Creating Characters: How to Build Story People

by Dwight V. Swain

Book Overview

A jargon-free manual on the basics of developing interesting fictional charactersVibrant, believable characters help drive a fictional story. Along with a clever plot, well-drawn characters make us... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0898796628
• ISBN13: 9780898796629
• Release Date: January 1994
• Publisher: Writer's Digest Books
• Length: 195 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

The difference between amateur and professional

Years ago, at a garage sale, I stumbled on a copy of Swain's other book, Techniques Of The Selling Writer. Took it home, looked at it and decided it was beneath me -- or at least below the level I fancied I was writing at. A few years later, after three more novel rejections, I took it out and read it. Really read it. It's a basic book, I won't say it isn't. But it covered so much stuff I'd somehow missed. Like the creation of story scenes. When it had sometime to settle in my psyche I started selling short stories. Shortly after, I sold novels. I have now sold eight books -- some not under my own name -- and can live from my writing. As for this book -- I never had a need for a character book. It's one of the things I do intuitively. However, when my husband was struggling with characters I thought "Well, Swain helped me, so..." and I bought him this book. He studied it and his next story was published. I can't garantee these results -- there's so much to the selling of a story or novel that does NOT depend on technique of any sort -- but I can tell you that when I'm mentoring someone -- which I've done a lot since then -- and their issue seems to be technique, Swain's books usually cure the problem.

How to build characters that matter

Dwight Swain taught writing for many years and helped dozens of writers on their way to publication, including me. He practiced what he preached and sold successfully all his lifetime. There is no mystification in this guide, but solid how-to. An indispensable tool for the beginner and useful tips for the professional. Highly recommended. Jeanne Williams, Award-winning author of over 60 books

A Book You'll Really Use

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!

One of the best!

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.

Dwight V. Swain - Thank You For This Wonderful Book

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