There are fourteen punctuation marks used regularly in the English language. Punctuation marks are visual cues in our language that do a number of important things in writing: clarify text by breaking up sentences and paragraphs in a digestible manner; give rhythm and variety to text to make it more enjoyable to read; assist in combining complex thoughts that make logical links; and assist the reader in understanding tone, humor, irony, and emphasis. Learn the rules of the fourteen punctuation marks–and then integrate all fourteen into your writing regularly–and you’ll see worlds of improvements and possibilities in your writing and communication. Apostrophes Brackets Colons Commas Ellipses Em Dashes En Dashes Exclamation Marks Hyphens Parentheses Periods Question Marks Quotation Marks Semicolons http://thevisualcommunicationguy.com/writing/how-to-use-the-punctuation-marks/
Interviewing your Characters by K.M. WEILAND How well do you know your characters? Like the back of my hand, you say? Do you know the color of your hero’s eyes? Do you know where the bad guy went to college? Do you know your heroine’s most embarrassing moment? Can you rattle off a list of your main character’s idiosyncrasies? Typical expressions? Romantic history? If any one of these questions had you fumbling for an answer, then you’re missing a prime opportunity to deepen your characters and expand your story. Over the years, one of the most useful tools I’ve run across is the “character interview.” My own list started out as twenty or so basic questions regarding physical appearance and personality issues. Now it contains over fifty precise and penetrating questions, designed to get my brain juices flowing and my characters talking. http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/interviewing-your-characters/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 Methods for interviewing your characters by Laurie Campell If you're having a hard time getting to know your characters, you might want to try putting on your Oprah Winfrey hat and interviewing them. Sitting down at the typewriter for a chat with your hero or heroine is a great way to get to know them. Just pretend you're the hero and type, "Hi, I'm Rhett Butler," and let him start talking. Once you slip into the hero's personality, it's easy to stay in character as long as the interviewer keeps asking questions. https://www.autocrit.com/editing/library/four-methods-for-interviewing-characters/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Character Arc Tools - Worksheet & Map by E. J. Runyon Think about these characters you are writing about as strangers – even of you know them in real life. Get info about them you wouldn’t have coming out of your head– loosen up when you do these exercises: this is an interview – get down what it is they are saying to you. http://www.bridgetostory.com/classes/lessons/lesson/3/character-arc-tools-worksheet-and-map --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How to Design and Plan a Character Using a Character Design Template by Rebecca Ryals Russell Anyway, someone suggested that I post my master template for planning characters. Here is the best I could figure out how to post. Hopefully this will be helpful. Before compiling the character information, it is helpful to know what options are available. Hence I designed a Character Design Planner: https://rebeccaryalsrussell.wordpress.com/2010/04/26/how-to-design-and-plan-a-character-using-a-character-design-template/ the spreadsheets Character Designer Character Organizer ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm thinking of using this space as a repository of personal research and resources lists. My first entry will be on characters Basic Character Card: Picture:___________ Name: ___________ Sex____________ Age _____ Height______ Tall? Short? Average? Weight_____ Fat? Skinny? Pot bellied? Athletic? Muscular? Hair color_______ Hair Length______ Crew cut? Short? Ducktail? Ponytail? Bald? Wig? Hair Style_______Messy? Neat? Greasy? Well groomed? Hair sprayed? Straight? Thick? Wavy? Frizzed? Natural curls? Permed? Curls? Dreadlocks? Faux hawk? Spiked? Pig Tails? Hair Texture__________ Course? Fine? Kinky? Facial and body hair_________ Sideburns? Bangs? Beard? Mustache? Back hair? Arm hair? Nose hair? Eye color________ Eyes ___________ Too close together? Crossed? Lazy? Large? Popeyed? Bloodshot? Almond? Glasses? Eyelashes? Eyebrows_________ Full? Thick? Thin? Fair? Dark? Bushy? Wide spread? Connect in the middle? Pierced? Skin color________ Skin_____________ Flabby? Wrinkled? Acne? Scaly? Soft? Shiny? Birthmark? Tattoos? Scars? Body piercings? Ears __________ Small? Large? Stick out? Ear rings? Hairy? Brow ___________ Broad? Small? Wrinkled? Furrowed? Cheeks_______ Rosy? High bones? Hollowed out? Dimpled? Pimples? Nose____________ Does it turn up? Is it broad? Flat? Skinny & straight? Hooked? Crooked? Nose rings? Lips _____________Narrow? Full? Pale? Painted? Pierced? Teeth___________Missing? Bucked? Yellow? Scummy? Straight? White? Gapped? Crooked? Rotted? Chin_____________Does it jet out? Doubled? No chin? Square? Does it have a cleft? Legs_______ Fat? Skinny? Long? Short? Bowed? Fat at the top? Dimpled? Knock knees? Hips_______ Round? Bony? Tight? Fat? Flabby? Wiggly? Stomach________ Flat? Flabby? Rolls? Pudgy? Protruding? Jiggles? Chest ________ Flat? Muscular? Large? Hairy? https://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2009/10/27/character-physical-description-list/ Take the time to write down a description of each character in your book. Make a note of every detail. Not only your characters physical looks like, height, weight, skin color, hair, posture, but what things they like? What do they wear? Write down everything, even their underwear. What are their favorite foods? How do they smell? Do your characters have any special skills, talents or unusual habits? What about their voice? Do some speak with an accent, stutter, use big words, etc.? What do they hate, love, want desire? Include obsessions, fears, and aversions, traits found far beneath what the other characters in the book may perceive or understand. Even if some of the features you write down never see the light of day, it will help you understand your characters better and make each one unique, which is a good thing for your readers. https://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2009/03/15/creating-characters/ Character Description Guide and Worksheets Guide http://inkandquills.com/2017/03/26/ultimate-guide-mastering-character-descriptions/ Worksheets http://inkandquills.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Character-Description-Worksheets.pdf generator http://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/character-descriptions.php#.WYYy3IjyuUk http://www.rangen.co.uk/chars/quickchargen.php ----------------------------------------------------------------- Master Lists: physical descriptions http://www.bryndonovan.com/2015/06/16/master-list-of-physical-descriptions/ his or her point of view http://www.bryndonovan.com/2016/05/30/how-do-you-describe-a-characters-looks-in-his-or-her-point-of-view/ facial expressions http://www.bryndonovan.com/2015/04/05/master-list-of-facial-expressions/ gestures and body language http://www.bryndonovan.com/2015/04/10/master-list-of-gestures-and-body-language-for-writers/ lazy stereotypes https://actwritersblog.com/2016/09/19/embodying-character-physical-symbolism-or-lazy-stereotypes/ embarrassing your characters http://www.bryndonovan.com/2017/02/21/cringe-25-creative-writing-prompts-to-help-you-embarrass-your-characters/ seriously injuring your character http://www.bryndonovan.com/2016/05/25/serious-injuries/ intimate parts of the body http://www.bryndonovan.com/2015/04/22/synonyms-for-parts-of-the-body/ 100 sexy names (contemporary romance) http://www.bryndonovan.com/2014/12/27/100-sexy-names-for-contemporary-romance-heroes/ ----------------------------------------------------------------- Enneagram Personality Dynamics Type One: The Perfectionist Type Two: The Giver Type Three: The Performer Type Four: The Tragic Romantic Type Five: The Observer Type Six: The Devil’s Advocate Type Seven: The Epicure Type Eight: The Boss Type Nine: The Mediator http://www.ennea.com/personality-types/ developing unique voices https://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2016/07/12/developing-unique-voices/ how characters can become stories https://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2014/12/17/how-characters-can-become-stories-erika-wassall/ ----------------------------------------------------------------- color names and color descriptions http://www.bryndonovan.com/2016/02/17/master-list-of-color-names-and-color-descriptions/ cognitive bias cheat sheet https://betterhumans.coach.me/cognitive-bias-cheat-sheet-55a472476b18