Anastasia's weapon is the scythe. It chose her.
Her weakness is her loyalty.
Her want is to stop Mitchel and love a normal life (even though she knows that's not possible).
#WritingCommunity.
#AugCharWork.
Her weakness is her loyalty.
Her want is to stop Mitchel and love a normal life (even though she knows that's not possible).
#WritingCommunity.
#AugCharWork.
August Character Workshop Day 6. Driving Forces
This is all my own stuff. So take this with a whole shaker of salt. I like to give all my notable characters: a weapon, a weakness, and a want. And the names are a bit awkward, I know. I like alliteration. Sue me.
This is all my own stuff. So take this with a whole shaker of salt. I like to give all my notable characters: a weapon, a weakness, and a want. And the names are a bit awkward, I know. I like alliteration. Sue me.
September 7, 2026 at 5:02 PM
Anastasia's weapon is the scythe. It chose her.
Her weakness is her loyalty.
Her want is to stop Mitchel and love a normal life (even though she knows that's not possible).
#WritingCommunity.
#AugCharWork.
Her weakness is her loyalty.
Her want is to stop Mitchel and love a normal life (even though she knows that's not possible).
#WritingCommunity.
#AugCharWork.
#AugCharWork
Day 17.
Names
We are entering the details phase now. And the first detail is obvious: what is the character's name?
Day 17.
Names
We are entering the details phase now. And the first detail is obvious: what is the character's name?
September 6, 2026 at 10:23 PM
August Character Workshop Day 10.
#AugCharWork
Personality
You’re going to be playing with personality traits for a few days here. So don’t worry so much about getting these perfect on the first try.
#AugCharWork
Personality
You’re going to be playing with personality traits for a few days here. So don’t worry so much about getting these perfect on the first try.
September 6, 2026 at 10:27 PM
August Character Workshop Day 1.
#AugCharWork
What Do They Need to Do?
What do you, the author, need the character to do to make the story work? If this is your romantic lead, they need to fall in love. If this is your mystery detective, they need to detect.
#AugCharWork
What Do They Need to Do?
What do you, the author, need the character to do to make the story work? If this is your romantic lead, they need to fall in love. If this is your mystery detective, they need to detect.
September 6, 2026 at 10:32 PM
August Character Workshop Day 14.
#AugCharWork
Likeability
Now. You may not need to use today’s topic on every character.
How do you make a character likable?
#AugCharWork
Likeability
Now. You may not need to use today’s topic on every character.
How do you make a character likable?
September 6, 2026 at 10:28 PM
Day 11. Congruent Trait
Now we are going to work with the traits you selected yesterday, the three or five personality traits you picked on instinct.
Now we are going to work with the traits you selected yesterday, the three or five personality traits you picked on instinct.
September 6, 2026 at 10:27 PM
August Character Workshop Day 10.
#AugCharWork
Personality
You’re going to be playing with personality traits for a few days here. So don’t worry so much about getting these perfect on the first try.
#AugCharWork
Personality
You’re going to be playing with personality traits for a few days here. So don’t worry so much about getting these perfect on the first try.
September 6, 2026 at 10:27 PM
#AugCharWork
Day 16.
Odd Chunks
By now, you ought to have a lot of information you can apply to your character. But ask yourself, does the character feel right?
Day 16.
Odd Chunks
By now, you ought to have a lot of information you can apply to your character. But ask yourself, does the character feel right?
September 6, 2026 at 10:22 PM
The Inversion
How can you invert the character’s identity in the course of the story?
Some characters remain unchanged throughout the story. Sherlock Holmes for example is rarely changed by the stories he’s a part of, though his clients frequently are changed.
How can you invert the character’s identity in the course of the story?
Some characters remain unchanged throughout the story. Sherlock Holmes for example is rarely changed by the stories he’s a part of, though his clients frequently are changed.
September 6, 2026 at 10:25 PM
The Inversion
How can you invert the character’s identity in the course of the story?
Some characters remain unchanged throughout the story. Sherlock Holmes for example is rarely changed by the stories he’s a part of, though his clients frequently are changed.
