Look at it this way; if you're ever being chased by an evil maniac, you'll be more aerodynamic than the 34D cheerleader next to you. Remember, you don't have to be faster than the one chasing you, just the person next to you.
Just when all hope seems lost and you feel that your writing is destined to fail, that is when she appears, the cyborg queen herself will grace us with wisdom and power in our writing endeavors.
@@JennaMoreci there's an anime series I recently watched it's called dr.stone and the protagonist of the story senku stars of as a flat character representing the arrogant genius stereotype but as the plot the goes forward he becomes more complex and layered basically becoming somewhat round but really dr.stone has more of a plot driven story than any thing else and the pacing can be slow sometimes
Women are not a monolith Gay people are not a monolith East Asian people are not a monolith Me, who is all three: THAT’S THE NICEST THING ANYONE HAS EVER SAID TO ME
@@valhatan3907 Literally, a giant block of stone that acts as a monument of some sort. Figuratively, an entire category where all the members are completely identical to one another
Gonna develop your point, I hope you don't mind. Static round characters are mostly round due to background and worldbuilding. It allows us to discover things about them, and to have their own mythology build around stuff that doesn't happen directly in the story. Toph is static round because she's a sassy carefree blind rich earthbender, but these specificities (which we learn of in her very first episode) are utilized in many ways: - Her sass (which is likely due to her wealth) gives her personality; - To be carefree makes her at odd with others, in meaningful ways (especially Katara, of course) because she can be both lazy and irresponsible; - Her blindness has both humorous and story uses (including the ironic advantages of being blind when being an earthbender); - Her rich family also plays for or against her (whether she can get free passes for Team Avatar, or when mercenaries are paid to retrieve her) - in other words, it helps the story as well; - The fact she's an earthbender is also the reason she was chosen to teach to Aang; BUT, even after Aang learned how to earthbend, she would still train him. But at the end, she's still the same. Not socially upgraded, not kinder, not specifically more powerful (no, metalbending didn't really change that), not more serious, but she did have her major role to play. You couldn't tell the story without her, yet when you meet her at first and at last she seems... unchanged. Even Sokka (I believe, the close second in the series) went actually more serious and powerful (though not a bender) his own way. Toph didn't, yet earned her own place as an unforgettable character. All combinations of static/dynamic + flat/round are possible (you can find them all in ATLA, btw). What matters is how they are written.
Most well written Paragon characters are both round and static, e.g. Dumbledore in books 1-5 of the Harry Potter series (I exclude book 6 and 7 because we retroactively do see character development in him both through flashbacks as well as the ongoing conflict with Voldemort and the curse he contracted changing him, so he wouldn't be static in those later books, but in the earlier books his totally static although still well rounded.) Also some villains who are already at the peak of their development when we meet them sometimes are static without being flat, like e.g. chancellor/emperor Palpatine in the Star Wars movies or Sauron in Lord of the Rings.
The main character (Holden Caulfield) in Catcher in the Rye. The character has depth to him, but because the events in the novel happens over the course of 3 days, there isn't any character development.
@@chrisrudolf9839 Bellatrix Lestrange is actually a really good static round character as well. I want to say Aladdin is flat and dynamic but I’m a bit iffy.
Great video, but I disagree about one aspect: Multiple traits don't make layers. Like, of your character is sometimes a "tough soldier" asshole and sometimes really nice and compassionate with no explanation on how these two opposite traits are connected, the character isn't deep, just inconsistent (looking at you, Yaz from gen:LOCK!) From what I know, layers are the traits _behind_ the traits. Like, why is the character so arrogant or selfless or closed off etc. The more complex the reasons for the character's behavior, the more layers they have.
Totally agree. Traits in general are a very broad thing. What people tend to forget is that all the characters had life before the story plot, they had jobs and errands to run, they still have interests, likes and dislikes. One can be egocentric and cold towards others, and still have values in life, like family or job, and prefer some things over others. It doesn't have to be crazy and extensive, as long as it is consistent and well explained through showing, the character won't be boring and flat.
It's farther than just complexity. No good person in real life is only purely good. The sweetest person can still be selfish, and, with few exceptions (Trump, McConnell), assholes usually have some positive aspects to them and motivations we can identify with. Characters need traits all over the spectrum, and we need reasons to not always like the good guys, and reasons to sympathize with the bad guys.
@@authoralysmarchand4737 I'm big into dissecting people's motivations and seeing the bigger picture of their character. I've done this with Trump, and he's actually quite fascinating if you look at him from a writer's perspective. His character is one of taking strengths to ridiculous extremes, to the point where they become flaws. Now when I hear him or what he's done in whatever recent news story, I can see where he's coming from. I don't like it and disagree with it, but I understand it.
I personally would argue that writing stereotypes is okay, if you are expanding characters beyond only the stereotypes. For example, in the movie Zootopia, one of the characters, Nick Wilde, starts off as a stereotypical fox. However, as the story progresses, we realize that he is more than just a stereotype of a fox and we see that there is a reason why he acts like a stereotype. Therefore, he begins as a stereotype but progresses to something more. I think that stereotypes are problematic if they are the only thing that the character is shown as.
I have a tip to make rounder characters. Read some stuff on psychology. My mum was a psychology teacher and had some textbooks which I read parts of and it really helped develop the characters and make them more realistic in their struggles from what happened as they were children.
I would totally love reading about a fatty turning into a pancake and have those physical things directly correlate to them losing all their character depth and becoming a flat character, both literally and metaphorically, , by the end of the novel. 😊😊
Not related to the episode, but I just wanna let you know how much you’ve inspired as a writer. For a long time I gave up on writing and creating characters and stories, and then I found your channel! Since then I’ve been constantly creating my own stories and it’s all thanks to your videos! Thanks Jenna, keep up the great work!
Write characters with two or more positive traits, two more more negative traits, two interests, at least one goal, one physical and one characteristic flaw, maybe one quirk. For all main characters think of a little backstory (rough, doesnt need to be too detailed unless necessary for the story), some things they often do/say/wear. Think of their mannerisms, relationships, voice .... And at least one way, in which they develop throughout the story. A change of style, character, belief, knowledge, skills learned, muscles built, trust found etc. When you know all that, you will include it intuitively into your writing, making them seem natural and alive. Take friends as examples, to help you build lively personas. Good luck!
Not gonna lie, kinda disappointed this wasn't a tutorial on how to realistically describe boobs. As we all know, that is the single most important character trait for any female character in any story.
