I have a character that fits this structure rather well. He has a number of weaknesses, and fails frequently at the start of the book. The antagonist claims a few victories and our hero is deeply shaken. Things get worse, and he must choose what he will do; will he cave in, or stand up for what he believes to be right? How far can he go before he breaks? By the end, he manages to overcome, though just barely. He is stronger, more competent and determined to stop the antagonist at whatever cost. His past lingers with him the while, and drives his actions with more force than anything merely within himself.
Hi Cameron, I stumbled across your videos yesterday, and I have enjoyed every one so far. I like the way you break down each topic into digestible portions. A lot of creative writing channels I've come across in the past don't do/are able to do that. Please keep doing what you're doing. It's helping me with a horror novel I'm writing.
@GreyGooseBows Thank you for saying so! I really appreciate you watching and am happy my videos are helpful to you. Feel free to keep me updated on your novel's progress and if you have any questions or topics you might want covered/answered.
This video, near the end, hits my biggest problem with my protagonist right as someone who always dreamed of being a hero but falls hard into a revenge-like path. I have it my mostly planned out with a, currently, very vague evolution from a naive outlook on what we imagine a hero to be and what it means to be a real hero in a more serious lifestyle. Another way to look at it simply and rather bluntly is growing up. My character doesn't necessarily have a problem doing what he needs to do but is stuck in a path between right and wrong.
Congrats on tripling your first k :D ♥ I've found your stuff really helpful for writing my own things and stories and love your in depth discussion on thi. Thank you so much!
Thank you so much!! I know it is crazy... I did not expect to grow this quickly. Thank you so much for watching, I am so glad these videos are helping you!
Thank you so much for your support! I'm glad to hear that my videos are useful for your writing process. Some of them take a lot of time to make so it's nice to hear from other writers that they are helpful!
Beliefs/morality is number one. If character and character be share the same beliefs, you should ask yourself if is no need to have both of them in the story
This can be a good rule of thumb to go by. One thing too that you might want to try, is that they share the same belief, but might be different extremes of it. Or, how they got to that belief and how far they might take it will be different.
You asked to let you know when I finished. Well, the first chapter (3385 words) is pretty much finished up to the point where things get technical. After that, the book will be entirely in Lithuanian. I can probably tweak it a bit more in a couple of months, but I do not see myself being able to do a major rewrite because it would be outside my style. So, it would be interesting to know whether I should continue making an effort to continue writing or to move onto the next project (the technical side) and forget the fiction. Other channels do a review of such texts as a public posting. This is fine by me; I would only ask that I be given an opportunity to respond. I say that because some of my decisions might be controversial and a better understanding of that basis would allow for more accurate criticism. (from 'This is an out-and-out error,' to 'This wording does not convey that thought adequately.') That would give you a chance to demonstrate the skills you offer for sale. I will see a reply to this comment, which is the easiest way to get my attention.
Thank you for updating me on your progress! It's always inspiring to hear about other writers' achievements and progress. Feel free to send me an email with some sample pages if you'd like me to look your work over. I have seen other channels do what you mentioned--a sort of "live-critique". I've thought about this, but am not 100% sure if this is something I will do... Perhaps though! Regardless, feel free to shoot me an email if you would like some feedback!
Good to hear from you. After the previous comment disappeared, I got worried, was afraid I had bugged you too much. Of course, no guarantees of any response whatsoever on Chapter 1. I have watched a few such live reviews. I have a mixed opinion of them myself. In one, the first page was an info dump but instead of deleting it, the reviewer just polished the text. Others have been more selective with their texts. Where that format really shines is when concrete alternatives are shown for specific sentences, for example, converting telling to showing or non-descript to image-forming. As to copyright, I am guessing that a dated publication like a YT posting would cover that in large part. A good part of the text is language specific, so anyone using it as inspiration is going to have to make substantial changes. So long as they do not interfere with my right to copyright it properly in the future, I do not mind someone using it as inspiration. I say inspiration because few are going to be able to copy my style. And the foreshadowing is general enough to where their story is likely to be far different from what I have imagined. Thus, I am guessing that allowing viewers to read the full text I sent via email would not be a problem. But I will leave the final decisions in your hands as you have more experience. @@wrestlingwithwords
No worries at all--you haven't bugged me haha. I agree, there are some strengths to that sort of review, and can even be helpful to other viewers in many ways. I have no plans right now to do that sort of thing right now though. In regards to copyright, I expect you're protected. But I was mostly saying that if you wanted to get another pair of eyes on your work I sometimes offer my services for free to people who I engage with online. It's good practice for me and I know how hard it can be to get good critique and feedback as a writer. I wouldn't do anything live or make a video out of someone else work unless I had explicit permission.
