As a reader, you know that characters who have been created using a keen eye for the lived-in details of real life are the ones whose stories you believe - and want to hear from - most. As a writer who has started layering the essential elements of your characters - their appearance, behaviours, motivations - you’ll soon be looking for the crucial, creative techniques that will lift them off the page as lively and authentic protagonists.
In this comprehensive weekend masterclass with Sophie Mackintosh, the Booker-nominated author of The Water Cure and Blue Ticket, you will take a deep dive into character development, bringing with you a fictional character that you want to work on over the course of the workshop.
As well as completing between-session homework that will give you the necessary tools you need to continue evolving your characters long after the workshop finishes, you will discover how to expand your ways of creating in-depth protagonists, from mapping the framework of who they are, and why they behave the way they do, to building out thoughtful back stories. You will also dig into your characters’ motivations, play with dialogue and point of view, and will complete practical exercises that will result in a new piece of writing based around your character.
This workshop is an unmissable step in the writing journey of anyone who wants to breathe life into their characters and storytelling.
Course content
The importance of writing compelling characters
What makes a character compelling - or not?
Creating in-depth characters
Exploring motivations and your characters’ relationship with the world and others
Dialogue and point of view
Getting your reader on side - and then surprising them
Common pain-points and pitfalls, and how to climb out of them
Practice prompts and techniques for deepening your characters and tackling creative block
Workshopping together
This course is for…
Writers who are working on a story or character and are looking for a workshop setting to advance their skills
Anyone who has hit a wall with their writing and is in need of a refresh to their practice with a deep dive on character development
You will be sent a link to the webinar 1hr before the start time of 2pm (BST).
Tutor profile
Sophie Mackintosh is a writer based in London. Her debut novel The Water Cure was longlisted for the 2018 Man Booker Prize, and won a Betty Trask award. Her second novel, Blue Ticket, was published in 2020.
You will be sent a link to the webinar 1hr before the start time of 2pm (BST).
Details
Date: Saturday 5 June – Sunday 6 June 2021
Times: 2pm-5pm (BST)
Price: £199 (plus £2.48 booking fee)
Event capacity: 45
Save 20% when you buy two weekend workshops.
We’re celebrating the launch of our new series of comprehensive creative writing workshops with a limited number of discounted tickets that will save you 20% on your purchase of two weekend masterclasses. You’ll save 10% on this course - and 10% on ‘Produce an irresistible plot in a weekend with Shelley Weiner‘ - when you buy the two together.
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Information on Guardian Masterclasses
To contact us, click here. Terms and conditions can be found here.
All Guardian Masterclasses are fully accessible - but please contact us if you have any queries or concerns.
Returns policy
Once a purchase is complete we will not be able to refund you where you do not attend or if you cancel your event booking. Please see our terms and conditions for more information on our refund policy.
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