It's not simply enough to write a certain characteristic someone has (you can but it's not very effective). It's better to show it by the person's actions (or even the way he/she reacts). Listing everything the character is known for can still make him/her flat. You have to show it (not every aspect of his/ her character but the most important ones). I like that you brought out the difference between flat/ round and static/dynamic. (:.
Thanks for this video, this definitely helped me make better characters in both writing and the Dungeons & Dragons adventure I'm working on for my... friends... which I have... definitely... I subscribed about a month ago, and I love your content!
Honestly, your videos have helped me so much with my writing! When I first found your channel, I binged it all and now I still rewatch old videos because hearing you bitch about annoying stuff is the best!
But Jenna! Can you please make a video on writing back of the book blurbs? IDK why but they're soooo difficult Thanks! Love your channel! I just finished my own book with some of your help, now need to look to market/publish
"Onions have layers, Ogers have layers. Onions have layers... you get it, they both have layers" "Oh, you both have layers... But not everybody likes onions...." ;) Thanks so much for all these videos. It doesn't matter if the content is "basic" or more "advanced", it's all cyborg-approved :) Also, I appreciate how you actively care about other people. Even if I can't donate right now, I appreciate your compassion. Have a great day!
Star Wars had a lot of layered characters (Han solo is probably the best example) until Disney took over. The sequel characters, especially Rey, were pretty boring.
Oh gods yes! - Lady Pimulenthaniel of Bagargros, or as we call her: Pim. - "Crimsonette!" "Noirette!" - "No," said the burly brawler. And that's off the top of my head. Jenna, of course, will not read any TSC fanfic for very good reasons, but other fics are fair game.
Does anyone know a good place for resources on psychology for story writers? I want my (main) characters to have depth and dimension, but I'm bad at describing their personality trait.
I can recommend the MBIT test that classifies 16 different personalities based on Introversion and Behaviour. It provides templates for characters, so I find it useful to start building one.
As the previous person explained, I would recommend taking a Meyer Briggs Personality test as your character. It goes quite deep, as far as how they interact with loved ones, work, their identity, etc.
thatguywith1millionsubscribersandnovideos You’re so right! I don’t like onions (I’m just saying; you’re totally entitled to your own opinion) but I do love cakes!
Im writing a character who's a stoner guitarist who's very chilled out but because of the type of music he makes, he works well under pressure, has so much knowledge on mythology, literature and most forms of media, he's also super insecure around his family due to them being mean constantly when he was a teenager. I basically toke a stereotype I'm very familiar with and wrote traits that's aren't classic to that stereotype and also unique issues that may appear as apart of his formative years which exist outside his stereotype to add some extra good shit.
I 100% agree with the conflict point. My favorite characters in fiction are flawed ones. I get annoyed when characters are all kind, heroic, brave, good at everything, without any issues in personality- they’re boring. Real people aren’t that perfect. Give your hero some problems.
I somehow doubt that, lol. You’re clearly self-deprecating by this comment, for which there just be a reason - therefore, something to explore were you a character, leading to an engaging read. Just because a character isn’t witty like Percy Jackson, or tortured like some early 2000s superhero, doesn’t mean he or she isn’t interesting.
I very strongly disagree that characters in a children's movie can get away with being flat because it was written for children. Children are still people who benefit from stories featuring realistic characters. Think about some of the better role models in childrens media, they are real, they have fears and flaws and struggles. Their action are motivated internally, and they deal with real and relatible themes. You don't get away with making a bad character just because you have assumed your audience to be ignorant.
I like these videos, it helps people get started writing which is awesome. hmm, I have studied a lot of literature in college so to me, I don't use this type of phrasing when talking about what parts characters are made of and how they are characterized. however, sometimes we overdo things, sometimes people nag about which theoretical springboard is the best instead of working on the actual writing hehe. And it's important to remember what's important. I run a small (but growing rapidly)writing-group in my city and I love videos like this. It helps many that feel stuck.
@@atallguynh It's a villain...at first. He was a soldier for a society that...well, to put it mildly, is basically one of the most brutal and controlling places in the entire universe dominated by the superhuman members of his kind who enforce the "Will of the [insert Name of his Species]" these guys rule a significant portion of the galaxy, and their schemes, plans, and treachery has cost more lives than any other nation that preceded them. The entire universe would literally be better off if this entire species dropped dead and went extinct. He was sent to the planet the main characters are from, a planet that in culture and morals is incredibly similar to Earth, in specific, the US. The army he was a part of was defeated, with all of the super enforcers sent there to manage the invasion being massacred to the last by the protagonists, though at great cost. When this character was an infant, he was drafted into the military moments after his birth because of a crime his parents committed against the government (or any excuse, really), and their newborn son was the only alternative to the death sentence...but they often execute them anyway. He flees the battle as one of the last living members of his species on the planet, and he's eventually tracked down by one of the natives of the planet, responsible for storming the base and killing the rest of his comrades. The native actually offers something to the invader that he had never seen in his life, something his government and 99% of his people had forgotten so fully, something so utterly alien to them that he's terrified and doesn't know what to do. Kindness. Turns out she's been fending off alien invaders from her planet for a long time, longer than he's been alive, and her army has been doing so very successfully. But make no mistake, she's still young, but every single time aliens invade, she and the rest of her group are notified, and every single time they attack, storming their base, and every single time, kill them all. Though this guy's people were their deadliest opponent yet, and she's grown tired of massacring them all to the last, she became sick and tired of inflicting death and destruction, then she tells the invader that was why when she had him in her sights, running away, she didn't pull the trigger. Does the invader take advantage of the kindness being shown to him and murder the warrior? Taking her place and infiltrating her group? Or does he realize that he was incomplete his entire life, and change for the better? Joining the natives? Nobody knows for certain, the story sure as Hell isn't taking place from his perspective...that aside I don't think I'm CAPABLE of writing flat characters from their own perspective.
@Bayman Hayabusa What the...I responded to your comment, where the Hell did it go? Basically they always had dictatorial tendencies, though they kept those suppressed, but they were always jealous, always wanted more control, always wanted to be #1, but the race that was #1 were so powerful literally nothing the galaxy could throw at them would take them down. So they toed the line and made themselves the dominant species' #1 ally, they rose to become the second most dominant species, and they bid their time since. But everything changed when the dominant species got into a civil war, the uprising side was genocidally anti-alien, and the other side were the guys who ensured peace throughout the entire galaxy was actual peace. The good guys won, but at immense cost, these guys saw their chance and through lies and deception convinced the rest of the galaxy that they were no better than the genocidal side that lost. The result was a war that led to them being the only space faring race left in the galaxy, the other races still existed, but the ones that were left bemoan the fact that they let themselves be deceived into fighting for the bad guys. The society's government then started to turn ever more controlling of its own people, and it seems nothing would have been able to stop them until one member of the dominant species, surviving in the ruins of his world and forgotten by all, launched a last ditch invasion on the usurpers with an army of titanic space faring war machines, resulting in the near annihilation of the species.