And I was trying to say you had permission. The premise has potential and has not been worked to death. It was, to a degree, suggested by Gardner's namesake, which is how I learned Lithuanian. I realise that time is valuable and limited, and so I try not to infringe too much. I would be interested in your comments as the short story of yours that I read showed that you know how to edit and that our styles are similar enough. So far, no one has been begging me for chapter two (unlike they have with Rothfuss), so it is possible that my glory is all in my own head, which worries me. @@wrestlingwithwords
Odd. Once again my comments disappeared. If I am commenting too much, just say so. It's not a problem. part 1 Congratulations on reaching 1000 subscribers. The big hurdle ahead, perhaps in 2 years’ time, is moderators because answering comments is going to become overwhelming. One thought that was skirted around is the source of one’s characters. People are complex and I find the best characters I generate are based on aspects of myself. For example, we all feel jealous sometimes. So, experiencing the world through a jealous character’s eyes is simply to allow one’s own jealousy to run rampant on the page. The description of the character. I agree that different people have different approaches: some like to preplan everything, others to work on the fly. But. I used to hate description at school because I am face blind, I see the world blurrily, I can hardly smell which means taste is limited to my tongue, and I come from a culture without a lot of touching, so I am out of contact for the most part. It is not the physical description that I remember from a book. I am noticing Conan’s hair colour only because it differs from Schwarzenegger’s. That said, physical description is not that important for me. I’ll probably have to address that at some point in the future. What surprised me was that you created stress at the beginning by stressing the need to develop a character fairly fully before starting to write. I would say it is great if a person does manage to do a full description at the beginning, but not to worry if one has not and not to hold that description as set in stone. I believe you have spoken of layering, of adding additional layers with each edit. I would say that is the best time to flesh out characters, as the need arises. For example, whether a character has a striking appearance or not would certainly affect their personality but is it essential to the plot? That a protagonist fails to recognise a person with a striking appearance means much more than a failure with a grey man/woman. Adding description because one is supposed to is just info dumping. The description is just to create consistency but what if a character’s character is to be inconsistent?
part 2 The problem with preplanning all the characters completely is that it removes the element of surprise. One of the things that Chris Columbus did right in the Harry Potter films was that sense of wonder. (Rowling was more about the intellect, Columbus about the emotions.) Many book characters are masters of their world. They might be surprised by the big things, but not by the insignificant. That is a major difference between Home Alone and Harry Potter 1. While Kevin is surprised by the outside world, the burglars (more specifically, how they are going to act) are no surprise for him, but Harry is unable to anticipate anything. How much a character reveals or does not reveal is more a function of plot. Yes, at a crucial scene, a character might reveal 20 things, 19 irrelevant or false, in order to hide the one critical one, but to do that throughout the book would mean either a very long book or a very simple plot. I see that you like to preplan everything. I used to be that way too but 3 decades of living in an unpredictable environment have changed my way of thinking. Do we really see one another? How much of our interaction with others is really our interaction with the image in our own minds? The current Russo-Ukrainian War is a good example of that. Nearly everyone in the West thought it would be over by now because what society would be willing to endure Russia’s losses and keep on fighting. Thus, how much do characters actually interact and how much do they react to the images in their own minds? This might be a great way to create depth in a story. I can see where knowing a character’s goals is important for plotting the story, but most people do not know their own goals, which I think you have mentioned before. I have more objectives in my life than goals. Objectives like writing a book. I think about that. Goals like being happy and secure. I don’t think about those unless they are missing in my life. But that is me. Others can be unhappy and/or insecure and not worry about it. I suppose that is how I have changed over time. When I was young, I did a lot more preplanning. But learning a language or writing a book is a marathon, not a sprint. Your eye has to be on the next step, not the last step. You have to live in the moment.
