Jess A
Archmage
Hi all,
Who has bought the Mythic Guide to Characters? Hope this is in the right place.
I ordered a paperback copy some weeks ago and it has helped me greatly with some plots. I'm a big believer of context and how that affects a person's actions and reactions later in life. When writing a profile piece on a real person I tend to look at context as well and how it's affected who they have become and the choices they have made or will make. I find it absolutely fascinating - I find people fascinating - and the book asks a lot of questions which make the would-be writer question aspects about a character or person that the writer may not have considered before. As someone who has a tendency to write very detailed biographies and histories and personalities, and link everything together, I really enjoyed this book.
The book has some good questions - not everything was relevant to me or really fit what I was doing, but I took what I needed. It isn't intended for the writer to regurgitate the character's biography into the novel, but it gives a guide as to how a character will evolve and influence plot points. It gives insight into their flaws, relationships to each other, to the government/society, what their needs and desires are, and their ultimate goals.
The book doesn't ask every question, for instance I haven't (yet) come across anything about how being a particular race/culture/religion affects the character's relationships to others - there is a whole range of questions that can branch from that. But it should allow the reader to branch off into other questions of their own and to expand on their characters and their role in the book.
Highly recommended and useful for all kinds of writing/character building. Also not expensive!
When I've gone through it more thoroughly I'll put a better review on Amazon - I'm a bit sleepy.
In case you didn't spot the link above: The Mythic Guide to Characters: Writing Characters Who Enchant and Inspire: Antonio del Drago, Derek Bowen: Amazon.com: Kindle Store
Who has bought the Mythic Guide to Characters? Hope this is in the right place.
I ordered a paperback copy some weeks ago and it has helped me greatly with some plots. I'm a big believer of context and how that affects a person's actions and reactions later in life. When writing a profile piece on a real person I tend to look at context as well and how it's affected who they have become and the choices they have made or will make. I find it absolutely fascinating - I find people fascinating - and the book asks a lot of questions which make the would-be writer question aspects about a character or person that the writer may not have considered before. As someone who has a tendency to write very detailed biographies and histories and personalities, and link everything together, I really enjoyed this book.
The book has some good questions - not everything was relevant to me or really fit what I was doing, but I took what I needed. It isn't intended for the writer to regurgitate the character's biography into the novel, but it gives a guide as to how a character will evolve and influence plot points. It gives insight into their flaws, relationships to each other, to the government/society, what their needs and desires are, and their ultimate goals.
The book doesn't ask every question, for instance I haven't (yet) come across anything about how being a particular race/culture/religion affects the character's relationships to others - there is a whole range of questions that can branch from that. But it should allow the reader to branch off into other questions of their own and to expand on their characters and their role in the book.
Highly recommended and useful for all kinds of writing/character building. Also not expensive!
When I've gone through it more thoroughly I'll put a better review on Amazon - I'm a bit sleepy.
In case you didn't spot the link above: The Mythic Guide to Characters: Writing Characters Who Enchant and Inspire: Antonio del Drago, Derek Bowen: Amazon.com: Kindle Store
Auror