@@JMObyx a flat character is a character that doesn't learn from an experience and doesn't change or evolve and learn its mistakes they start and end every story the same like joker and Johan liebert,it can be told about the protagonists too like captain america and wonder woman are sold flat arc characters their morals and ideas are still consistent no matter what
I try and give all of my characters AT LEAST the depth of a sims 4 character (if they are important to the story), that's 3 traits, an aspiration, and usually with the aspiration there is a skill correlated to it. Then I go from there, might be dumb but it works for me at least
your videos really help me out but they also make me realize all of the faults in some of my favorite series... there’s a lot of passive, flat main characters in them but i still love them! i guess they’re guilty pleasure series lol
Just finding author youtube channels and binging the content. You and others are opening my eyes to how absolutely...normal I am for a writer. I'm in a different life place than most of the others, though. I'm not a young newcomer. I'm someone who has decades of experience in starting writing projects. I have files upon files of first chapters, and a lot of real world job experience because my anxiety over not struggling won out over my passion for storytelling. I'm currently living on savings and trying to actually produce a full, completed book...and it's terrifying. Mostly, it's the fear of going back into the soul-crushing work force of the real world that's raising my anxiety. A lot of times, that panic that I need to write or I will suffer keeps me from actually writing.
I actually don't mind a character being a stereotype if they have a good reason to be so and if the character has other charactiristics outside of that. For exemple, the damsel in distress can be simply physicly weak and untrainned, thus needs to rely on others when captured, otherwise her situation will be worse. Or the violent thug, who for exemple, grew up in a dangerous neightbourhood and had to adopt anti-social behavior to protect himself. I don't think the damsel in distress is a bad trope if played correctly.
The worst of it is, that it promotes SOCIAL stereotypes. Like, for a long loong time, all damsels in distress were... Damsels. Women. That expresses a connotation between weakness and femininity. The brutal, harsh thug has passed through our social consciousness as the ghetto-living black guy. Now, this is not to say that weak women don't exist, or thuggish black people aren't running around, but the writer's CHOICE to highlight one group in a certain light under a specified trait sends a lot of messages. For example, gay men are likely to be more "feminine" but if the author turned. them into a caricature AND they're the only gay male in the book, that is troubling.
Jenna, all of these videos, by yourself and others such as Alexa Donne focus heavily on how to start a book, how to craft that first chapter, how to get the reader's attention and hold and it can even extend into how to maintain that through a sagging middle. But... I am going to be a bit rhetorical here and I am doing this because I have not seen this covered by anyone so far. How do you know when to end the story? A lot of new writers start out with only knowing the end. That is why the beginning is so tough for most new writers. Often it seems, we start the journey in the story and the end we thought we had planned no longer makes sense - or - is better placed in a sequel - or - more commonly, makes the best way to prop up the middle in the false climax. How do we know when to end?
Truth! For some of you who are still confused. Round characters that are static have a Flat Arc. One big rule about the round charcter with a flat arc is that they must cause other characters around them to change. So rather than the audience witnessing the protag's change, we witness how they change the world around them.
"So, if your characters are only acting a certain way bc you need them to, you might wanna take a step back and rethink their goals.." Wish D&D would've watched this video before making the last 4 seasons of GoT lol....
Same. The way my characters talk is the same way others at my school talk. They repeat phrases to be hear as they talk over one another. I want to show that in my writing but I don't want it to be redundant.
@@suffercore4483 Generally, how we talk in real life is often about useless shit, since we aren't in a story, where every scene needs to have a purpose.
These are questions I have been struggling with... as usual our cyborg queen is a mind reader. My concern is I have made some of my villains too "I eat puppies because I am so evil", some of the main villains I am developing but the ones I know are going to get killed really dead by the hero a few chapters later I wonder if i have done them a disservice by focusing too much on them "drawing heat" so the reader would cheer when the MC takes them down. I guess something for my beta-readers to tell me when I finish my first draft.
How would I create a good engaging (scary)story with characters you can empathize/be scared for within a short story? I’m talking 10 pages at the most. My first one I think I did a good job of establishing the two main characters’ personalities and relationships, and built up decent tension, but I’m not sure how to recreate it
Crystal 959 I think a good way to get characters across quickly is through dialogue. Follow dialogue with action and not just he said she said. If you figure out how to give the person strong and impactful, realistic dialogue, your readers will understand them 😁
I wasn’t entirely sure about adding a few new elements to my main cast of characters, but after seeing your video I decided they needed the additions anyways.
Imagine if Jenna did a vid on how to do flashbacks like I need her help with right about now as I don't know how best to include the backstories of my characters in my books except only at the moments where they're relevant such as when someone from a character's past shows up but every time I try that it feels very forced and with some characters it seems that their backstories will never be included at all... which is a shame because how else will I contradict the jovial natures of my characters with it turning out that their parents were rolled up in barbed wire while still alive and pushed down slanted treadmills until they died by evil corporation people who were better off just shooting them and probably left tonnes of evidence of their crime?
@nora hall Yeah, but of course the barbed wires were also covered in stinging nettles right after the parents had all their teeth removed without anesthetic with tweezers and a chainsaw. Meanwhile this abnormally happy character was of course forced to watch this right after being given a villain speech about how only the strong survive and that's how they know this kid won't be a problem because they'll probably get hung with their own intestines by the same over-sized rats that cut their bellies open with their own toenails rather than grow up to take revenge while making witty one-liners.
I watched this video a while back on how to write flashbacks. Maybe it will help. ruclips.net/video/IVBBQeRzaLY/видео.html But if you really need Jenna's take on it try asking her on twitter or tumblr. She usually answers everyone that asks her stuff on those two sites.
In the case of a horror story a character wouldn't really need to grow to much right? I mean some growth is probably required, but if its a story talking about a nightmare world, and how they escape. And how the nightmare world came to be? I'm currently writing something like this and I was wondering if character development is really necessary?
