The basics and fine points of successful fictional characters: traits, relationships, motivations, emotions, humor, strong dialog, and -- above all -- the ability to care. A first-class lesson in empathy and believability for all writers.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
YA-- Young people seriously interested in creative writing will find this manual for developing fictional characters a rich source of detailed information. Students can browse through the 17 chapters, each titled and annotated, without reading the book from cover to cover. Swain talks to his readers in a conversational tone, suggesting techniques, giving examples to illuminate his points, and offering activities for sharpening character development skills. This is a book for those already committed to writing fiction and who want to think about the craft of writing.
Joyce H. Jones, Mount Vernon High School, Alexandria, VA
Copyright 1991 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.About the Author
Dwight V. Swain spent a lifetime writing newspaper and magazine articles, pulp fiction, and screenplays. For more than twenty years he taught in the Professional Writing Program at the University of Oklahoma. His popular book Techniques of the Selling Writer is also published by the University of Oklahoma Press.
--This text refers to an alternate
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dwight V. Swain - Thank You For This Wonderful Book,
By A Customer
This review is from: Creating Characters: How to Build Story People (Paperback)
I purchased the first edition of Creating Characters: How to Build Story People in September 1990 and have had endless hours of inspiration and continuous hours of story people development fun. The examples given in this book open the gate of your creativity, along with opening your mind to wonderful ideas of building story people.From this book you'll learn barn-brush characterization. All you need to start. It focuses you on the basics and it`s easy for both reader and writer to understand. If you are a writer and find yourself bored to tears, purchase Dwight V. Swain's Creating Characters: How to Build Story People and summarize for yourself (better yet, create two characters and let their dialogue tell you what a bargain this book is for $11.99). I read this book over and over to become reinspired. If you are not interested in story people development and are a reader of fiction, purchase this book, if only to experience the magic touch a writer uses to create story people you will call your friends the rest of your life. Thank You: Dwight V. Swain For Writing This Wonderful Book
29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Book You'll Really Use,
This review is from: Creating Characters: How to Build Story People (Paperback)
There are some books you read and then put away and there are books you'll use. This is one you'll use. Swain tells us how to create all types of story characters, how to make them credible, how to describe them, how to motivate them and much more. The book's easy, fun-to-read style makes it ideal for beginners, though more experienced writers can profit as well. Every page offers something worthwhile!
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best!,
By An L.A. Reader (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Creating Characters: How to Build Story People (Paperback)
Over the years I've bought a lot of books on writing, and I can honestly say that the insights presented here are among the practical and useful.Swain understands that characters are NOT folks but instead are constructs, partially based on folks and partially based on the author's needs. I can highly recommend this book.
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
The core of character, experience tells me, lies in each individual story person's ability to care about something; to feel, implicitly or explicitly, that something is important. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
unanticipated alternative, somebody deals, viewpoint character, other story people, dominant impression Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
New York, Sherlock Holmes, The Role of Roles, Sam Spade, World War, Creating Character, Denton Street, James Bond, Louis Warren, Nero Wolfe, New Mexico, Stephen King New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
The core of character, experience tells me, lies in each individual story person's ability to care about something; to feel, implicitly or explicitly, that something is important. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
unanticipated alternative, somebody deals, viewpoint character, other story people, dominant impression Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
New York, Sherlock Holmes, The Role of Roles, Sam Spade, World War, Creating Character, Denton Street, James Bond, Louis Warren, Nero Wolfe, New Mexico, Stephen King New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 98
books:
See all 98 books this book cites
11
books
cite this book:
See all 11 books citing this book
- The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester on page 87, and page 162
- The Call Of The Wild by Jack London on page 105, and page 106
- The Call of the Wild by Jack London on page 105, and page 106
- The Call of the Wild (Aladdin Classics) by Jack London on page 105, and page 106
- Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight V. Swain in Front Matter, and Back Matter
See all 98 books this book cites
- Dream Your Dream: Getting Your Writing Out There! : A Step-By-Step Guide to Successful Writing and Publishing by Valerie Rose on page 25, page 66, and page 151
- You Can Write Children's Books by Tracey E. Dils in Back Matter
- Your Career In The Comics by Lee Nordling in Back Matter
- A Writer's Guide to Fiction (Writer's Compass) by Elizabeth Lyon on page 205
- Write to Publish: Essentials for the Modern Fiction & Memoir Market by Christopher Klim in Back Matter
See all 11 books citing this book
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