Category Archives: Building Characters

Character Development Tricks!

Posted on March 13, 2017 by Melanie Anne Phillips

By Melanie Anne Phillips Although it is possible to write without the use of characters, it is not easy. Characters represent our drives, our essential human qualities. So a story without characters would be a story that did not describe … Continue reading →

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Only One Main Character in a Story

Posted on March 12, 2017 by Melanie Anne Phillips

By Melanie Anne Phillips There’s only one main character in a story.  Why?  Because a story is about the group experience of trying to achieve a goal.  When people come together around a common issue in the real world, they … Continue reading →

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Creating Characters from Scratch

Posted on March 1, 2017 by Melanie Anne Phillips

By Melanie Anne Phillips   In this article, we’ll first take a quick look at the origins of the concept of fictional characters, then outline some practical techniques for creating compelling characters from thin air.   Where Do Characters Come … Continue reading →

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Character Introductions

Posted on December 29, 2016 by Melanie Anne Phillips

Some stories introduce characters as people and then let the reader/audience discover their roles and relationships afterward. This tends to help an audience identify with the characters. Other stories put roles first, so that we know about the person by … Continue reading →

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How do you create a main character who is an antagonist?

Posted on July 31, 2015 by Melanie Anne Phillips

A writer just asked, “Can I make my main character an Antagonist instead of the Protagonist?” My reply: The main character is the one through whose eyes the reader or audience experiences the story. It is the one around whom … Continue reading →

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Character Background Stories

Posted on July 12, 2015 by Melanie Anne Phillips

One of my writing students just asked, “What do I need to develop about a character’s background story even though that character is not the main character?” My reply: For characters other than the main character, a background story is … Continue reading →

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Write Your Novel Step by Step (25) “Who’s Your Main Character?”

Posted on October 1, 2014 by Melanie Anne Phillips

Of all your cast, there is one very special player: the Main Character. Your Main Character is the one your story seems to be about – the one with whom your readers most identify – in short, the single most … Continue reading →

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