Create characters

The emotions of your Characters

 

Part 2

Here’s the article on creating characters, the emotions of your characters. We’ll see how you can define what emotions you want to give your characters, and especially that this is likely ;o) If you have not read the first part click on the link ;o)

And if Plutchik were told to me or how to create characters emotionally true

The first time someone has uttered this name, I had to respond : “your wish “…well, I will admit, it is null this joke !

Before you say what is hiding behind that funny name, I would like to go back on what I said just above. Relive or rethink your own emotions can help you, or save you. What one seeks when one writes, it is that the viewer (reader) identifies with our characters. If you can transcribe what you felt inside of your characters, you will reach what every screenwriter search : The truth, the real…the likelihood ! It is only at this price that you will touch the heart of your viewers because your characters will react in a consistent manner.

Let’s go back to plutchik…(I love this name lol)

Robert Plutchik, american psychologist, invented the wheel of emotions. It is a model that defines human emotions and their relationships. This wheel is composed of 8 basic emotions that he opposed two by two.

Examples :

– Joy – Sadness

– Sympathy – Disgust

– Fear – Anger

– Surprise – Excitement

Here is an example of a table that I found on the emotions and their nuances ;o)

Try to apply all this so that you understand it well. Do not worry if you splash around a little, it is normal because the exercise is not simple.

John is a salesman in an electronic store, and this month he has everything torn apart. Its sales have never been so good. Once ready, he goes to his labour in a relaxed setting. Yet, today it is the day of balance sheet personal, his colleagues and himself will know the amount of their premium by the end of the month (John is so serene). The sales of all the salesmen will be peeled, it is at the top.

While he waits for his turn, he sees a return to all his colleagues, the crestfallen. The tower of Jean arrives, his boss offers him a promotion, it switches to the sales manager (he can feel the joy). In the course of his day, he meets a client rather lovely (it will be able to move either by attraction or arousal). The emotion he feels or will live will be either love or optimism.

Another example :

John gets up this morning. It is the day of balance, this month has been a bad month. He went into his store (he is upset). While he changes in the locker room he knocks over his coffee and stain his shirt (he goes from annoyance to anger). While his colleagues go one by one and return to the crestfallen, he is doing a very large sale of several thousands of euros (he is very excited), but the client has forgotten his credit card and can not pay. The emotion that will come out will be the aggressiveness. The maintenance for its balance sheet is likely to be more than heated ;

Now that you have understood the system, thanks to this scheme, you immerse yourself in your emotions will help you to very quickly define what reaction your character will adopt.

I advise you, however, you refer to the above table if you have a doubt on the journey of each emotion.

This obviously works for your main and secondary characters !

ATTENTION : you can also defuse the problems of your characters. If the purpose of your character and get rid of his remorse, you will need to settle the fact that he is sad and disgust that he has (for him or for someone else)

Obviously for your main characters, you will need to itemize and know the life to the maximum. While you will be able to be a little more vague on the why and wherefore of such or such emotion in your characters side.

Tell you that if you manage to integrate that, you will gain a good lead on the other apprentice writers, I would even go so far as to say on some of the writers in any court; (o) To create characters become “almost” a breeze ;o)

The actions and reactions of your characters are an integral part of their psychology, never forget that.

 

I always try to be as clear as possible in my explanations but if you have any questions please do not hesitate to leave me a little message.

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Good Luck,

Tom Weil