Character Development

Character Development

When developing a character, I choose the role I want my character to play, then decide how I could make it realistic.

Take my character Remi Wolf, for example. Remi is always in the center of chaos, and she is aware of it. To save herself an emotional breakdown, she plans ahead. Some would call it being prepared, but when her doing it affects her everyday life, it slowly starts to be an anxiety disorder.

There are ways to portray Remi’s anxiety without saying she has anxiety, such as giving her noise cancelling headphones. Since she has been around chaos most of her life, she may be sensitive to noise. Remi could wear these in a classroom, in the cafeteria, et cetera.

As tedious as this task may be, putting a reason behind the tiniest detail not only helps the development of the character make sense, but it humanizes the character in a way where the reader can relate to them.

(Tip: Everybody gets anxious, but if it’s to the point where your anxiousness is affecting how you perform everyday tasks, talk to someone about it. Preferably, a doctor of some sort, but it helps to talk to your peers.)

If you have any questions regarding character development, or feel as though I’ve missed something, feel free to let me know!

Plots

What is a plot?

A plot is the chain of events that make up the story in a book, movie, TV show, and the like. A plot generally consists of five major points: Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution/ Denouement. 

Exposition:

This is the beginning of the story. Here, the reader is introduced to the setting, the characters, and the main conflict. 

Rising Action:

This is where the story starts to get complicated. The conflict begins to escalate to a much bigger issue.

Climax:

This is the middle of the story. The characters may be panicking, as the conflict has reached its peak. 

Falling Action:

By this point of the book, the characters may have thought of a solution to the issue and are implementing it. The story begins to cool down.

Resolution/Denouement:

This is the end of the story. The story is at a stopping point, the main issue resolved. If you’re writing a series, this may be where you would add the extra bit of information that leads into the next book.

What is a subplot?

A subplot is a plot that exists inside the main plot. An example being a group of characters working together to reach a concrete goal, but romantic tension existing between the two main characters at the same time - the subplot. 

These are the only two I felt needed some clarification. If you have any questions, or feel as though I’ve missed something, feel free to let me know!

I often imagine my life in my late 20s, having my dream career, living with my future partner, and being happier. Then I remember it's all under the assumption that I have time to grow. What if I need to step into my power sooner than I'd like? Life is not guaranteed, and time won't hold your hand. Am I ready for that?

- @annetries-towrite

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I hate to be a downer (I'm just kidding I love it), but what if the world has already ended?

How will the world end?

it’s genuinely not something i think too much about. there are people to love and dishes to do in the meantime.

what does your writing process look like?

sometimes, sentences sit in my google docs for months before I decide to revise and post. other times, I just log on and write how I feel and post it immediately. basically, it's incredibly chaotic, but it works😂

Hi, I'm Anne!

A handful of my posts are from a period of my life when I aspired to be a novelist. I will not delete those posts, so feel free to scroll if you're curious.

My desire for writing has not wavered, but my career path has changed. I still have so much I want to talk about and so much I wish to share with whoever wants to listen.