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Product Description
From Library Journal
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Book Description
45 Master Characters will make your characters and their stories more compelling, complex and original than ever before.
You'll explore the most common male and female archetypes - the mythic, cross-cultural models from which all characters originate - and learn how to use them as foundations for your own unique characters. Examples culled from literature, television and film illustrate just how memorable and effective these archetypes can be - from "Gladiators" and "Kings" like Rocky Balboa and Captain Ahab to "Amazons" and "Maidens" like Xena and Guinevere.
The mythic journeys of heroes and heroines - the progression of events upon which each archetype's character arc develops - are also examined. Building such a "journey" into your character's story will enable you to stop worrying about what happens next and get on with telling your tale.
It's a power-packed method for creating characters that stand the test of time!
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Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Useful Tool to Help Teach the Craft of Writing,
By
This review is from: 45 Master Characters (Paperback)
Four and a half starsMost writers need a little help from their friends to generate at least some of their ideas--whether they're creating characters or plot. Very few authors work in complete isolation. So resources such as this one are handy. In broad terms, Victoria Schmidt discusses characters according to archetypes which she says are present in world mythologies and, therefore, have universal appeal. What I find useful is how Schmidt boils characters down to their essential elements. Such an approach could lead to stereotypical characters but Schmidt urges writers to provide their own nuances and shading when developing the people that inhabit their fictional world. Victoria Schmidt uses a version of Jungian psychology that you may take or leave. (I found it the least useful part of the book). But, thankfully, she doesn't dwell on the Swiss psychologist's theories too long. After all, this is a book about the craft of writing, not theories of the mind. What was most beneficial to a writer needing to learn theit craft? For me, it was the breakdown of each archetype into various component parts. It may sound horribly mechanical, but if you wish to do a character study within your artwork, then you need to start somewhere. I found the breakdown to be a good basis for further analysis. Schmidt gives a clear, simple explanation of each archetype. One archetypical character is explored per chapter in chapters 3 through 18; female archetypes are examined in chapters 3 to 10 and male ones in 11 to 18. Here's what Schmidt provides in each of these chapter: First, a synopsis of the archetype`s `personality`. Second, a discussion of the positive aspect of the archetype. Third, a list of things the archetype cares about. Fourth, a list of the fears the archetype harbours. Fifth, a description of what motivates them. Sixth, how others view them. Seventh, developing the Character arc (how the character might grow as a person) Eighth, a comparison of the assets and flaws of the positive aspect of the archetype. Ninth, the negative side of the archetype. Tenth, a list of the essential features of the negative side. Finally, a list of major examples from TV, film, literature, and history. Each of the breakdowns is fairly brief, which makes referencing the material quick. The discussion of the personalities of archetypes are dichotomous (either...or) which clarifies key issues but makes them appear black and white. That`s the point. Archetypes are simple. Your job as a writer is to flesh them out so they seem like real persons. Another book on the same subject that I also appreciate is Plot Versus Character: A Balanced Approach to Writing Great Fiction by Jeff Gerke.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Journey into Mythic Models,
By
This review is from: 45 Master Characters (Hardcover)
Victoria Schmidt was told in film school that scripts about female heroes didn't sell, and instead of meekly giving in she started doing research. She latched onto the woman's journey into the self: the tale of the descent of the goddess Innana. She connected this to such works as "The Wizard of Oz," "Titanic," and other stories and films, and decided a book was in order. Jack Heffron, editor of most of the writing books I've ever read & reviewed, said sure, but what about the male hero while you're at it? And thus this book was born.Ms. Schmidt discusses the difference between a stereotype and an archetype. She talks a bit about individualizing characters using aspects of appearance, what the characters care about and fear, motivations, how others see the character, and so on. When providing examples of each archetype she deliberately provides a wide spectrum of possibilities so that you can see some of the variations that are possible. My only problem here is that I can still see, having read through the book, how it would be easy to accidentally get trapped into creating stereotypes using these character archetypes. Why? Because many of our stereotypes are variations on (or simplified, judgmental versions of) these archetypes, and it's hard not to let all that history influence us. Perhaps if Ms. Schmidt had included an extra (small) section within each archetype reminding the reader to play with things, and including a few further suggestions and examples for how to do so, it would have allayed this fear. The archetypes are quite detailed. Each has both a positive and a negative side. The author includes all sorts of information about the archetypes, from things they tend to care about, to which other archetypes they pair well with, and what their assets and flaws tend to be. Then Ms. Schmidt does more in the list of examples to break the stereotype worry than she does anywhere else. She includes examples from TV, film, literature, and history, so no matter what your reading or viewing pleasure, you should find something you can relate to. Oddly, while the character archetypes are what sell the book, they turned out not to be the main attraction for me. There's a great section on supporting characters, for example. But best of all, roughly a full 95 pages of the book cover the feminine and masculine archetypal journeys. This is where things really take off and catch at the imagination. All in all, this book is interesting, useful, and well-detailed. If your characterizations could use a little help, this might be a fun place to start!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Deffinitely a Bible!,
By A Customer
This review is from: 45 Master Characters (Hardcover)
I'm not sure why someone would say this isn't great to use for SF/F writing! This book covers everything! AND is the only book to cover the Female Hero's Journey...something very integral to SF/F writing as this is the genre where female characters shine!I found this book extremely useful and very needed as it includes: Female and Male Heroes and Villians, Supporting Character Archetypes, The Female Hero's Journey And a great alternative Male Hero's Journey. NO other book has this! I guess you can tell I'm a fan and I hear she has 2 other books in the works. Can't wait.
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