part 3 Interesting. When you are talking about goals (character arcs), you are describing the difference between plot-driven stories and character-driven stories. Minor things can be character driven, but I would expect major protagonist goals to be plot driven. For example, if I decide to write a romance, that character arc is critical to the type of plot. Goal one: does the character realise that happiness comes only from inside or do they continue to believe that something external (love, God, a partner) has to supply it? Goal two: what obstacle does the author foresee to be obstructing love: money, trust, humour, etc.? That is a commercial approach because a book needs to fit in a niche. But I can see character driven working for the story of yours that I read. Cares deeply about? I think entrenched ideas, things taken for granted are more earthshaking. The thing is, if a person is consciously striving for a goal, everything is on the table. What they take for granted is subtle, spoken about obliquely. Thus, the twist at the end is greater. That’s why this step is so hard; the author is trying to figure out their own entrenched ideas that they take for granted. Now if you want to get interesting, have the character ‘make a mistake’ and act out of character/immorally, like in The Scarlet Letter. How does the character handle their own moral failures? I sort of went through this process in creating my protagonist, but it failed with the rest. They just had to find their own voice. The only planning I did with them was to determine their role in the story (potential friend, service provider, teacher, trickster, etc.), nationality, gender, level of friendliness, and level of education.
I wrote the second comment directly under the post, so that is lost. But I did want to add that I am constantly adding qualities to the personalities in the layers. For example, I realised this weekend that the protagonist should both show anger towards others and at the same time, be envious because she is looking for happiness to be given to her instead of finding it within herself. It’s easier to add depth during editing than in the rough draft.
I am not a writer yet, but I think the main thing in the video is determin that what your main character is like in the binging of the story, What they believe or what they like is formed in there past, from when they were kid until now (the starting of the story) and they will act with there beliefs at the start, but they can change through the story and form new beliefs, and that is the story we are telling, So determining our character's beliefs and behavior at the start of the story is a must
And even a short comment has disappeared. I am guessing this has to do with the total length of the comment and its replies as longer comments have disappeared and now a short one. To repeat: And I was trying to say you had permission. The premise has potential and has not been worked to death. It was, to a degree, suggested by Gardner's namesake, which is how I learned Lithuanian. I realise that time is valuable and limited, and so I try not to infringe too much and to repay as best I can. I would be interested in your comments as the short story of yours that I read showed that you know how to edit and that our styles are similar enough to make the comments appropriate. So far, no one has been begging me for chapter two (unlike they have with Rothfuss), so it is possible that my glory is all in my own head, which worries me.
Merry Christmas happy new year mr Aaron. Thank you for your wonderful educational channel about creative writing. I gathered main information about topic you mentioned briefly here it’s strong character has following certain steps as compelling backstory, strong motivation and goals , multiple difficult decisions to make , bold personality leads to bold choice , relevance to external conflict, change of heart near end of story . Example of strong character Have qualities and traits such as courage , integrity, honesty , resilience. We appreciate your great efforts as foreigners subscribers as overseas students want to increase our cultural level improve our English as well. Happy holiday season . Best wishes for you your dearest ones .
A couple of other comments. 1. You are very capable of editing yourself, but self-editing requires space, which a YT channel does not allow. You need an editor to check perspective, for example, so that your message remains consistent. I am willing to volunteer, but I don't know if I am gentle enough for your taste. 2. In editing this audio track, I noticed that you do not modulate your sound. You need a sound editor or you can do it yourself with Audacity. There are YT videos that will explain how to do this quickly.
Thank you to everyone who has subscribed so far! I am looking forward to making videos for you this coming year!
I have a character that fits this structure rather well. He has a number of weaknesses, and fails frequently at the start of the book. The antagonist claims a few victories and our hero is deeply shaken. Things get worse, and he must choose what he will do; will he cave in, or stand up for what he believes to be right? How far can he go before he breaks? By the end, he manages to overcome, though just barely. He is stronger, more competent and determined to stop the antagonist at whatever cost. His past lingers with him the while, and drives his actions with more force than anything merely within himself.
