Customer Reviews

Dynamic Characters

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Nancy Kress is the author of over a dozen books of fiction, including Beggars in Spain, which won both the Hugo and Nebula awards. She is the fiction columnist for Writer's Digest (WD) magazine, and her short fiction frequently appears in Omni magazine. She also teaches fiction-writing classes for universities and writing conferences.

I've been a fan of Kress's fiction column in WD for a long time now, and this book is an extended version of her clear, enlightening advice. The topics covered in Dynamic Characters include: (1) the definition and purpose of characters; (2) naming characters; (3) the influence of setting on characterization; (4) how dialogue reveals characters; (5) choosing telling details to describe characters; (6) basing characters on real people; (7) internal dialogue; (8) dreams; (9) villains; (10) unsympathetic protagonists; (11) how plot affects characterization; (12) secondary characters; (13) conflict leading to violence; (14) growth and transformation in characters; (15) basing plot on real-life events; (16) connections between characters, plot and theme; (17) biographical questionnaire for characters.

All of these topics are thoroughly covered in a clear, helpful manner. My favorite section of the book is the 14-page character biography form Kress calls an "Intelligence Dossier." I transcribed its questions into my computer and use it regularly to help me flesh out my characters when I am in the backstory phase.

I highly recommend this book not only to brand new fiction writers, but to experienced ones as well. Kress provides an abundance of insights useful to authors of every level of accomplishment.

Kress is author of the widely read Beginnings, Middles & Ends of the Writers' Digest Elements of Fiction Writing Series. Those who have been inspired and taught by Kress' work in Writers' Digest Magazine will find this book filled with material from the "Fiction" column for which Kress writes. Kress has taken a systems approach to fiction, refusing to completely segment the different elements but rather bringing all elements together to dance and balance like one of John Bradshaw's mobiles.

Dynamic Characters is divided into three parts -- covering "externals," "internals," and "plot." "Externals" deals with the character's appearance, name, setting, employment, and dialogue. Kress also includes two chapters designed to harness unhelpful characterization. "Internals" deals with internal thought processes, dreams and responses to newscasts, and villains & other unsympathetic characters. The third part on "plot" covers conflict, point of view, secondary characters, character change, and theme. The plot section also includes two chapters on where plots can come from.

Right from the start this is the type of book that you'll want to hold in one hand so the other can create characters as you read. It is infinitely more helpful than the variety of "characterization checklists" available on the internet. While such checklists can be helpful for triggering some ideas, usually they are too clinical and fail to adequately suggest life for your characters. Kress helps the reader to see the possibilities inherent in each choice made for the character. Not only does she ask us to decide what kind of vehicle the character drives, but she also prods the reader to consider how the choice of vehicle affects and is affected by the character's personality.

Those who are expecting a book in which every word is directly related to the process of characterization are bound to be disappointed or confused. At least four chapters have very little to do with characterization directly. Two chapters cover technicalities of the craft of dialogue and one covers internal monologue -- seeming out-of-place from the earlier chapters more obviously about characterization. Later, in the "plot" section, Kress has given us chapters on conflict and basic plotting. In each of these chapters Kress takes a break from strict characterization to focus on other elements of fiction craft which impact characterization indirectly.

Kress's new book does include a checklist with a good deal of the information from Dynamic Characters included. It offers almost as much suggestion as it requests response. Example:

BEDTIME

Does he/she usually go to bed at a consistent time? ___Yes ___No
What Time?____________________________
With Whom?___________________________
When does a bedtime occur at a different time?___________________________________
Does he/she usually fall asleep right away? ___Yes ___No
If no, what is s/he doing in the meantime--Reading, watching TV, sex, tossing and turning, etc.?

This checklist can easily be photocopied by the book's owner and used for a variety of characters.

Since Kress' new book does cover territory beyond mere characterization, however, it could be used by a beginning novelist still learning the elements of fiction craft. The final part of the book covering plot weaves together plot, characters, viewpoint, and structure in a unique and particularly helpful way. My favorite chapter is called "Also Featuring," in which Kress shows us how secondary characters can help us solve a variety of plot problems: Characters which are unaccounted for at the end of the plot, undermotivated actions necessary to the climax, implausibility in the plot, a too-abrupt climax, "thin spots" in the plot, cliché'd scenes, and a distant subplot. For each of these problems Kress demonstrates ways in which secondary characters can step in and save the day.

Kress has also done something particularly helpful, showing how plot itself can be about character change. We've all seen it done, but this is extraordinarily difficult to do without instruction or luck. Here's the instruction.

At the end of each chapter is a short summary -- 5 or 6 sentences in which the basic gist of the chapter is outlined. This can help the reader narrow down his selection process when seeking inspiration or a solution to a problem.

Still, Kress' writing is enjoyable enough to capture a reader's attention from cover to cover. Even if this is difficult to find, I recommend going the extra mile to get it. It doesn't belong closed up on your shelf, in belongs open -- in front of your eyes.