Part of being a writer is noticing things. The thousands of people you see every day without interacting with them. Your fellow travellers on the trains, people in the shop with you. People on the streets. They all have their own story. Now when you're a painter or other kind of visual artist, and you need a bridge, you need to draw the whole bridge. As a writer, you only need to describe the stones on your bridge that your character's feet are touching. Not everyone in your stories will be a main character. One of my WoW fics online has Daisy the Race Starter Girl. In-game, her only function is to look pretty and set off the race. In my story, her only function was to be a weird Human in the eyes of the Elf protagonist. So I had her joke about showing too much cleavage. "It's a trick question! You can never have too much cleavage!" And being bribed by both contestants to distract the other. And then it emerged that she was saving up money doing all kinds of odd jobs so she could go visit her mother in Theramore. I had her be helpful to the main in pointing out where to go for supplies. I wanted people to like her, and see that there's more to anyone you meet. All in all, that took just a few sentences, and it added so much colour to the story. It's not hard to breathe a little more life into a character, and it gives your world so much more flavour. Rounding out your characters isn't a chore, it's one of the most fun things about writing. *Edit:* Also, flat characters aren't ONE dimensional, they're TWO-dimensional. If they were one-dimensional, they'd be line characters.
Jenna you should do something where you let your fans sends like summaries of there stories and you shout out your favorite as a means to promote and encourage their work. With that said love ya videos my cyborg queen🙇🏻♂️
I was at my PC thinking whether or not I should develop a side character who has history with the protagonist. Then my phone buzzed with a notification for this video. What a co-inky-dink! You've helped me decide. Thanks, Jenna. P.S. loved the t-shirt!
Something to add. Flat is also a type of character arc. Flat characters can develop, but they never change at the core. They can be challenged, but ultimately they stay true to how they are at the start of the story. Lots of movies use flat characters since there isn't a lot of time for an entire Change arc. Don't get the two kinds of flat confused, thus I usually avoid the word unless talking about arcs.
Jenna, I love your video you tell me that even though I'm only 14 I can still write a book. your videos mean everything to me you help so much you are the entire reason I decided to start writing in the first place. thanks to you I am now in the middle of two manuscripts that iI hope to have finished by 2022 to hopefully make a little money to help me through college and fund more writing because its what I love.
Disney characters can be quite clever - Captain Hook was like a boy trapped in a man's body, and this fits, given that he literally lives in Neverland.
Project KEEP sounds great! If I wasn’t literally working 12 hr days just to make ends meet, I would totally donate. But I can always promote it on Facebook and Twitter. I hope that’s something. Thanks for being awesome Jenna.
Jenna, I love your opening Helloooo! I am wondering if naming groups and those within it, referred to as, farm family, new place, family friend, etc., can be considered flat characters, without giving them all proper names? Plot being character driven, with a handful of close supporting characters, but the settings are written with the "groups". I hope that's not too confusing.
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Jenna: real people aren't flat
If you don't count my chest, yes
Look at it this way; if you're ever being chased by an evil maniac, you'll be more aerodynamic than the 34D cheerleader next to you. Remember, you don't have to be faster than the one chasing you, just the person next to you.
Lol although I would never consider myself curvy, I am incredibly envious of my teammates who can run without worrying about their sports bra
@@ManiaMac1613 LMAOOOOO I've never thought about this, great point
she did admit to being in the Itty-Bitty-Titty-Committee though...
This is what I was thinking as soon as I saw the video title
Just when all hope seems lost and you feel that your writing is destined to fail, that is when she appears, the cyborg queen herself will grace us with wisdom and power in our writing endeavors.
LOLOL omg
Wait, I thought your middle name was king? 😮
@@JennaMoreci there's an anime series I recently watched it's called dr.stone and the protagonist of the story senku stars of as a flat character representing the arrogant genius stereotype but as the plot the goes forward he becomes more complex and layered basically becoming somewhat round but really dr.stone has more of a plot driven story than any thing else and the pacing can be slow sometimes
Women are not a monolith
Gay people are not a monolith
East Asian people are not a monolith
Me, who is all three: THAT’S THE NICEST THING ANYONE HAS EVER SAID TO ME
CuteNiaRose :] You deserve it :)
@@valhatan3907 Literally, a giant block of stone that acts as a monument of some sort. Figuratively, an entire category where all the members are completely identical to one another
Ikr, I felt so heard LMAO
*inTEnSe WheeZInG*
You must have freaked out when she listed characteristics that all pertain to you 😅
Jenna: **doesn’t say “helloooo everybody” immediately**
Me: **nervous sweating**
same
Round characters have layers.
Am I the only one that keeps thinking of onions?
Make your character an onion!
(Insert Shrek reference here)
"But donkeys have sleeves."
Lol that's what I thought when she said layers 🤣
Not everyone likes onions. What about cake? Cakes have layers!
Skin has layers. Make your characters like the human body's largest organ😄
Cabbage has layers too!
Flat characters have one or two personality traits .... just like me
@Strider Xanthos ah didn't know my depression was a special trait
@Strider Xanthos No, it's not lol
Yeah like mine are meat and sarcasm
Slorm Worm+ U need a hug bro?
Your self deprecating and *insert second personality trait here*
No offense btw just tryna be funny
Example of a background character with goals, layers, and a backstory:
My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.
Are you calling Inigo Montoya a background character? I do not think it means what you think it means. :p
@@GrapevineBranch haha I love your reference too
Lol
My name is Anakin Skywalker I am your father join me or die.
Central character; his motivation.
"The fiery red head, the damsel in distress"
WAIT. Is Daphne from Scooby-Doo a flat character!? 🤯
Uhm... Sorry to tell you 😅
lol pretty much all of the Scooby gang is.
No characterization, so... the entire show
Wait for the inevitable gritty reboot.
Yes, but she's smoking hot so it's okay.
Are static round characters possible? Yes. Toph Beifong.
Gonna develop your point, I hope you don't mind.
Static round characters are mostly round due to background and worldbuilding. It allows us to discover things about them, and to have their own mythology build around stuff that doesn't happen directly in the story.
Toph is static round because she's a sassy carefree blind rich earthbender, but these specificities (which we learn of in her very first episode) are utilized in many ways:
- Her sass (which is likely due to her wealth) gives her personality;
- To be carefree makes her at odd with others, in meaningful ways (especially Katara, of course) because she can be both lazy and irresponsible;
- Her blindness has both humorous and story uses (including the ironic advantages of being blind when being an earthbender);
- Her rich family also plays for or against her (whether she can get free passes for Team Avatar, or when mercenaries are paid to retrieve her) - in other words, it helps the story as well;
- The fact she's an earthbender is also the reason she was chosen to teach to Aang; BUT, even after Aang learned how to earthbend, she would still train him.
But at the end, she's still the same. Not socially upgraded, not kinder, not specifically more powerful (no, metalbending didn't really change that), not more serious, but she did have her major role to play. You couldn't tell the story without her, yet when you meet her at first and at last she seems... unchanged. Even Sokka (I believe, the close second in the series) went actually more serious and powerful (though not a bender) his own way. Toph didn't, yet earned her own place as an unforgettable character.
