how to CREATE a CHARACTER from *SCRATCH*✍🏼my 3 step character developing process
TLDRIn this video, Anna shares her 3-step process for creating a character from scratch, emphasizing the importance of understanding the story and themes first. She uses her book's main character, Robin, as an example to illustrate how the character's background, social status, and motivations are integral to the narrative. Anna also encourages viewers to consider character limitations and offers free templates for character profiles to help deepen the development process.
Takeaways
- 📝 Start by identifying the story's origins and how it came to be, as this will guide character creation.
- 🎯 Focus on the main themes of your story, such as feminism or social dynamics, to inform character attributes and roles.
- 🌟 Choose characters that reflect and enhance the story's themes, ensuring they are integral to the plot.
- 💭 Limit the number of main characters to one to three to maintain focus and depth in character development.
- 👤 Consider the character's gender, age, social position, and occupation as crucial elements in their development and story relevance.
- 🏰 Use the character's background, such as their environment and experiences, to shape their motivations and actions.
- 🌐 Understand that the plot doesn't happen to the characters, but rather the characters happen to the plot, highlighting their importance.
- 🎭 Develop a deep understanding of your main characters, including their convictions and personal histories, to inform their role in the story.
- 👥 Include side characters that add layers and depth to the main characters, influencing their development and interactions.
- 🖌️ Utilize character profiles to further explore and define the characters' personalities, interests, and backgrounds.
- 📈 Provide templates or guides for character development to assist others in creating well-rounded and compelling characters.
Q & A
What is the main focus of Anna's video?
-The main focus of Anna's video is to discuss a 3-step character development process for creating characters from scratch.
Why does Anna believe it's important to establish the importance of characters in a story?
-Anna believes it's important because characters are crucial in storytelling; they are the ones who tell the story, not the plot happening to them.
How does Anna usually start her writing process?
-Anna usually starts by coming up with the story first and then brings the characters into that story.
What are some themes Anna wanted to emphasize in her book about Robin?
-Anna wanted to emphasize themes like feminism, girl power, and the dynamics between peasants and a kingdom in her book about Robin.
Why did Anna choose a female character for her story?
-Anna chose a female character because it made more sense for the themes she wanted to explore, such as feminism and the struggles of peasants.
How did Anna develop the character of Robin?
-Anna developed Robin as a young peasant girl, a thief, with a backstory of her parents being exiled and killed by the king, fueling her desire for revenge.
What are some factors to consider when developing a character from scratch?
-Factors to consider include the story and themes you want to explore, the character's gender, age, social position, occupation, and their personal convictions.
What does Anna suggest is the next step after establishing the character's role in the story?
-The next step is to delve deeper into the character's personality, interests, and the reasons behind those interests, including the development of side characters.
How does Anna recommend character development for writers?
-Anna recommends using character profiles and provides free templates for both main and side characters to help writers with their character development.
What is the significance of the character's backstory in Anna's process?
-The character's backstory is significant as it provides context for the character's motivations, actions, and how they fit into the story's themes.
What does Anna suggest for limiting the number of main characters in a story?
-Anna suggests focusing on one to two main characters, as it helps maintain a clear narrative and allows for deeper character development.
Outlines
🎨 Character Creation from Scratch
In this paragraph, Anna introduces the concept of creating a character from the ground up. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the story and themes before developing characters. Anna shares her process of creating her main character, Robin, for her project 'BB', highlighting how the character's background, motivations, and role in society were chosen to reflect the themes of feminism, girl power, and revolution. She explains that the character's gender, social status, and occupation are crucial in telling the story and that having a limited number of main characters helps in focusing on their development.
🌟 Developing Characters to Reflect the Story
Anna continues to discuss the development of characters, focusing on how their attributes and personalities should align with the story's themes. She stresses the importance of considering the character's role in the narrative and how their traits contribute to the plot. Anna provides a detailed account of Robin's character, explaining how her background as a peasant and her desire for revenge against the king were instrumental in shaping the story. She also touches on the significance of side characters and their contribution to the main character's development. Anna concludes by encouraging viewers to use character profiles for a deeper understanding of their characters and offers a template for this purpose.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Character Development
💡Story Creation
💡Themes
💡Plot
💡Character World Focus
💡Social Hierarchy
💡Backstory
💡Feminism
💡Revolution
💡Peasants
💡Thief
Highlights
Anna shares her 3-step character developing process for creating characters from scratch.
The importance of understanding the story and its themes before creating characters is emphasized.
Characters should reflect the story's focus, such as gender and social status.
The character Robin is introduced as an example, who embodies themes of feminism and revolution.
The character's background and personal experiences should align with the story's plot.
Limiting the number of main characters helps in focusing on their development and story contribution.
Characters should have a purpose and drive the plot, rather than being passive participants.
The process of character development starts with understanding their role and significance in the narrative.
Anna provides a free template for creating character profiles to help in their development.
The video offers practical advice for writers looking to build strong and impactful characters.
The character's personality, appearance, and name come after establishing their role and significance in the story.
The importance of character-world focus is discussed to create a cohesive and engaging narrative.
Anna's method encourages writers to think deeply about their characters' motivations and backgrounds.
The video provides a clear and structured approach to character creation, beneficial for both new and experienced writers.
The character's social hierarchy and occupation play a crucial role in storytelling.
Anna's enthusiasm for character development is evident, inspiring confidence in her process.