Eight Steps to Writing Interesting and Complex Characters

This video covers eight steps to creating interesting and complex characters for your novel.

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[MelodyLiuJade]

For anyone too lazy to watch:
1. Name and appearance
2. What they want
3. Why they want it— what is their motivation, and what concequences do they want to escape from?
4. What will go wrong for them?
5. What obstacles will they face, both internal and external?
6. Background story— why they act the way they do
7. Flaws (you can use these as obstacles)
8. Relationships (think about the characters' personalities and goals when creating these)

[roberto]

I have been watching every single one of your videos, they have the exact kind of advice that i am looking for :D

[isectoid]

How to raise the steaks: Pick up a cow.

[josephvalderrama]

Ellen, I write every day. I consider myself a disciplined writer. I've been a member of the Ojai Writing Workshop for the past four years. We meet once a week and offer one another positive feedback for improvement on works of fiction. Through this group, I've acquired a solid foundation of skill to write fiction. Your videos add essential detail to that basic writing foundation. I suggest to any writer, no matter your writing skill, to join a writers workshop and experience in real time the effect your writing has on a reader. Also, you'll acquire a writer's eye when reading other writer's works .

[Amber-dwop]

Thanks so much for your videos! Whenever I feel stuck, I listen to your videos for a few minutes. Your tips and advice help me take a different approach to my novel

[atiashah]

Please could you record your videos on a higher volume. Even though I listen with headphones it is lower than other videos. Thank you. Your videos are extremely helpful.

[smfknj]

The dog in the background is a very complex character. He sounds ferocious, like a tough warrior suiting up for battle and unleashing a battle cry so fierce it sends his enemies cowering. But he also sounds like a cute little toy poodle. So complex.

[jacqueline]

Thank you Ellen, this is very clear and sums up the elements for story writing. I am going to show this to my writing students.

[Mssfjj]

You make fantastic videos! They are the most helpful ones I've encountered on the internet. Please write a book! Or at least make some more videos :) I'm guessing I wouldn't be the only one who would be happy about either of those things :)

[garilynns]

Your video is assigned watching in a fiction writing class I'm taking. Very clear, very helpful. Thanks Ellen.

[bodynourish]

Dear Ellen, I love your videos, I have just started a creative writing course undergraduate level, I am 59, the course is online and finding it difficult to read all the materials they have set it is all a lot of the same, its like they just threw it all together, well that is what is seems to me. I found your videos and I have to thank you for making clear all the jargon and making sense of all the repetitive stuff that writers have written for people who want to write. you rock

[angelinojuniordocarmo]

Thank you, Ellen Brock. Your video was very clear, well ordered and goes direct to the point of creating compelling characters.

[writerten]

This video is invaluable, Ellen, especially for stories containing multiple characters and layers within the plot.  Love love love it.  Thanks so much!

[rachelthompson]

Well said and concise. I like the short hair cut, too.

[WyliePhenix]

This is my favorite video ever. helpful and much guidance needed. Thank you so much!

[SnowYuzu]

Thank you so much for this video, Ellen! Your examples are so clear and understandable! (Sorry I know it's quite an old video now though).

[soullessandpained]

This was recommended to me and its exactly I needed to see! I can't believe it's 6 years old. Do you have an updated video on this?

[omaral-hafidh]

thanx for all these tips, i'm actually working on making a children's book, i'm an illustrator, so the drawing part is the easy part, but the writing is what i fear... so watching your videos, i found your advice very helpful

[smokinjoe]

very useful in a very simple straightforward this helps cause I am a writer that always places plot over character

[theartsyautobot]

Super Awesome Content! Thank you so much for all of your amazing tips, help, and advice! Very Helpful! Thanks for sharing! ❤️❤️❤️