Book Review Nicholas Corder Creating Convincing Characters

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2013 - Compass Books From creative writing workshops and feedback to my writings I know that developing strong characters is my biggest weakness. Corder's writing guide is therefore invaluable to me. He suggests a number of approaches, from drawing on childhood memories of other people, good and bad teachers, school bullies and their motivations etc. He adds that it can help to think of characters as animals, the dirty pig, eagle-eyed observer, memory like an elephant, etc. He suggests creating characters who are the opposite to someone you know, so pick a tall friend an imagine them short or vice versa. If someone is rich, picture them poor. He gives handy lists of character quirks and personality disorders a character could have. Exercises in character development include picturing how two others would think / talk of them behind their back, or how an MC might introduce them if they were giving a stage presentation or performance. What might an employer make of their CV credentials or the first impression they make in an interview? If you were meeting them on a blind date what would you think on first meeting them? Such exercises and questions run throughout this very handy guide. Arthur Chappell