Creative writing: 1. character

Creative writing: 
Character
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EngelsMiddelbare schoolvwoLeerjaar 5

In deze les zitten 27 slides, met interactieve quizzen, tekstslides en 3 videos.

time-iconLesduur is: 45 min

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Creative writing: 
Character

Slide 1 - Tekstslide

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Testweek: creative writing
Upcoming weeks:
  1. character development
  2. dialogue
  3. showing versus telling
  4. powerful descriptions
  5. setting
  6. short short stories

Slide 2 - Tekstslide

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Today's goal:Create an interesting fictional character.
  • who could be the main character in the story you will write in your testweek test. 
  • who will talk to your classmate's character in the next lesson.

Slide 3 - Tekstslide

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You need your laptop and notebook. 

Slide 4 - Tekstslide

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Next: video "how to develop characters"
While you watch: make notes

Slide 5 - Tekstslide

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Slide 6 - Video

1. someone we have never seen before (in a story).
2. the character must have goals (Why internally/ why externally)
3. conflict
4. character arc = change (static versus dynamic). Consciously/unconsciously
5. backstory (flashback of past)
6. external characteristics (can show internal traits). Dress, body language, mannerism. 

Join the LessonUp lesson!
Think of a name for the following characters and add what kind of person he/she is? 
(social, intelligent, impatient, mysterious etc)

Slide 7 - Tekstslide

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Slide 8 - Woordweb

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Slide 9 - Woordweb

Kaitlin Armstrong Found Guilty in Murder of the Cyclist Moriah Wilson. 
What do we learn about these 3 men?
Mr Ross
Mr. Vandemar
Mr. Croup
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Slide 10 - Tekstslide

swagger: opscheppen

Slide 11 - Link

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  • Mr. Ross: huge, grubby, quite hairless, a filthy T-shirt, crusted blue jeans. He liked to kill things and he was good at it. (but Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar are amused by this, implying that they are much worse)
  • Mr Croup: small, blue eyes, likes words, wears an elegant black suit
  • Mr Vandemar: tall, brown eyes, rings (made of raven skulls), always hungry, wears an elegant black suit

Slide 12 - Tekstslide

grubby = dirty

Slide 13 - Tekstslide

In "Beloved", Toni Morrison gives us a haunted house as a character: "124" (full name: "124 Bluestone Road") who later in the novel will incarnate as the ghostly "Beloved".
We get a little bit of external description of the house (it's "gray and white"), but mostly it's the "soul" of the house we get to know: "spiteful", "full of a baby's venom", "the lively spite the house felt for them". 

Slide 14 - Tekstslide

The description of "Dill" (full name "Charles Baker Harris") from Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" is done completely through dialogue.
In the back and forth between Dill and Jem, we get just enough physical description. Dill is very small, seven years old, but small enough to be four-and-a-half years old. Mostly we get Dill's precocious spirit.
Fun fact: Dill was based on Truman Capote who was a childhood friend of Harper Lee.
How to find ideas?

Slide 15 - Tekstslide

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Now create your own character!
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Slide 16 - Tekstslide

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Slide 17 - Tekstslide

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Slide 18 - Link

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Can't think of a name?
Need inspiration?
Use the website on the next slide... 

Slide 19 - Tekstslide

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Slide 20 - Link

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Let's dive a little deeper

Slide 21 - Tekstslide

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Slide 22 - Video

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Another example:
Luke Skywalker’s Want is to escape his lonely orphaned adolescence and find a life of meaning and purpose in the larger galaxy. 

Luke Skywalker’s Need is to overcome the fear and anger that tempt him into darkness.

Slide 23 - Tekstslide

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What is Katniss Everdeen's want?
And what is her need?

Slide 24 - Open vraag

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What is your character's want?
What is your character's need?

Slide 25 - Open vraag

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Happy end? 
A powerful way to end your story is to confront your protagonist with their flaw, by giving them a choice between their ‘want’ and their ‘need’.
  • If your character sacrifices their want and chooses their need, then they will ultimately be fulfilled.
  • However, if they shun their need and seize their want, then they will be doomed to continue in misery.
  • Either ending is fine, depending on whether you want a happy ending or a sad one.

Slide 26 - Tekstslide

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Slide 27 - Video

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