Customer Reviews

Getting into Character: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn from Actors

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This book seemed to be one-half Lajos Egri (The Art of Creative Writing) and one-half John Cleaver (Immediate Fiction). Like both of these authors, Brandilyn Collins explains how to create well-developed, compelling characters that you can let loose in your stories.

All of the author's techniques tie back to Stansislavsky's "Method Acting." Each chapter starts with an analysis of one of techniques of Method Acting. Then that technique is summarized in terms of ficiton writing. The remaining chapter fills in the details and gives examples.

In addition to the techniques of character development, the author presents several narrative frameworks for the overall plotting of the story. She also discusses crafting each scene using character objectives that flow from the character's Inner Values.

The chapter on dialog was interesting. Here, the author shows you how to link the hidden-message of dialog (sub-texting) back to the richly-developed psychological profile, or inner values, of the character.

I liked the book very much - particularly her conceptualization of Method Acting back to narrative writing and her well-explained examples. This book is different than many others describing character development. The author also includes exercises that the reader can pursue.

John Dunbar
Sugar Land, TX

If you want to get a headstart into what is to come in the next wave of character development then get this book. In my opinion, the future of character development and the secrets in creating a real person on paper lies in the studies done by professional acting coaches.

How did I get this opinion? Well, I was so enlightened by the information in this writing manual that I read the books by the acting coaches Collins refers to and discovered that Collins has scraped the surfaced on a whole science. These acting coaches studied human behavior not only from a scientific point of view but from a sensory point of view. At the time these "Acting Scientists" wrote these books, human behavior sciences like psychology, psychiatry and hypnotherapy were making great strides and right along with them, "Acting Scientists" were adding these priniciples to their acting methods creating a science that changed acting forever. And today, thanks to Collins, Novelists who want to create a real person can benifit handsomely.

There is a thin line between a great novelist and a great actor and I hope to see more acting techniques being translated for the novelist who wants to be great.

The other reveiwers have it right. After studying more than 30 titles on the craft of writing, I can say that this is by far the most useful work on developing believable and well-rounded characters that I have seen to date. The information is timely, practical, and accessible. The examples are well-organized and perfectly suited to the material. The writer can take what he learns and put into practice immediately. Excellent work!

Brandilyn Collins treats us to the seven secrets she uses to bring her fiction to life. Through great examples and thorough explanations, she shows writers how to incorporate these secrets.

Beginning with personalizing, she encourages writers to dig deeply to understand themselves and their characters in a way that almost guarantees well-rounded characters. She delves into areas not often thought about that broaden and strengthen stories in surprising ways.

Use of action objectives provides clear motives, tension and conflict for characters, and subtexting explains how to capture unspoken dialogue on the printed page. Coloring passions and inner rhythm help writers develop rich, believable, emotional characters. Restraint and control explains how authors can make the best word choices, and emotion memory enables writers to create vivid characters even though they have not had experiences similar to those of their characters.

The appendix alone is worth the price of the book, because it recommends additional books on writing fiction. Each entry lists the book Ms. Collins recommends and the secret it supplements. 'Getting Into Character' will help both novice and experienced writers hone their skills. My well-worn copy sits on my desk so I can refer to it often.

Brandilyn Collins has written one of the most valuable books for novelists wanting to create multi-dimensional characters. I have read several books on creating characters, including books by renowned Hollywood script consultants, and none of them comes close to being as unique, helpful, and well written.

Brandilyn has a great teaching style in her writing and she uses perfect examples to explain the Method acting theories and how they can help novelists create characters whose traits are integral to the plot and not just an afterthought.

I can't write a glowing enough review of Getting Into Character. Brandilyn's book is helping me to dig deeper into my characters, to understand not just their motivation but the psychology behind that motivation. I can already tell that many of the struggles I've been having will no longer be a problem thanks to this book. If you are serious about getting published this is a must for your writer's library.

The reviewers have said it all, and yet I feel the need to add my two cents as an author and a 'how-to' book collector.

I struggled with my characters from the beginning and since reading Brandilyn's book I can understand why. Never before have I read a book that gives such explicit examples of how to create characters of depth and motivation.

My copy is dog-eared, highlighted, scribbled, and has lovingly earned a spot on my shelf as a book I could not write without. I can't recommend GETTING INTO CHARACTER enough for new authors and those who think they have nothing more to learn.

This is the best "how-to-write" book I have read (and I have over 30 "how-to" books on my shelf now that I have studied). This is great for beginning fiction writers or advanced writers - anyone who wants to make their characters and their stories come to life.

Brandilyn Collins' book GETTING INTO CHARACTER: SEVEN SECRETS A NOVELIST CAN LEARN FROM ACTORS has opened my eyes to how to make my characters sparkle on the pages.

In fact, Brandilyn's chapter on the "Personalizing" process led me to some new realizations about my major character in my current novel-in-progress. I discovered things about my character that I would never have dreamed up without the steps that Brandilyn recommended.

I also loved the entire "Inner Rhythm" chapter in Brandilyn's book - that is be the perfect way to capture on paper the "pace" of the story along with the exact thoughts and movements of my characters. And the "Emotion Memory" chapter is fantastic. I can see how much easier it is to capture some of the inner turmoil that my characters are facing in my novel by using what Brandilyn suggested.

Even if you think you don't need to buy another "how-to-write" book, I would HIGHLY recommend Brandilyn Collins' book.

Melissa Lowe Richardson
Blue Dove Ministries
Helping to heal "blue" hearts using Christian fiction books
www.BlueDoveMinistries.com
Melissa@BlueDoveMinistries.com

Brandilyn Collins, who has created some of the most memorable characters in fiction, has taken the principles of Method Acting and applied them to creating 3-dimensional characters in fiction. From personalizing your characters to discovering their deepest desires and emotions, Getting Into Character can help even the most inexperienced writer create believable characters that their readers will bond with emotionally.

I am close to finishing my degree to teach college-level Creative Writing and plan to use Brandilyn's book as one of my main texts in teaching fiction writing.

Explore your characters before you write your story. This book will help by making you get to know them-- it's as easy as starting with an interview. I recommend this to fiction writers of all genres.

If you write and are in the market to raise your writing to the level of such literary greats as Twain, Austen, Tolstoy, Dickens, Siddons, Dumas, Hugo, Mitchard, Foster, Waller, Martini or Saul, then this is a must have for your research library. From the fingers of Brandilyn Collins comes the experience of a best selling novelist and her adaptation of Method acting director/instructor, Stanislasky's words. Included are samples of contemporary and classic novels teaching you how to push your writing higher. You can learn how to draw the reader to your characters as their story unfolds. Don't miss this one!