Groups

1. Groups Group One Group Three Group Five Isaac Aurora Lynn Ilich Karen Katie Richard Jill Kathy Christy Jan Group Two Group Four Melinda Becky G. Carol Tosha Jennifer Vonda Becky W. Belinda

2. Getting Beyond the Demographics: A Lesson in Character Development North Texas Star Writing Project Sarah Chambers Summer 2004

3. Research… “When I write fiction my characters reveal themselves as a photographer does a developer. What is first a pale shadow slowly changes into a sharp edged portrait. It takes time for us to get to know the people in our lives and it takes layer after layer of writing to make a character come clear…” -Donald M. Murray

4. Research… “Detail is the best tool any writer has to bring writing into focus and find deeper meaning. I begin this way because I want them to see right from the start that details are not ends in themselves but always serve to bring to life some larger vision of the writer. This is something I never learned in school. I learned to fill the pages with adjectives that only padded the story and did little to forward my purpose.” -Barry Lane

5. Start with a Name… • The “name” chosen for a character can immediately communicate some idea about what the character is like. • Our character’s name is….

6. ROWDY!!!! What do you think of when you hear this name? Male or Female? Professional business man or cowboy?

7. How does the Character look? Describe the Physical Characteristics of the Character. Hint: Use the Five Senses. Hearing Smelling Tasting Seeing Feeling

8. “Aunt Tiny had a laugh as rich and flaky as biscuits and gravy. She wore gorgeous clothes-reds so bright and whites so pure and spanking clean. She would fix ribs, baking them slow in the oven and serve them with red beans and steaming rice. She cooked the beans slow, too, with giant slabs of clove-studded onion. Tiny’s hands were pretty as Momma’s, only her nails were very long, squared-off at the tips, and polished a shiny red. She ate with delicious bites, nibbling daintily, mincing her way through rib after rib, wiper her mouth with her napkins, not getting any of the barbecue sauce on her blindingly white slacks. She smelled wonderfully of perfume and food. When she surrounded Yolanda in a big, soft hug, Yolanda could have stayed there forever, inhaling Aunt Tiny’s Sweetness. -Carol Fenner, Yolanda’s Genius

9. Get Your Character Moving! (Gestures) “…physical motions made by people. Describing a particular gesture is one of the best ways to bring alive a character.” Character’s Name + Action Verb + Gesture = Character Moving Examples: A woman sighs and chews her upper lip. A man briskly rubs his face.

10. Psychologize the Past The Main Question: Why is your character the way he/she is? Family History Education Previous Experiences Relationships Beliefs/Traditions Culture

11. Setting Dates, days and times scene takes place. Geographic Location Specific Settings

12. Keepin’ It Real It is crucial for the dialogue to represent the character!!!!

13. What Did We Do Again? Create a flip chart with the following tabs: Name, Physical Description, Gestures, Background, Dialogue, Setting. Fill in the appropriate information.

14. What Are We Going to do Now? Get into pre-assigned groups. Create a flip chart using the prompt that your group is given and create your character.

15. Now What?? Pull a character out of your previous writing. Spend some time developing the character, not the story.

16. Hate Flip Charts?? • Here’s some other ideas… • Create a want ad for your character • Become your character for a day. • Create a Resume.

17. References • Lane, Barry. After the end-teaching and learning creative revision. Portsmouth, New Hampshire: Ralph Fletcher, 1993, 22. • Fletcher, Ralph and Portalupi, JoAnn. Craft Lessons: Teaching Writing K-8. Portland, Maine: Stenhouse Publishers, 1998, 88-96. • www.readwritethink.com

18. Special Thanks to Melinda, Aurora, Dr. Mathis, and Joan for letting me talk your ear off about this!