The Compass of Character: Creating Complex Motivation for Compelling Characters in Fiction, Film, and TV - Softcover

Corbett, David

 
9781440300868: The Compass of Character: Creating Complex Motivation for Compelling Characters in Fiction, Film, and TV
Softcover
ISBN 10: 1440300860 ISBN 13: 9781440300868
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group, 2019

Synopsis

Just as a compass provides direction for an explorer, so does motivation provide direction for characters in fiction. The "compass" of character motivation is composed of four points: Lack, Yearning, Resistance, and Desire. In The Compass of Character you'll learn to deeply consider the key question "What does my character want?" and learn techniques to answer that question by writing realistic and empathetic characters without falling into formulaic, unsatisfying results that only diminish the character. Bestselling author and acclaimed writing instructor David Corbett provides writers with the essentials for building characters with motivations that range from clear to complex by exploring topics such as:

  • human yearning
  • pathological maneuvers
  • the pain of life vs. the promise of life
  • backstory and behavior
  • mechanics of growth and transformation
  • dramatizing mistaken desire and misbegotten yearnings
  • moral arguments
The key to fascinating characters is rendering subtle inner states in straightforward external circumstances, which requires a fundamental understanding of the simple building blocks of complex motivation as they manifest themselves in behavior, where complexity of purpose collides with the messy, indifferent world. The Compass of Character is the one book that can guide writers to that end with both instruction and inspiration.

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About the Author

David Corbett (Vallejo, CA) is the author of six novels and the writing guide The Art of Character. He is a sought after writing instructor, a contributor to Writer Unboxed, and contributing editor to Writer's Digest. Davidcorbett.com

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Publisher
Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date
2019
Language
English
ISBN 10 
1440300860
ISBN 13 
9781440300868
Binding
Paperback
Number of pages
288