How can you invert the character’s identity in the course of the story?
Some characters remain unchanged throughout the story. Sherlock Holmes for example is rarely changed by the stories he’s a part of, though his clients frequently are changed.
September 6, 2026 at 10:25 PM
September 6, 2026 at 10:24 PM
Anastasia: Her leadership abilities.
Vivian: Her willingness to speak her mind.
#WritingCommunity.
#AugCharWork.
Vivian: Her willingness to speak her mind.
#WritingCommunity.
#AugCharWork.
August Character Workshop Day 4. Flair
#AugCharWork
I’m calling this section Flair. What is unique about this character? Not every character needs to have something unique, but if they don’t then the audience will typically forget them as they walk off stage.
#AugCharWork
I’m calling this section Flair. What is unique about this character? Not every character needs to have something unique, but if they don’t then the audience will typically forget them as they walk off stage.
September 6, 2026 at 10:31 PM
Anastasia: Her leadership abilities.
Vivian: Her willingness to speak her mind.
#WritingCommunity.
#AugCharWork.
Vivian: Her willingness to speak her mind.
#WritingCommunity.
#AugCharWork.
August Character Workshop Day 22.
#AugCharWork
Ability Scores
Some writers like to give their characters ability scores. And some of those ability score setups can be quite elaborate.
#AugCharWork
Ability Scores
Some writers like to give their characters ability scores. And some of those ability score setups can be quite elaborate.
September 6, 2026 at 10:23 PM
August Character Workshop Day 5. Thought Process
Everyone thinks a little different. Our minds process things in different ways. And having characters think in noticeably different ways makes those characters memorable.
Everyone thinks a little different. Our minds process things in different ways. And having characters think in noticeably different ways makes those characters memorable.
September 6, 2026 at 10:30 PM
August Character Workshop Day 20.
#AugCharWork
Visual Details
I left facial details out of the previous section. I also excluded skin color and monolids and other traits typically associated with ethnicity, saving them for this section.
#AugCharWork
Visual Details
I left facial details out of the previous section. I also excluded skin color and monolids and other traits typically associated with ethnicity, saving them for this section.
September 6, 2026 at 10:22 PM
August Character Workshop Day 21.
#AugCharWork
Character Vibes
Han Solo, the MCU version of Tony Stark, and Indiana Jones all share some vibes.
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Character Vibes
Han Solo, the MCU version of Tony Stark, and Indiana Jones all share some vibes.
September 6, 2026 at 10:23 PM
August Character Workshop Day 8.
#AugCharWork
Note: I didn't manage to post yesterday. So you get Days 8 and 9 today.
Day 8. Backstory
No character exists in a vacuum. They have a history.
Now, this isn’t actually true. The characters don’t exist. They are words on a page.
#AugCharWork
Note: I didn't manage to post yesterday. So you get Days 8 and 9 today.
Day 8. Backstory
No character exists in a vacuum. They have a history.
Now, this isn’t actually true. The characters don’t exist. They are words on a page.
September 6, 2026 at 10:29 PM
#AugCharWork
Day 7. Stratrgies
There is some overlap today between this section and parts of the Thought Process section from Day 5. You’re going to notice this happening more and more as the course goes on. These characteristics overlap and bleed into each other. That’s fine.
Day 7. Stratrgies
There is some overlap today between this section and parts of the Thought Process section from Day 5. You’re going to notice this happening more and more as the course goes on. These characteristics overlap and bleed into each other. That’s fine.
September 6, 2026 at 10:30 PM
August Character Workshop Day 15.
#AugCharWork
Larger than Life
This section applies to major characters. This section is especially important for main characters. Make your characters larger than life. Donald Maass talks about this at length in: “Writing the Breakout Novel.”
#AugCharWork
Larger than Life
This section applies to major characters. This section is especially important for main characters. Make your characters larger than life. Donald Maass talks about this at length in: “Writing the Breakout Novel.”
September 6, 2026 at 10:28 PM
August Character Workshop Day 23.
