Is Your Character 1, 2, or 3 Dimensional
Carolyn Howard-Johnson shares writers’ resources on her award-winning blog Sharing with Writers
Contributed by Karen Cioffi
Between your characters and the plot, you develop a story. If the mix is right, and the characters are believable, you can create a story worthy of publication.
While there are many articles about creating believable characters, it’s an important topic and reminders are always in order since your characters are a crucial aspect of your story.
So, which is your protagonist?
1. Is your protagonist flat?
Does he lack any type of emotion and action?
Like the simple and safe kiddy rides at a children’s amusement park…the carousel horse that goes round and round, but does nothing else?
Then you have a one- dimensional character on your hands.
2. Is your protagonist a little bumpy?
He has some quirks, life and emotion, but no real depth of character or history.
Like the carousel horse that goes round and round and up and down at a steady easy pace?
Then you have a two-dimensional character struggling to break into the world of believability.
3. Is your protagonist a full-blown amusement park?
Is your main character like a roller coaster, full of ups and downs, knowledge, emotion, character, quirks…life and history?
Now you have it—you have a believable three-dimensional character that is strong enough to bring your story through to the end.
So, the question is: how do you create a wonderful, believable life-like three-dimensional character?
There are a number of methods you can use that will help create a believable character, here are two:
1. Create a character sheet or use an index card before you begin.
On your sheet, list all the characteristics, quirks, moods, mannerisms, physical attributes, artistic attributes…you get the idea. Keep this sheet handy as you’re writing your story. If you tell the reader Pete has blonde hair in the beginning of the story, and then you describe it as black, unless he dyed his hair as part of the storyline, stay true to the character. Readers pick up on errors very quickly.
The more detail you add to your character sheet the easier it will be to know what your protagonist will do in any given circumstance. This will take the element of wondering out of your writing process and save time.
Say Pete finds a bag of money next to his neighbor’s car. Hmm . . . will he keep it or try to find out if it’s his neighbor’s? Oh, wait a minute, on your character sheet you wrote he’s an honest guy! Simple.
2. Add characteristics and attributes to your protagonist as you write your story.
Write your protagonist’s characteristics, quirks, moods, mannerisms, and so on, on a character sheet as your story evolves.
There are some writers who use different methods to create a story. Maybe you’re using the seat-of-the-pants-method and your character evolves as your story does. With this method, you want to be sure to note each new development in your protagonist’s character or environment.
Let’s go back to Pete again. Pete scratches a car with his bicycle. Does he leave a note on the car he damaged? Does he quickly leave the scene? Does he just ignore the incident and goes about his business?
While he’s usually honest, he could have a moment of weakness? Maybe he’s worried about the consequences.
Whichever one of these actions he chooses will establish another element to his character – be sure to make note of it.
No matter what process you use, remember to add life-like qualities to your character. Readers need to develop a relationship with the protagonist. If they feel Pete is three dimensional and they are drawn to him, they’ll be sure to read to the end of your book.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Karen Cioffi is an award-winning children’s author and children’s ghostwriter, rewriter, and coach with clients worldwide. She is also the founder and editor-in-chief of Writers on the Move and an author online platform instructor with WOW! Women on Writing.
Karen’s children’s books include Walking Through Walls and The Case of the Stranded Bear. She also has a DIY book, How to Write Children’s Fiction Books. You can check them out at: https://karencioffiwritingforchildren.com/karens-books/. If you need help with your children’s story, visit: https://karencioffiwritingforchildren.com.
A feature in the right column of this blog lets you subscribe to #SharingwithWriters so you don’t miss any of Karen’s posts on writing for children.
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MORE ABOUT THE BLOGGER Howard-Johnson is the multi award-winning author of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. She is also a marketing consultant, editor, and author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers including the multi award-winning The Frugal Book Promoter (http://bit.ly/FrugalBookPromoIII), now offered in its third edition by Modern History Press. Carolyn’s latest is in the #HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers is How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically. She has two booklets in the #HowToDoItFrugally Series, both in their second editions from Modern History Press. Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers (http://bit.ly/LastMinuteEditsII) and The Great First Impression Book Proposal (http://bit.ly/BookProposalsII) are career boosters in mini doses and both make ideal thank you gifts for authors. The one on writing book proposals is also available as an Audio Book. The Frugal Editor (http://bit.ly/FrugalEditor), now in its second edition, is the winningest book in the series. Carolyn also has three frugal books for retailers including one she encourages authors to read because it helps them convince retailers to host their workshops, presentations, and signings. It is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques (http://bit.ly/RetailersGuide). In addition to this blog, Carolyn helps writers extend the exposure of their favorite reviews at TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com. She also blogs all things editing–grammar, formatting and more–at The Frugal, Smart, and Tuned-In Editor (http://TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com). Learn more and follow for news on her new releases direct from Amazon at http://bit.ly/CarolynsAmznProfile.
Source: http://sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com/2021/07/is-your-character-1-2-or-3-dimensional.html
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#1 “ONE” not triune: ……Satan in The garden…God said you will die…Satan comes along and states no you will be more WISE……today .God said He is one; but Satan’s children come along and say no three is more WISE and humble in the face of God’s grandeur only “a mystery” that can be understood “in faith”. Fools, hypocrites and blind guides, God said he was One and by your traditions and vain imaginations have taken the words of God and made them of no effect, refashioning God into your image!
Jesus is only a son by vertue of the fact that the human flesh that the SINGULAR PERSON GOD occupied belonged to God personaly there was no other spirit in Jesus to lay claim to the male human flesh/son of marry/”SON OF MAN” …..erogo “son OF GOD” bleonging to God (as a possesion) not a second or different person!! As such Jesus is not the bastard son trinitarians or muslims would try to make him out to be
https://www.scribd.com/doc/305367608/The-Trinity-Heresy OR https://www.academia.edu/23463667/THE_TRINITY_HERESY or http://www.globethics.net/gtl/10920799 THE TRINITY HERESY
#2 SECOND COMING Thou Fool! “I come quickly” so “Hold fast till i come”… NOT …“in another 2000 yrs I might be coming soon any time now, so hold fast”!?! … https://www.scribd.com/doc/305366745/Revelation-the-First-Gospel-of-the-Kingdom or http://www.globethics.net/gtl/5455069 Revelation The First Gospel of The Kingdom or https://www.academia.edu/23464127/REVELATION_THE_FIRST_GOSPEL_OF_THE_KINGDOM
#3 Predestination….its true..its all true…download here https://www.scribd.com/doc/306868420/Most-True-Christians-Go-to-Hell http://www.globethics.net/gtl/10920800 Most true Christians go to hell https://www.academia.edu/25217564/Most_True_Christains_Go_to_Hell
#4 Water babtisim? HTTPS://WWW.SCRIBD.COM/DOCUMENT/326686356/THIEF-CROSS-3D
HTTPS://WWW.ACADEMIA.EDU/23846490/THIEF_AND_CROSS_3D