I read Nancy Kress's fiction column in Writer's Digest Magazine every month and find it always has very practical suggestions. This book on characters is a wonderful compilation of all her wisdom on a topic of particular interest to writers of popular fiction. She does an outstanding job. So much so that I found myself taking extensive notes in an attempt to burn in my brain all the great advice she gives. One of the most wonderful parts of the book is the extensive outline she provides for creating a biography for each of your major characters. This is extremely helpful! I plan to use it for all my future stories.

This book is a very valuable insight to the writer who has no idea how to work with characterization (would someone mail a copy of this to Robin Cook?). Kress covers all aspects of characterization--from what you need to know about your character, how to use it, character growth, and how character and plot work together. She also provides great examples to click home what she is trying to explain to you. Her examples come from a wide variety of literature (though my favorite was her example from Stephen King's Carrie). This is important to all learning writers.

I look forward to reading Nancy Kress's column in WD Magazine. She knows how to get her information across in an interesting, thought-provoking way. Her book on character development is absolutely great. It covers all aspects of development, including themes, situations, and different points of view. Her characterization chart is extensive with details. Anyone who uses it will know their character(s) from the inside out. I can't wait to see what her next book will be about.

If you are a writer who adores reading and writing stories that focus on the characters, you'll fall in love with Dynamic Characters. The author provides an excellent guide to developing characters plus great direction on how to create a meaningful plot based on who your characters are. She also includes one of the best chapters on dialogue I've ever read. Her examples are crystal clear as well as inspiring to the creative muse (hmm, how could I apply this to my story? Oh, yes, this way and that way and...) Because Ms. Kress covers everything that matters to characterization, this book goes far beyond merely how to create fictional characters. It is instead one of the best comprehensive how-to-write books available.

First of all, don't let this book sit on your shelf! Nancy Kress is an amazing author. She has such a feel for words and makes the reader want to keep reading. It flows well from the first page.

She has checklists for characterization that can be found on the internet! She divides the book in three parts: internal, external and plot.

After having followed other articles and books by Ms. Kress in Writer's Digest, I knew I was a huge fan, but this book convinced me beyond a shadow of a doubt.
I'm focused right now on the "internal dialogue" chapters which someone else might skip over, but is vital to my thriller.

I think that's what I like so much about this book. You can zero in on what you need and don' have to read the whole book, cover to cover. She isn't chatty, and is not boring.

At the end of each chapter she summarizes what she covered, which is great for me. Sometimes, I go straight to the summary to see if I want to read that chapter.

I feel like I have the benefit of Nancy herself telling me where the "thin spots" are and the "implausibilty in the plot" can be found. The lessons I've learned in the few short weeks since this book arrived are amazing.
If you can only afford one book right now, I seriously recommend this one.
(I also think you should get her book, "Beginnings, Middles and Ends")

There are a certain number of people out there who object to the "list method" of creating a character. And on some points I agree with them. You cannot make a character just by figuring out what they like for breakfast and listing what they do all day. However, far too many beginning writers forget to think of their characters as people who do eat breakfast and pee and grew up somewhere and have fears that have nothing to do with the plot.

This books encourages writers to think about all aspects of character and helps them to think about them in fuller, more realized ways.

I use this book when teaching writing and my students really enjoy it. It helps not only before you begin writing a story or novel, but in the revision process as well.

Often I find reference books that skim a variety of topics, never giving enough focus to one particular topic. Dynamic Characters breaks down character creation and development into clear and concise segments, with detailed discussion for each topic. The techniques Kress shows have already helped in my writing attempts.

Nancy Kress believes that writing need not be a mysterious art employed only by a select few; it is something that in large part can be explained and taught and understood. She also has a great sense of irony and humor. These traits make this one of the most enjoyable and accessible writing books I've ever read.

"Dynamic Characters" covers a lot of ground. I was surprised to find so much information on dialogue in here, for example. We can't chisel a character out of the work of fiction it's found in and deal with it as a separate entity; character is intimately tied to the rest of a story. Even while we're writing dialogue, setting, and and plot we should be thinking about how it impacts (and is impacted by) our characters. The author presents a million and one different ways to delve into, think about, and develop wonderful characters.

Ms. Kress tells us what the pitfalls are of various techniques, what risks we're taking, why different things are considered trite or overused (and what we might try to make them fresh again), as well as why we still might want to try some methods in certain circumstances. She tells us how as well as why, so that we can make our own informed decisions.

She's very good about putting her suggestions within the context of all sorts of types of writing: literary fiction, mysteries, romances, science fiction, fantasy, and so on. She uses numerous published examples from sources as disparate as Dickens and Stephen King. This book treats its subject matter extremely thoroughly, is inspiring and enjoyable, and could greatly improve your fiction. The only flaw I found is that it makes other writing books look so much less effective and interesting by comparison.

What are you waiting for? If your fiction could use even the smallest boost, then read Dynamic Characters.

...