#AugCharWork
Equipment
We’ve touched on this earlier, when talking about style and weapon. We’re going to go into more detail here. Obviously, or this wouldn’t be a section.
#AugCharWork
Equipment
We’ve touched on this earlier, when talking about style and weapon. We’re going to go into more detail here. Obviously, or this wouldn’t be a section.
September 6, 2026 at 10:23 PM
August Character Workshop Day 29.
#AugCharWork
Almost done here. This one is different from the others. It's not about character construction so much as story construction and how the character must be taken into account.
Also spoilers on 300, Avatar, and Cinderella... I guess.
#AugCharWork
Almost done here. This one is different from the others. It's not about character construction so much as story construction and how the character must be taken into account.
Also spoilers on 300, Avatar, and Cinderella... I guess.
September 6, 2026 at 10:25 PM
Anastasia and Vivian both are. But Anastasia wouldn't describe herself as such.
#WritingCommunity.
#AugCharWork.
#WritingCommunity.
#AugCharWork.
August Character Workshop Day 25.
#AugCharWork
Make them Badass
Once again I need to preface this with a warning. Not every characters should be badass. It is often useful for the writer to have a cowardly sidekick to voice things that the hero would never say.
#AugCharWork
Make them Badass
Once again I need to preface this with a warning. Not every characters should be badass. It is often useful for the writer to have a cowardly sidekick to voice things that the hero would never say.
September 6, 2026 at 10:24 PM
Anastasia and Vivian both are. But Anastasia wouldn't describe herself as such.
#WritingCommunity.
#AugCharWork.
#WritingCommunity.
#AugCharWork.
Anastasia and Vivian both are. But Anastasia wouldn't describe herself as such.
#WritingCommunity.
#AugCharWork.
#WritingCommunity.
#AugCharWork.
August Character Workshop Day 25.
#AugCharWork
Make them Badass
Once again I need to preface this with a warning. Not every characters should be badass. It is often useful for the writer to have a cowardly sidekick to voice things that the hero would never say.
#AugCharWork
Make them Badass
Once again I need to preface this with a warning. Not every characters should be badass. It is often useful for the writer to have a cowardly sidekick to voice things that the hero would never say.
September 6, 2026 at 10:24 PM
Anastasia and Vivian both are. But Anastasia wouldn't describe herself as such.
#WritingCommunity.
#AugCharWork.
#WritingCommunity.
#AugCharWork.
Anastasia and Vivian both are. But Anastasia wouldn't describe herself as such.
#WritingCommunity.
#AugCharWork.
#WritingCommunity.
#AugCharWork.
August Character Workshop Day 25.
#AugCharWork
Make them Badass
Once again I need to preface this with a warning. Not every characters should be badass. It is often useful for the writer to have a cowardly sidekick to voice things that the hero would never say.
#AugCharWork
Make them Badass
Once again I need to preface this with a warning. Not every characters should be badass. It is often useful for the writer to have a cowardly sidekick to voice things that the hero would never say.
September 6, 2026 at 10:24 PM
Anastasia and Vivian both are. But Anastasia wouldn't describe herself as such.
#WritingCommunity.
#AugCharWork.
#WritingCommunity.
#AugCharWork.
Anastasia and Vivian both are. But Anastasia wouldn't describe herself as such.
#WritingCommunity.
#AugCharWork.
#WritingCommunity.
#AugCharWork.
August Character Workshop Day 25.
#AugCharWork
Make them Badass
Once again I need to preface this with a warning. Not every characters should be badass. It is often useful for the writer to have a cowardly sidekick to voice things that the hero would never say.
#AugCharWork
Make them Badass
Once again I need to preface this with a warning. Not every characters should be badass. It is often useful for the writer to have a cowardly sidekick to voice things that the hero would never say.
September 6, 2026 at 10:24 PM
Anastasia and Vivian both are. But Anastasia wouldn't describe herself as such.
#WritingCommunity.
#AugCharWork.
#WritingCommunity.
#AugCharWork.