Congrats. This channel is so underrated! Keep up the good work. It helps.
Thank you for saying so! I am glad you found it helpful!
Hi Cameron, I stumbled across your videos yesterday, and I have enjoyed every one so far. I like the way you break down each topic into digestible portions. A lot of creative writing channels I've come across in the past don't do/are able to do that.
Please keep doing what you're doing. It's helping me with a horror novel I'm writing.
@GreyGooseBows Thank you for saying so! I really appreciate you watching and am happy my videos are helpful to you. Feel free to keep me updated on your novel's progress and if you have any questions or topics you might want covered/answered.
This video, near the end, hits my biggest problem with my protagonist right as someone who always dreamed of being a hero but falls hard into a revenge-like path. I have it my mostly planned out with a, currently, very vague evolution from a naive outlook on what we imagine a hero to be and what it means to be a real hero in a more serious lifestyle. Another way to look at it simply and rather bluntly is growing up. My character doesn't necessarily have a problem doing what he needs to do but is stuck in a path between right and wrong.
I've always loved using the theme or deconstructing the question "What's a hero". Thank you for watching and sharing!
Congrats on tripling your first k :D ♥ I've found your stuff really helpful for writing my own things and stories and love your in depth discussion on thi. Thank you so much!
Thank you so much!! I know it is crazy... I did not expect to grow this quickly. Thank you so much for watching, I am so glad these videos are helping you!
Congratulations on hitting 1k!
Thank you!! 2023 has been good to both of us!!🔥
aspiring writer here❤
Welcome! Thank you for watching and stopping by :).
Congratulations on hitting 1k! I love these videos, they really help with the writing process.
Thank you so much for your support! I'm glad to hear that my videos are useful for your writing process. Some of them take a lot of time to make so it's nice to hear from other writers that they are helpful!
Beliefs/morality is number one. If character and character be share the same beliefs, you should ask yourself if is no need to have both of them in the story
This can be a good rule of thumb to go by. One thing too that you might want to try, is that they share the same belief, but might be different extremes of it. Or, how they got to that belief and how far they might take it will be different.
@@wrestlingwithwords that's great.
Very excited to watch this! Congrats on 1k subs!!!!
Thank you so much 🤗
You're doing at least an okay work!
Thank you for the feedback!
You asked to let you know when I finished. Well, the first chapter (3385 words) is pretty much finished up to the point where things get technical. After that, the book will be entirely in Lithuanian. I can probably tweak it a bit more in a couple of months, but I do not see myself being able to do a major rewrite because it would be outside my style. So, it would be interesting to know whether I should continue making an effort to continue writing or to move onto the next project (the technical side) and forget the fiction. Other channels do a review of such texts as a public posting. This is fine by me; I would only ask that I be given an opportunity to respond. I say that because some of my decisions might be controversial and a better understanding of that basis would allow for more accurate criticism. (from 'This is an out-and-out error,' to 'This wording does not convey that thought adequately.') That would give you a chance to demonstrate the skills you offer for sale. I will see a reply to this comment, which is the easiest way to get my attention.
Thank you for updating me on your progress! It's always inspiring to hear about other writers' achievements and progress. Feel free to send me an email with some sample pages if you'd like me to look your work over. I have seen other channels do what you mentioned--a sort of "live-critique". I've thought about this, but am not 100% sure if this is something I will do... Perhaps though!
Regardless, feel free to shoot me an email if you would like some feedback!
Good to hear from you. After the previous comment disappeared, I got worried, was afraid I had bugged you too much.
Of course, no guarantees of any response whatsoever on Chapter 1.
I have watched a few such live reviews. I have a mixed opinion of them myself. In one, the first page was an info dump but instead of deleting it, the reviewer just polished the text. Others have been more selective with their texts.
Where that format really shines is when concrete alternatives are shown for specific sentences, for example, converting telling to showing or non-descript to image-forming.
