I’m working on a new character breakdown, trying to capture his personality in ink, so I have a strong foundation when I start scripting him. What do you think of what I have so far?
Here’s Johnny!
- Johnny is not just smart, he’s SUPER smart.
- Since his near death experience, Johnny’s held a deep appreciation for life and values every moment.
- Johnny struggles to get out of his dad’s (a world-famous NASA astronaut) shadow.
- He’s often overwhelmed by strong personalities.
- And is tight lipped about his shady past.
Is Johnny’s personality coming through?
Does this sound like someone YOU could capture in dialogue?
Many folks would say sure, but if you’re a regular reader of my site, you know the kung fu we practice here is an ancient and powerful art. And rarely do we accept things as they first appear.
The fundamental building block of story is characters. If your characters aren’t engaging, if nobody empathizes with them, your story is DOA (Dead On Arrival—good movie—the original 1950 one).
Throughout this site (and my books) I put a lot of emphasis on developing and showcasing character personalities (and their arcs, but that’s a different discussion).
I realized the other day, personality is something we take for granted. A critical aspect often overlooked or muddled up when writers sit down to structure their characters.
A little clear direction in detailing your characters’ personality will go a long way in creating an effective, engaging cast and dramatically improve your writing.
So first, let’s define personality…
Personality: Characteristics and qualities that form an individual’s distinctive character.