Creating Characters: The Complete Guide to Populating Your Fiction (Creative Writing Essentials)

Create characters that leap off the page--and into readers' hearts!

Populating your fiction with authentic, vivid characters is a surefire way to captivate your readers from the first sentence to the last. Whether you're writing a series, novel, short story, or flash fiction, Creating Characters is an invaluable guide to bringing your fictional cast to life.

This book is a comprehensive reference to every stage of character development. You'll find timely advice and helpful instruction from best-selling authors like Nancy Kress, Elizabeth Sims, Orson Scott Card, Chuck Wendig, Hallie Ephron, Donald Maass, and James Scott Bell. They'll show you how to:

• Effectively introduce your characters
• Build a believable protagonist
• Develop strong anti-heroes and compelling villains
• Juggle multiple points of view without missing a beat
• Craft authentic dialogue that propels the story forward
• Motivate your characters with powerful objectives and a believable conflict
• Show dynamic character development over the course of a story