All combinations of static/dynamic + flat/round are possible (you can find them all in ATLA, btw). What matters is how they are written.
Most well written Paragon characters are both round and static, e.g. Dumbledore in books 1-5 of the Harry Potter series (I exclude book 6 and 7 because we retroactively do see character development in him both through flashbacks as well as the ongoing conflict with Voldemort and the curse he contracted changing him, so he wouldn't be static in those later books, but in the earlier books his totally static although still well rounded.) Also some villains who are already at the peak of their development when we meet them sometimes are static without being flat, like e.g. chancellor/emperor Palpatine in the Star Wars movies or Sauron in Lord of the Rings.
The main character (Holden Caulfield) in Catcher in the Rye. The character has depth to him, but because the events in the novel happens over the course of 3 days, there isn't any character development.
@@Elena-gv5wi not certain a sociopath can be said to have depth.
@@chrisrudolf9839 Bellatrix Lestrange is actually a really good static round character as well. I want to say Aladdin is flat and dynamic but I’m a bit iffy.
Great video, but I disagree about one aspect: Multiple traits don't make layers. Like, of your character is sometimes a "tough soldier" asshole and sometimes really nice and compassionate with no explanation on how these two opposite traits are connected, the character isn't deep, just inconsistent (looking at you, Yaz from gen:LOCK!)
From what I know, layers are the traits _behind_ the traits. Like, why is the character so arrogant or selfless or closed off etc. The more complex the reasons for the character's behavior, the more layers they have.
Totally agree. Traits in general are a very broad thing. What people tend to forget is that all the characters had life before the story plot, they had jobs and errands to run, they still have interests, likes and dislikes. One can be egocentric and cold towards others, and still have values in life, like family or job, and prefer some things over others. It doesn't have to be crazy and extensive, as long as it is consistent and well explained through showing, the character won't be boring and flat.
It's farther than just complexity. No good person in real life is only purely good. The sweetest person can still be selfish, and, with few exceptions (Trump, McConnell), assholes usually have some positive aspects to them and motivations we can identify with. Characters need traits all over the spectrum, and we need reasons to not always like the good guys, and reasons to sympathize with the bad guys.
Just like Shrek
Conflicting traits in a real person? Unheard of!
@@authoralysmarchand4737 I'm big into dissecting people's motivations and seeing the bigger picture of their character. I've done this with Trump, and he's actually quite fascinating if you look at him from a writer's perspective. His character is one of taking strengths to ridiculous extremes, to the point where they become flaws. Now when I hear him or what he's done in whatever recent news story, I can see where he's coming from. I don't like it and disagree with it, but I understand it.
I personally would argue that writing stereotypes is okay, if you are expanding characters beyond only the stereotypes. For example, in the movie Zootopia, one of the characters, Nick Wilde, starts off as a stereotypical fox. However, as the story progresses, we realize that he is more than just a stereotype of a fox and we see that there is a reason why he acts like a stereotype. Therefore, he begins as a stereotype but progresses to something more. I think that stereotypes are problematic if they are the only thing that the character is shown as.
Can I donate clothes, food, etc. because I don't have any money for the foster charity 😢
new and unused supplies are welcome! Check out the website for details: jennamoreci.com/projectkeep
Jenna: “can’t exactly flesh out a character who only appears in three chapters”
George R.R Martin: “hold my beer.”
Let's say they are long chapters. Besides, they are less appreciated than say, Tyrion or Sansa.
I'm working on several characters especially my villain. So thanks for being amazing Jenna. ✨
happy to help!
I have a tip to make rounder characters. Read some stuff on psychology.
My mum was a psychology teacher and had some textbooks which I read parts of and it really helped develop the characters and make them more realistic in their struggles from what happened as they were children.
Nobody:
Jenna: “To which I say, C A L M Y O U R T I T S.”
Aria Hazelwood Someone remembers an old Jacksepticeye quote lmao
William Reid 😄
My main character started out as a round character.
However, near the end, a steam roller ran him over and the fat man ended up as a flat character.
I would totally love reading about a fatty turning into a pancake and have those physical things directly correlate to them losing all their character depth and becoming a flat character, both literally and metaphorically, , by the end of the novel. 😊😊
Not related to the episode, but I just wanna let you know how much you’ve inspired as a writer. For a long time I gave up on writing and creating characters and stories, and then I found your channel! Since then I’ve been constantly creating my own stories and it’s all thanks to your videos! Thanks Jenna, keep up the great work!
*hey I love your profile picture*
H Thanks! :P
Can you please do a video on flashbacks
Omg yes- THIS ^^^
Yes please! So many books have cringey, forced flashbacks😂
Yes!!
Dear god yes
didn't she do that already?
Write characters with two or more positive traits, two more more negative traits, two interests, at least one goal, one physical and one characteristic flaw, maybe one quirk.
For all main characters think of a little backstory (rough, doesnt need to be too detailed unless necessary for the story), some things they often do/say/wear. Think of their mannerisms, relationships, voice .... And at least one way, in which they develop throughout the story. A change of style, character, belief, knowledge, skills learned, muscles built, trust found etc.
When you know all that, you will include it intuitively into your writing, making them seem natural and alive.
Take friends as examples, to help you build lively personas. Good luck!
my general rule of thumb is that if you can perfectly sum up your character in the form of a sim your character is probably not very well rounded tbh
😂 this is the best most relatable character development advice I've ever heard. I love it so much!!
Hi, I recommend your videos all the time to my writing friends.
awww thank you so much!
I might be a comic artist/writer but this is sooo helpful
Lucky, I wish I could draw.
A lot of writing principles are applicable to most mediums
Starts at 2:40 Great breakdown and covers lots of questions you would have in detail.
To the top you go
Not gonna lie, kinda disappointed this wasn't a tutorial on how to realistically describe boobs. As we all know, that is the single most important character trait for any female character in any story.
Guess my story is bad then lol.
It's not simply enough to write a certain characteristic someone has (you can but it's not very effective). It's better to show it by the person's actions (or even the way he/she reacts). Listing everything the character is known for can still make him/her flat. You have to show it (not every aspect of his/ her character but the most important ones).
I like that you brought out the difference between flat/ round and static/dynamic. (:.
Not something many want, but something many need 😂
Love this! Also, Buttercup half-asleep is a big mood.😂
A true Queen.
Ooh, I needed this! Thank you Jenna!
you're welcome!
Thanks for this video, this definitely helped me make better characters in both writing and the Dungeons & Dragons adventure I'm working on for my... friends... which I have... definitely...
