helium's members.

Arts & Humanities   >

Writing Tips

Get a Widget for this title

Tips to ensure varied characterizations in writing

Tips to ensure varied characterizations in writing



In the world that we live in, the types of people that cross our paths every day is diverse. On the surface these seem like ordinary people with ordinary tales, though take a moment and talk with them and each has their own extraordinary tale to tell. Those people are the characters that form the world in which we live.

In fiction, the diversity of characters opens up an avenue for a writer to explore their descriptive skills, though characterization doesn't stop there. There are so many facets to look for and recognize in order to make your characters real and to stand off the page as memorable. Within the pages of a book, the amount of different characters that form the patchwork that forms that perfect picture will be many, and the reason for ensuring that your characters are varied, though that each is described and characterized in as detailed a manner as possible is because that's how the world is.

To get accustomed to the way to mingle the different characters that make a tale, look around you and learn the following observation skills, as they will help enormously in your ability to create a wide range of characters.

*Observation
*Notes
* Background and type
*Logical conclusion

OBSERVATION

For the sake of this exercise, take a notebook and write down all those characters that touch your life on a daily basis. Here, include tradesmen, the postman, the man that stands in the street and sells you newspapers, etc. and try not to leave anyone out who is a regular character in your life. Give them a name, and observe them, without imposing. See the way that they dress and speak, their facial expressions, weaknesses and strengths, and if you know a little about their backgrounds, write it all out in note form. For those who you know little about, use your imagination to fill in the gaps from the impression you get of them.

Observation is one of the most important aspects of character presentation, since only if you observe and are aware of people will you be able to give them characters that work in a written work, and that will be translated by a reader as real people. Close your eyes. Imagine the television screen and characters that you know and love. Describe them to yourself because the skill you are learning is observation, though also the understanding that presentation of them is everything. The television and real life give you real images. In written work, you have to create those same images with words, painting


Below are the top articles rated and ranked by Helium members on:

Tips to ensure varied characterizations in writing

  • 1 of 13

    by EMoore

    Varying your characters when writing fiction is to set for your self goals the characters are to achieve and you must create

    read more

  • 2 of 13

    by Gordon Hamilton

    There are few things which serve as a bigger turn-off when reading a novel than coming across staid, uninteresting or stereotypical

    read more

  • 3 of 13

    by Rachelle de Bretagne

    Tips to ensure varied characterizations in writing



    In the world that we live in, the types of people that cross our paths

    read more

  • 4 of 13

    by Elton Gahr

    As you write it is often easy to get into ruts and one of the easiest to fall into is that of characterization. It is entirely

    read more

  • 5 of 13

    by Paul Lines

    Characterisation is one of the main foundations for writing that appeals to others, especially in the area of fiction. Unless

    read more

View All Articles on:
Tips to ensure varied characterizations in writing

Add your voice

Know something about Tips to ensure varied characterizations in writing?
We want to hear your view. Write_penWrite now!

Helium Debate

Cast your vote!

Does motherhood really spell the end of writing?

Click for your side.

121751

Featured Partner

Sunshine Week

Sunshine Week is a nonpartisan, good-government effort led by the American Society of Newspaper Editors, but with a c...more

What is Helium? | Buy Web Content | Contact Us | Privacy | User agreement | DMCA | User Tools | Help | Community | Helium’s Official Blog | Link to Helium

Helium, Inc.
200 Brickstone Square Andover, MA 01810 USA