Every plot has been used before, but each character can be unique.
It seems that the success of a writers’ workshop is in direct proportion to the presenter’s state of exhaustion afterwards. But it was fun and inspiring all the same.
I had been invited to present a session at the NorthWrite weekend of workshops associated with the New Zealand Society of Author’s AGM, and its 80th anniversary celebrations, so I felt honoured to be asked. My chosen topic was, Finding Deep Character, and it seems to have touched a tender spot for fiction writers because the session was oversubscribed, but we managed to fit everyone in.
Having attended many workshops where thoughts sparked during a session had escaped by the time we reached the end, I designed this one to provide frequent opportunities to apply ideas as they were raised. Input, discussion and application alternated throughout the session, so by the end, each participant had written the kernel of a story, following the method for finding depth in their characters. Our aim was to ‘portray character’ rather than ‘describe people’, because only deep characters have the capacity for transformation, and the potential for interactions that can turn a plot to a believable conclusion.
At the beginning, I provided visual prompts for participants to identify two characters, determine their relationship to each other, and place them in a setting. These they developed with a few lines of narrative or dialogue as we explored each stage of the method. We analysed brief excerpts from great authors – reading like writers – and explored other ways to dig into the physical, social and psychological natures of our characters.
And when we came to settings, and how objects can reveal personality traits as well as become a twist in the plot, there were toys to stimulate creativity. There was cake, too, but alas, only virtual.
My design for the workshop was based on the ‘character’ chapter of Inside Stories for Writers and Readers. I was keen to see how this would work out because Inside Stories is a resource for teachers as well as a personal companion for writers and, for the benefit of both, it contains the analysis and critiques of fifteen of my own stories. After I read one of these stories to conclude the workshop, the participants’ response was truly heart-warming – I couldn’t have wished for more encouraging feedback.
Reactions to this workshop were especially important because I will be presenting it at various venues in the UK and Netherlands during September and October this year. The first will be in Amsterdam on 6 September, and Nottingham, at the Nottingham Writers’ Studio (on Twitter as @NWStudio) on 13 September – more information and booking details are on my HOME page, along with details of other locations in the UK.
And as I write about narrative/creative non-fiction as well as short stories, I have been asked to include in my tour, a similar workshop on writing a narrative non-fiction book, based on Writing Your Nonfiction Book: the complete guide to becoming an author. The title of this workshop is Start Your Non-fiction Book, because participants will have done that by the time we reach the end of the session.
One of the venues for this will be the much-loved Mr B’s Emporium of Books in Bath, on October 6th, and I’m looking forward to renewing acquaintance with that lovely city. If you want to know more about this non-fiction workshop, you can visit the website of Alex and Jude who run Writing Events Bath http://www.writingeventsbath.co.uk/ and follow them on Twitter at @writingevents
Update: There are some places still available for workshops in Amsterdam, Nottingham and Bath – don’t miss this opportunity. I’d love to see you there.