As to copyright, I am guessing that a dated publication like a YT posting would cover that in large part. A good part of the text is language specific, so anyone using it as inspiration is going to have to make substantial changes. So long as they do not interfere with my right to copyright it properly in the future, I do not mind someone using it as inspiration. I say inspiration because few are going to be able to copy my style. And the foreshadowing is general enough to where their story is likely to be far different from what I have imagined. Thus, I am guessing that allowing viewers to read the full text I sent via email would not be a problem.
But I will leave the final decisions in your hands as you have more experience.
@@wrestlingwithwords
No worries at all--you haven't bugged me haha.
I agree, there are some strengths to that sort of review, and can even be helpful to other viewers in many ways. I have no plans right now to do that sort of thing right now though.
In regards to copyright, I expect you're protected. But I was mostly saying that if you wanted to get another pair of eyes on your work I sometimes offer my services for free to people who I engage with online. It's good practice for me and I know how hard it can be to get good critique and feedback as a writer. I wouldn't do anything live or make a video out of someone else work unless I had explicit permission.
And I was trying to say you had permission. The premise has potential and has not been worked to death. It was, to a degree, suggested by Gardner's namesake, which is how I learned Lithuanian.
I realise that time is valuable and limited, and so I try not to infringe too much. I would be interested in your comments as the short story of yours that I read showed that you know how to edit and that our styles are similar enough. So far, no one has been begging me for chapter two (unlike they have with Rothfuss), so it is possible that my glory is all in my own head, which worries me.
@@wrestlingwithwords
I received your email! I will try to take a look and give you some feedback soon!
Odd. Once again my comments disappeared. If I am commenting too much, just say so. It's not a problem.
part 1
Congratulations on reaching 1000 subscribers. The big hurdle ahead, perhaps in 2 years’ time, is moderators because answering comments is going to become overwhelming.
One thought that was skirted around is the source of one’s characters. People are complex and I find the best characters I generate are based on aspects of myself. For example, we all feel jealous sometimes. So, experiencing the world through a jealous character’s eyes is simply to allow one’s own jealousy to run rampant on the page.
The description of the character. I agree that different people have different approaches: some like to preplan everything, others to work on the fly. But. I used to hate description at school because I am face blind, I see the world blurrily, I can hardly smell which means taste is limited to my tongue, and I come from a culture without a lot of touching, so I am out of contact for the most part. It is not the physical description that I remember from a book. I am noticing Conan’s hair colour only because it differs from Schwarzenegger’s. That said, physical description is not that important for me. I’ll probably have to address that at some point in the future.
What surprised me was that you created stress at the beginning by stressing the need to develop a character fairly fully before starting to write. I would say it is great if a person does manage to do a full description at the beginning, but not to worry if one has not and not to hold that description as set in stone. I believe you have spoken of layering, of adding additional layers with each edit. I would say that is the best time to flesh out characters, as the need arises. For example, whether a character has a striking appearance or not would certainly affect their personality but is it essential to the plot? That a protagonist fails to recognise a person with a striking appearance means much more than a failure with a grey man/woman. Adding description because one is supposed to is just info dumping. The description is just to create consistency but what if a character’s character is to be inconsistent?
part 2
The problem with preplanning all the characters completely is that it removes the element of surprise. One of the things that Chris Columbus did right in the Harry Potter films was that sense of wonder. (Rowling was more about the intellect, Columbus about the emotions.) Many book characters are masters of their world. They might be surprised by the big things, but not by the insignificant. That is a major difference between Home Alone and Harry Potter 1. While Kevin is surprised by the outside world, the burglars (more specifically, how they are going to act) are no surprise for him, but Harry is unable to anticipate anything.
How much a character reveals or does not reveal is more a function of plot. Yes, at a crucial scene, a character might reveal 20 things, 19 irrelevant or false, in order to hide the one critical one, but to do that throughout the book would mean either a very long book or a very simple plot.
I see that you like to preplan everything. I used to be that way too but 3 decades of living in an unpredictable environment have changed my way of thinking.
Do we really see one another? How much of our interaction with others is really our interaction with the image in our own minds? The current Russo-Ukrainian War is a good example of that. Nearly everyone in the West thought it would be over by now because what society would be willing to endure Russia’s losses and keep on fighting. Thus, how much do characters actually interact and how much do they react to the images in their own minds? This might be a great way to create depth in a story.