I subscribed about a month ago, and I love your content!
Yesss I stayed up until after 1 am to catch your new upload again!😂❤
awww thank you!
Honestly, your videos have helped me so much with my writing! When I first found your channel, I binged it all and now I still rewatch old videos because hearing you bitch about annoying stuff is the best!
Yes just looking for something to watch! And a subject I've been having issues with perfect timing! Thanks Jenna :D
you're very welcome!
But Jenna!
Can you please make a video on writing back of the book blurbs? IDK why but they're soooo difficult
Thanks! Love your channel! I just finished my own book with some of your help, now need to look to market/publish
She already has done a video on writing the synopsis: ruclips.net/video/9uRc0rycFJI/видео.html
"Onions have layers, Ogers have layers. Onions have layers... you get it, they both have layers"
"Oh, you both have layers... But not everybody likes onions...." ;)
Thanks so much for all these videos. It doesn't matter if the content is "basic" or more "advanced", it's all cyborg-approved :)
Also, I appreciate how you actively care about other people. Even if I can't donate right now, I appreciate your compassion. Have a great day!
The country where I live is on the verge of collapsing and the governor might resign in a few minutes, but JENNA JUST UPLOADED LETS GOOOOO 👌
The all mighty Jenna is here to send down to earth to shower wisdom and hope upon this earth. Thank you for existing. 🤧😤✊🏽💙
“Most people have layers”
Children’s literature, mocking characters
This explains Star Wars. It’s for kids, now. 1D characters
Star Wars had a lot of layered characters (Han solo is probably the best example) until Disney took over. The sequel characters, especially Rey, were pretty boring.
You could do a video on common mistakes ficwriters make. I see a lot of people watching you are ficwriters.
Oh gods yes!
- Lady Pimulenthaniel of Bagargros, or as we call her: Pim.
- "Crimsonette!" "Noirette!"
- "No," said the burly brawler.
And that's off the top of my head. Jenna, of course, will not read any TSC fanfic for very good reasons, but other fics are fair game.
Does anyone know a good place for resources on psychology for story writers? I want my (main) characters to have depth and dimension, but I'm bad at describing their personality trait.
I want to know this too
I can recommend the MBIT test that classifies 16 different personalities based on Introversion and Behaviour. It provides templates for characters, so I find it useful to start building one.
As the previous person explained, I would recommend taking a Meyer Briggs Personality test as your character. It goes quite deep, as far as how they interact with loved ones, work, their identity, etc.
@Vince Knox I did this for a couple of my characters a while back. But I found it kind of hard not to give my own bias on the answers 😅
Aww i feel all warm and fuzzy inside☺
lol!
Automatically gave a thumbs up before having seen the whole video because of the dog ... he's just too precious 😍❤
when i first skimmed the title i thought this was a video about flat earthers lol
ghostio
Hahahahaha!
People have layers,
Like onions
Am I the only one who thought that?
Yea, ok.
Nikki Griffin _Ogres_ have layers! Onions have layers.... Ya get it? We all have layers! [ Sighs ]
@@williamreid6255 not everyone likes onions....Cake! Everybody loves cake! Cakes have layers!
thatguywith1millionsubscribersandnovideos You’re so right! I don’t like onions (I’m just saying; you’re totally entitled to your own opinion) but I do love cakes!
I smell a wooosh
wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHH
Omg I always thought writing a round character was going to be really hard but watching this video really helps a lot!
Im writing a character who's a stoner guitarist who's very chilled out but because of the type of music he makes, he works well under pressure, has so much knowledge on mythology, literature and most forms of media, he's also super insecure around his family due to them being mean constantly when he was a teenager. I basically toke a stereotype I'm very familiar with and wrote traits that's aren't classic to that stereotype and also unique issues that may appear as apart of his formative years which exist outside his stereotype to add some extra good shit.
@nora hall Huh? How come?
@nora hall oh, thanks dude
You said layers so much, the opportunity for Shrek jokes is right there, and I respect you for not making them then blasting All star
A pancake is flat and round. A stack of pancakes is round and has layers, and doesn't mix metaphors.
2:27 - Love that Jenna’s ‘round’ shape is a heart :)
Thank you so much for this video Jenna!!💜
omg of course!
Your hair is really pretty, your dog is super cute and your tips are so helpful!!
I've been wanting to get back to writing more often, so thank you for all your advice!
I 100% agree with the conflict point. My favorite characters in fiction are flawed ones. I get annoyed when characters are all kind, heroic, brave, good at everything, without any issues in personality- they’re boring. Real people aren’t that perfect. Give your hero some problems.
Kindness does not equal perfect. Passivity, being a coward, can easily balance that.
Omg! 500+ likes but NO dislikes! Either RUclips is broken, or Jenna is just an AMAZING RUclipsr!!!
Thank you for your explanation for #4. It's really important.
Flat Character sounds a lot like me personally, nobody would like me as a character.
Boring as a sheet of cardboard.
I somehow doubt that, lol. You’re clearly self-deprecating by this comment, for which there just be a reason - therefore, something to explore were you a character, leading to an engaging read. Just because a character isn’t witty like Percy Jackson, or tortured like some early 2000s superhero, doesn’t mean he or she isn’t interesting.
Jenna king, are you reletaded to Sthepn King? Besides writing well
I very strongly disagree that characters in a children's movie can get away with being flat because it was written for children. Children are still people who benefit from stories featuring realistic characters. Think about some of the better role models in childrens media, they are real, they have fears and flaws and struggles. Their action are motivated internally, and they deal with real and relatible themes. You don't get away with making a bad character just because you have assumed your audience to be ignorant.
“Maybe their an animal lover, or a philosopher, or a bigot”
-Jenna 2019
I like these videos, it helps people get started writing which is awesome. hmm, I have studied a lot of literature in college so to me, I don't use this type of phrasing when talking about what parts characters are made of and how they are characterized. however, sometimes we overdo things, sometimes people nag about which theoretical springboard is the best instead of working on the actual writing hehe. And it's important to remember what's important. I run a small (but growing rapidly)writing-group in my city and I love videos like this. It helps many that feel stuck.
Okay, how's this for a character?
A Round Character whom society has forced to be flat?
Agreed would be a good character, as long as there is a struggle to be round again... assuming it's a main character.
@@atallguynh It's a villain...at first.
He was a soldier for a society that...well, to put it mildly, is basically one of the most brutal and controlling places in the entire universe dominated by the superhuman members of his kind who enforce the "Will of the [insert Name of his Species]" these guys rule a significant portion of the galaxy, and their schemes, plans, and treachery has cost more lives than any other nation that preceded them.
