Synopses & Reviews
45 Master Characters will make your characters and their stories more compelling, complex and original than ever before.
You'll explore the most common male and female archetypes the mythic, cross-cultural models from which all characters originate and learn how to use them as foundations for your own unique characters. Examples culled from literature, television and film illustrate just how memorable and effective these archetypes can be from "Gladiators" and "Kings" like Rocky Balboa and Captain Ahab to "Amazons" and "Maidens" like Xena and Guinevere.
The mythic journeys of heroes & heroines the progression of events upon which each archetypes character arc develops are also examined. Building such a "journey" into your character's story will enable you to stop worrying about what happens next and get on with telling your tale.
Powerful plots, thought-provoking themes and dynamic descriptions are not enough. You need compelling characters to keep your fiction fresh and your readers interested.
45 Master Characters gives you all the information you need to develop believable characters that resonate with every reader. Each of the 45 entries is derived from a proven, familiar archetype a timeless role model that represents one of the shared qualities, values or stories of humanity. Victoria Lynn Schmidt defines the attributes of each, giving you a foundation upon which to build well-defined characters with purpose.
Hundreds of fun, fascinating examples from film, television and literature make every example crystal clear, while illustrating just how powerful and memorable your characters can be.
Review
"[B]locked writers will find useful leads here." Library Journal
Synopsis
"45 Master Characters" explores the most common male and female archetypes, provides instructions for using them to create original characters, and gives examples of how other authors have brought such archetypes to life in novels, film and television. Worksheets included for writers to develop their own characters. 45 illustrations.
About the Author
Victoria Lynn Schmidt is a screenwriter for both film and television. She is a graduate of the prestigious film program at UCLA and also holds a Masters degree in Screenwriting from Loyola Marymount University. She lives in Los Angeles.