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Breathing Life into Your Characters: How to Give Your Characters Emotional and Psychological Depth

At a Glance

  • Turn archetypes into conflicted characters
  • Explores both writer's and character's motivation
  • Reveal personalities through nonverbal communication

Writers often ask themselves the following questions: What if my novel stops dead in its tracks because my characters seem stereotypical, unrealistic or mysterious? How can I create characters so real that readers believe in them? How can I make my story more credible and interesting?

Psychotherapist Dr. Rachel Ballon provides the answers! She teaches writers how to use the principles of psychology to understand their characters better than they ever thought possible. Through a mix of instruction, examples from film and fiction, and writing and visualization exercises, readers learn how to tap into their own stories and emotions to create realistic, complex characters.

Chapters focus on various aspects of characterization, such as:

  • Creating back stories and case histories
  • Exploring motivations-both the character's and the writer's
  • Understanding what makes a character tick
  • Creating villains by exploring one's "shadow self"
  • Showing a character's emotional growth and transformation

Employing these methods, readers will begin to create more interesting, unique and realistic characters-story people that make their fiction more credible and interesting.

Product Details

Return Policy

Your satisfaction is our top priority. If you are not satisfied with your purchase, please return the item(s) for an exchange or refund within 30 days from the purchase date, unless otherwise noted on the product page.

Ship the item(s) to The Writers Store via a traceable and insured method. You will be responsible for return shipping fees.

Please include a completed Return Form with your shipment. Refunds take up to one week to process once we have received the item(s).

Software returns must be deactivated and uninstalled from your computer before a refund may be issued. Please contact the software manufacturer if you need assistance uninstalling or deactivating your software.

The following items are not returnable: Hollywood Creative Directories, DVDs (opened), and Gift Certificates.

Meet the Author: Rachel Ballon

Rachel Ballon, Ph.D. is a licensed psychotherapist and the founder and director of The Writer's Center in Los Angeles. The author of two critically acclaimed books, Dr. Ballon has reviewed hundreds of scripts for major Hollywood studios, including United Paramount Network, Saban Entertainment, and Fox Kids. A master teacher and noted success coach, Dr. Ballon has taught as an adjunct professor at USC School of Cinema and Television.

$14.99