The entire universe would literally be better off if this entire species dropped dead and went extinct. He was sent to the planet the main characters are from, a planet that in culture and morals is incredibly similar to Earth, in specific, the US. The army he was a part of was defeated, with all of the super enforcers sent there to manage the invasion being massacred to the last by the protagonists, though at great cost.
When this character was an infant, he was drafted into the military moments after his birth because of a crime his parents committed against the government (or any excuse, really), and their newborn son was the only alternative to the death sentence...but they often execute them anyway.
He flees the battle as one of the last living members of his species on the planet, and he's eventually tracked down by one of the natives of the planet, responsible for storming the base and killing the rest of his comrades.
The native actually offers something to the invader that he had never seen in his life, something his government and 99% of his people had forgotten so fully, something so utterly alien to them that he's terrified and doesn't know what to do. Kindness.
Turns out she's been fending off alien invaders from her planet for a long time, longer than he's been alive, and her army has been doing so very successfully. But make no mistake, she's still young, but every single time aliens invade, she and the rest of her group are notified, and every single time they attack, storming their base, and every single time, kill them all.
Though this guy's people were their deadliest opponent yet, and she's grown tired of massacring them all to the last, she became sick and tired of inflicting death and destruction, then she tells the invader that was why when she had him in her sights, running away, she didn't pull the trigger.
Does the invader take advantage of the kindness being shown to him and murder the warrior? Taking her place and infiltrating her group? Or does he realize that he was incomplete his entire life, and change for the better? Joining the natives?
Nobody knows for certain, the story sure as Hell isn't taking place from his perspective...that aside I don't think I'm CAPABLE of writing flat characters from their own perspective.
You mean like Katy Perry?
@Bayman Hayabusa What the...I responded to your comment, where the Hell did it go?
Basically they always had dictatorial tendencies, though they kept those suppressed, but they were always jealous, always wanted more control, always wanted to be #1, but the race that was #1 were so powerful literally nothing the galaxy could throw at them would take them down. So they toed the line and made themselves the dominant species' #1 ally, they rose to become the second most dominant species, and they bid their time since. But everything changed when the dominant species got into a civil war, the uprising side was genocidally anti-alien, and the other side were the guys who ensured peace throughout the entire galaxy was actual peace. The good guys won, but at immense cost, these guys saw their chance and through lies and deception convinced the rest of the galaxy that they were no better than the genocidal side that lost.
The result was a war that led to them being the only space faring race left in the galaxy, the other races still existed, but the ones that were left bemoan the fact that they let themselves be deceived into fighting for the bad guys.
The society's government then started to turn ever more controlling of its own people, and it seems nothing would have been able to stop them until one member of the dominant species, surviving in the ruins of his world and forgotten by all, launched a last ditch invasion on the usurpers with an army of titanic space faring war machines, resulting in the near annihilation of the species.
@@JMObyx a flat character is a character that doesn't learn from an experience and doesn't change or evolve and learn its mistakes they start and end every story the same like joker and Johan liebert,it can be told about the protagonists too like captain america and wonder woman are sold flat arc characters their morals and ideas are still consistent no matter what
I try and give all of my characters AT LEAST the depth of a sims 4 character (if they are important to the story), that's 3 traits, an aspiration, and usually with the aspiration there is a skill correlated to it. Then I go from there, might be dumb but it works for me at least
your videos really help me out but they also make me realize all of the faults in some of my favorite series... there’s a lot of passive, flat main characters in them but i still love them! i guess they’re guilty pleasure series lol
Could you do a video on writing dreams or nightmares?
BAM! This is so on point, Jenna! I'm taking major notes over here 🤩
I love how pizza is used for the thumbnail, with whole pizza being round and flat at the same time.
All bow to the queen!
Would you do a video about character flaws and how to write them to make your characters more realistic and layered?
Thank you so much for continuing to upload tremendous advice. Be well Jenna 💗
Jenna, how do you get into your characters head so you can write what they’re saying, how they’re feeling and how they react to situations?
You've been such an impact on my life with your writing advice! I thank you, you pure soul! I love your videos!
Have you read daughter of smoke and bone?
Blood and Bone, you mean.
@@Dude-dx5ns nah I mean smoke and bone. There must be two different books
Just finding author youtube channels and binging the content. You and others are opening my eyes to how absolutely...normal I am for a writer. I'm in a different life place than most of the others, though. I'm not a young newcomer. I'm someone who has decades of experience in starting writing projects. I have files upon files of first chapters, and a lot of real world job experience because my anxiety over not struggling won out over my passion for storytelling. I'm currently living on savings and trying to actually produce a full, completed book...and it's terrifying. Mostly, it's the fear of going back into the soul-crushing work force of the real world that's raising my anxiety. A lot of times, that panic that I need to write or I will suffer keeps me from actually writing.
I actually don't mind a character being a stereotype if they have a good reason to be so and if the character has other charactiristics outside of that. For exemple, the damsel in distress can be simply physicly weak and untrainned, thus needs to rely on others when captured, otherwise her situation will be worse. Or the violent thug, who for exemple, grew up in a dangerous neightbourhood and had to adopt anti-social behavior to protect himself.
I don't think the damsel in distress is a bad trope if played correctly.
The worst of it is, that it promotes SOCIAL stereotypes. Like, for a long loong time, all damsels in distress were... Damsels. Women. That expresses a connotation between weakness and femininity. The brutal, harsh thug has passed through our social consciousness as the ghetto-living black guy. Now, this is not to say that weak women don't exist, or thuggish black people aren't running around, but the writer's CHOICE to highlight one group in a certain light under a specified trait sends a lot of messages. For example, gay men are likely to be more "feminine" but if the author turned. them into a caricature AND they're the only gay male in the book, that is troubling.
Jenna, all of these videos, by yourself and others such as Alexa Donne focus heavily on how to start a book, how to craft that first chapter, how to get the reader's attention and hold and it can even extend into how to maintain that through a sagging middle.
But...
I am going to be a bit rhetorical here and I am doing this because I have not seen this covered by anyone so far.
How do you know when to end the story? A lot of new writers start out with only knowing the end. That is why the beginning is so tough for most new writers. Often it seems, we start the journey in the story and the end we thought we had planned no longer makes sense - or - is better placed in a sequel - or - more commonly, makes the best way to prop up the middle in the false climax. How do we know when to end?
Truth! For some of you who are still confused. Round characters that are static have a Flat Arc. One big rule about the round charcter with a flat arc is that they must cause other characters around them to change. So rather than the audience witnessing the protag's change, we witness how they change the world around them.