I can see where knowing a character’s goals is important for plotting the story, but most people do not know their own goals, which I think you have mentioned before. I have more objectives in my life than goals. Objectives like writing a book. I think about that. Goals like being happy and secure. I don’t think about those unless they are missing in my life. But that is me. Others can be unhappy and/or insecure and not worry about it.
I suppose that is how I have changed over time. When I was young, I did a lot more preplanning. But learning a language or writing a book is a marathon, not a sprint. Your eye has to be on the next step, not the last step. You have to live in the moment.
part 3
Interesting. When you are talking about goals (character arcs), you are describing the difference between plot-driven stories and character-driven stories. Minor things can be character driven, but I would expect major protagonist goals to be plot driven. For example, if I decide to write a romance, that character arc is critical to the type of plot. Goal one: does the character realise that happiness comes only from inside or do they continue to believe that something external (love, God, a partner) has to supply it? Goal two: what obstacle does the author foresee to be obstructing love: money, trust, humour, etc.? That is a commercial approach because a book needs to fit in a niche. But I can see character driven working for the story of yours that I read.
Cares deeply about? I think entrenched ideas, things taken for granted are more earthshaking. The thing is, if a person is consciously striving for a goal, everything is on the table. What they take for granted is subtle, spoken about obliquely. Thus, the twist at the end is greater. That’s why this step is so hard; the author is trying to figure out their own entrenched ideas that they take for granted.
Now if you want to get interesting, have the character ‘make a mistake’ and act out of character/immorally, like in The Scarlet Letter. How does the character handle their own moral failures?
I sort of went through this process in creating my protagonist, but it failed with the rest. They just had to find their own voice. The only planning I did with them was to determine their role in the story (potential friend, service provider, teacher, trickster, etc.), nationality, gender, level of friendliness, and level of education.
I wrote the second comment directly under the post, so that is lost. But I did want to add that I am constantly adding qualities to the personalities in the layers. For example, I realised this weekend that the protagonist should both show anger towards others and at the same time, be envious because she is looking for happiness to be given to her instead of finding it within herself. It’s easier to add depth during editing than in the rough draft.
I am not a writer yet, but I think the main thing in the video is determin that what your main character is like in the binging of the story,
What they believe or what they like is formed in there past, from when they were kid until now (the starting of the story) and they will act with there beliefs at the start, but they can change through the story and form new beliefs, and that is the story we are telling,
So determining our character's beliefs and behavior at the start of the story is a must
And even a short comment has disappeared. I am guessing this has to do with the total length of the comment and its replies as longer comments have disappeared and now a short one.
To repeat:
And I was trying to say you had permission. The premise has potential and has not been worked to death. It was, to a degree, suggested by Gardner's namesake, which is how I learned Lithuanian.
I realise that time is valuable and limited, and so I try not to infringe too much and to repay as best I can. I would be interested in your comments as the short story of yours that I read showed that you know how to edit and that our styles are similar enough to make the comments appropriate. So far, no one has been begging me for chapter two (unlike they have with Rothfuss), so it is possible that my glory is all in my own head, which worries me.
I see you old comment. No worries.
Merry Christmas happy new year mr Aaron. Thank you for your wonderful educational channel about creative writing. I gathered main information about topic you mentioned briefly here it’s strong character has following certain steps as compelling backstory, strong motivation and goals , multiple difficult decisions to make , bold personality leads to bold choice , relevance to external conflict, change of heart near end of story . Example of strong character
Have qualities and traits such as courage , integrity, honesty , resilience. We appreciate your great efforts as foreigners subscribers as overseas students want to increase our cultural level improve our English as well. Happy holiday season . Best wishes for you your dearest ones .
Thank you so much for watching! I hope you're doing well and glad that you are getting value out of my videos :).
A couple of other comments. 1. You are very capable of editing yourself, but self-editing requires space, which a YT channel does not allow. You need an editor to check perspective, for example, so that your message remains consistent. I am willing to volunteer, but I don't know if I am gentle enough for your taste. 2. In editing this audio track, I noticed that you do not modulate your sound. You need a sound editor or you can do it yourself with Audacity. There are YT videos that will explain how to do this quickly.