I'm not mad or irritated but man you made a lot of comments
Nevermind
"So, if your characters are only acting a certain way bc you need them to, you might wanna take a step back and rethink their goals.." Wish D&D would've watched this video before making the last 4 seasons of GoT lol....
HAIL THE CYBORG QUEEN, SHE HAS GRACED US WITH HER VAST KNOWLEDGE
I wish my characters could say "Alright? Alright!" like that without sounding redundant. All my characters feel like extensions of me.
Thanks for mentioning Asians. Hollywood leaves us out a lot, and whitewash is all too often.
Same. The way my characters talk is the same way others at my school talk. They repeat phrases to be hear as they talk over one another. I want to show that in my writing but I don't want it to be redundant.
@@suffercore4483 Generally, how we talk in real life is often about useless shit, since we aren't in a story, where every scene needs to have a purpose.
These are questions I have been struggling with... as usual our cyborg queen is a mind reader. My concern is I have made some of my villains too "I eat puppies because I am so evil", some of the main villains I am developing but the ones I know are going to get killed really dead by the hero a few chapters later I wonder if i have done them a disservice by focusing too much on them "drawing heat" so the reader would cheer when the MC takes them down. I guess something for my beta-readers to tell me when I finish my first draft.
Hey, Queen Cyborg. What is your opinions and tips about writing on Prose style? 💙📚✒
How would I create a good engaging (scary)story with characters you can empathize/be scared for within a short story? I’m talking 10 pages at the most. My first one I think I did a good job of establishing the two main characters’ personalities and relationships, and built up decent tension, but I’m not sure how to recreate it
Crystal 959 I think a good way to get characters across quickly is through dialogue. Follow dialogue with action and not just he said she said. If you figure out how to give the person strong and impactful, realistic dialogue, your readers will understand them 😁
Oh, so good stories need to have round characters? Got it, my story will now feature Kirby.
Not every one look at demon slayer flat character but still engaging and interesting
flat and round not same as static and dynamic
learned something new thanks a bunch
The dog was too adorbz for me to pay attention
I wasn’t entirely sure about adding a few new elements to my main cast of characters, but after seeing your video I decided they needed the additions anyways.
Imagine if Jenna did a vid on how to do flashbacks like I need her help with right about now as I don't know how best to include the backstories of my characters in my books except only at the moments where they're relevant such as when someone from a character's past shows up but every time I try that it feels very forced and with some characters it seems that their backstories will never be included at all... which is a shame because how else will I contradict the jovial natures of my characters with it turning out that their parents were rolled up in barbed wire while still alive and pushed down slanted treadmills until they died by evil corporation people who were better off just shooting them and probably left tonnes of evidence of their crime?
@nora hall Yeah, but of course the barbed wires were also covered in stinging nettles right after the parents had all their teeth removed without anesthetic with tweezers and a chainsaw. Meanwhile this abnormally happy character was of course forced to watch this right after being given a villain speech about how only the strong survive and that's how they know this kid won't be a problem because they'll probably get hung with their own intestines by the same over-sized rats that cut their bellies open with their own toenails rather than grow up to take revenge while making witty one-liners.
I watched this video a while back on how to write flashbacks. Maybe it will help. ruclips.net/video/IVBBQeRzaLY/видео.html But if you really need Jenna's take on it try asking her on twitter or tumblr. She usually answers everyone that asks her stuff on those two sites.
Excellent topic; it makes me want to go back and review my main project... again.
In the case of a horror story
a character wouldn't really need to grow to much right?
I mean some growth is probably required, but if its a story talking about a nightmare world, and how they escape.
And how the nightmare world came to be?
I'm currently writing something like this and I was wondering if character development is really necessary?
Part of being a writer is noticing things. The thousands of people you see every day without interacting with them. Your fellow travellers on the trains, people in the shop with you. People on the streets. They all have their own story. Now when you're a painter or other kind of visual artist, and you need a bridge, you need to draw the whole bridge. As a writer, you only need to describe the stones on your bridge that your character's feet are touching.
Not everyone in your stories will be a main character. One of my WoW fics online has Daisy the Race Starter Girl. In-game, her only function is to look pretty and set off the race. In my story, her only function was to be a weird Human in the eyes of the Elf protagonist. So I had her joke about showing too much cleavage. "It's a trick question! You can never have too much cleavage!" And being bribed by both contestants to distract the other. And then it emerged that she was saving up money doing all kinds of odd jobs so she could go visit her mother in Theramore. I had her be helpful to the main in pointing out where to go for supplies. I wanted people to like her, and see that there's more to anyone you meet.
All in all, that took just a few sentences, and it added so much colour to the story. It's not hard to breathe a little more life into a character, and it gives your world so much more flavour. Rounding out your characters isn't a chore, it's one of the most fun things about writing.
*Edit:* Also, flat characters aren't ONE dimensional, they're TWO-dimensional. If they were one-dimensional, they'd be line characters.
❤️
Jenna you should do something where you let your fans sends like summaries of there stories and you shout out your favorite as a means to promote and encourage their work. With that said love ya videos my cyborg queen🙇🏻♂️
I was at my PC thinking whether or not I should develop a side character who has history with the protagonist. Then my phone buzzed with a notification for this video. What a co-inky-dink! You've helped me decide. Thanks, Jenna. P.S. loved the t-shirt!
Something to add. Flat is also a type of character arc. Flat characters can develop, but they never change at the core. They can be challenged, but ultimately they stay true to how they are at the start of the story. Lots of movies use flat characters since there isn't a lot of time for an entire Change arc. Don't get the two kinds of flat confused, thus I usually avoid the word unless talking about arcs.
Jenna, I love your video you tell me that even though I'm only 14 I can still write a book. your videos mean everything to me you help so much you are the entire reason I decided to start writing in the first place. thanks to you I am now in the middle of two manuscripts that iI hope to have finished by 2022 to hopefully make a little money to help me through college and fund more writing because its what I love.
Love your t-shirt the books are usually better I agree.
Disney characters can be quite clever - Captain Hook was like a boy trapped in a man's body, and this fits, given that he literally lives in Neverland.
Project KEEP sounds great! If I wasn’t literally working 12 hr days just to make ends meet, I would totally donate. But I can always promote it on Facebook and Twitter. I hope that’s something. Thanks for being awesome Jenna.
Jenna, I love your opening Helloooo!
I am wondering if naming groups and those within it, referred to as, farm family, new place, family friend, etc., can be considered flat characters, without giving them all proper names? Plot being character driven, with a handful of close supporting characters, but the settings are written with the "groups". I hope that's not too confusing.
Love Erin so glad you got me onto her!