Creative Writing: How to Write a Better Main Character (Skillshare)

Offered by Skillshare,
Creative Writing: How to Write a Better Main Character (Skillshare)

WELCOME TO YOUR MAIN CHARACTER WRITING COURSE! Welcome to the course where I show you how to write an in-depth, enjoyable main character that will keep your readers interested. Don't make the same mistakes that so many novice authors make and create main characters that can challenge those of successful authors!

My name is Matthew Dewey and I am a writer. It is hard to say when my passion for writing began, but if I can recall it all started back in primary school. A small, pale child with not much to say, but plenty to write, or in most cases scribble, across a page. From there writing became a hobby, moving on to become a part-time job writing articles on various subjects from technology to programming. Suddenly, the spark was ignited and I wrote my first novel. From there I was hooked onto something that was akin to a calling.
Enough monologue, it is time to tell you what this course is worth to you. In my rising through the writing world I found that information was handed freely, but not with enough dedication and forethought. The advice lacking and the examples poor. I decided to push through and after several years developed my own toolkit that is simple and multipurpose. The first and most important lesson I learned was how not to make the main character. From there I experimented and found the positives.
I will show you how to write:

  • Personality
  • Backstory
  • Descriptions
  • Names
  • and PURPOSE

Welcome to the How to Make A Better Main Character Course! I will show you everything you need to know to keep your main character interesting and worthy of the role of the protagonist!
The project for this course is to create a short story or novel using the techniques you learnt in this course. You are to use at least two of the methods in improving your main character.
You are to:

  • create a character with a meaningful purpose
  • create a personality made clear by interactions
  • create a character with purpose

Be sure to submit your projects for review! I am always happy to read and provide my professional advice. Have fun!

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Shorty-Shorts: Design A Cartoon Character (Skillshare) Skillshare
Skillshare

Shorty-Shorts: Design A Cartoon Character (Skillshare)

"Shorty-shorts" is a series of design classes created around the idea of learning content in fifteen minutes or less. In part one of this three part series, I'll take you through the steps of designing your cartoon character from ideation to final sketch. I break down the most essential concepts in creating a likable and believable cartoon character for your cartoon, animation, or comic project.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
101 Guide to Picture Books (Skillshare) Skillshare
Skillshare

101 Guide to Picture Books (Skillshare)

What does an illustrator need to consider before starting work on a picture book? From thumbnail sketches, character design, storyboarding to the final artwork, Nina uses her picture book titles to visually explain the process that she uses to develop ideas for a story. Gain an in-depth understanding of character, setting and plot, by seeing the development of published titles from concept to finished art.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Rendering an original character with Alcohol Markers and Fine Liners (Skillshare) Skillshare
Skillshare

Rendering an original character with Alcohol Markers and Fine Liners (Skillshare)

In.this class I (Ipaintcreatures) demonstrates to you and provides you with tips to rendering a original character with alcohol based markers and ball point pens. I first take you through the inking - outlining stage and then render the character fully in alcohol based marker. This project end product is a character that will be rigged to be animated by the computer using MoCap Technology.

Self Paceds
Self-Paced
Reading and Writing Hiragana (Skillshare) Skillshare
Skillshare

Reading and Writing Hiragana (Skillshare)

The Japanese writing system is composed of a combination of 3 different forms of writing, namely Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji. In this course we'll briefly describe the overall writing system before diving into a series of lessons designed to teach you how to read and write Hiragana, arguably the most useful of the three for starting Japanese learners.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Free Class: Managing Creative Projects (Skillshare) Skillshare
Skillshare

Free Class: Managing Creative Projects (Skillshare)

The first in a series of classes concerning 'creative productivity', or how creative individuals responsible for their own projects and deadlines can get things done without feeling overwhelmed. In this short class we will concentrate on a simple tool called a Kanban or Kanban chart, an idea that comes from the world of manufacturing, but that I think has real applicability for creatives.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Blogging: How to make it Better and Unique (Skillshare) Skillshare
Skillshare

Blogging: How to make it Better and Unique (Skillshare)

Creating and maintaining a blog can be very complicated and time-consuming. Sometimes you simply have not inspired to write or just to do anything. This problem often comes from a lack of understanding of some basics before starting. It pushes a lot to abandon the adventure without having started the journey. If you are now a blogger or content writer the purpose of this course is to help you to improve your blogging activity and content writing.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
3D Modeling: Character Modeling Challenge (Skillshare) Skillshare
Skillshare

3D Modeling: Character Modeling Challenge (Skillshare)

Are you tired of being a newbie with all the 3D modeling and animation you're learning? Do you want to learn and level up past being a novice? If that's you then this challenge is for you. The key to becoming great at anything is practice and progress, and that's what this challenge is all about. It doesn't matter when you start. Just get started! I'll be watching the projects closely as you create your characters each day.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Content Writing 101 (Skillshare) Skillshare
Skillshare

Content Writing 101 (Skillshare)

In these class, you learn all the basic of content writing. What is Content Writing? Who is a Content Writer? What does a Content Writer do? What's the Purpose of Content Writing? 6 Tips on Getting a Content Writing Job? Different Types of Content Writing Jobs? Getting into Freelancing as Content Writing? Motivations to Write Content? How to write a blog/article/web content? I am also adding the pdf and ppt of this course.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Pattern Ladies: Designing Vintage Characters (Skillshare) Skillshare
Skillshare

Pattern Ladies: Designing Vintage Characters (Skillshare)

In this class, you'll create your own vintage illustration that you can use on cards, stickers, and swag! Using Procreate on the iPad, you'll explore your personal artistic style using vintage illustrations as inspiration for your own character illustration. Using vintage pattern illustrations as inspiration and reference, we’ll build on those images to develop your own unique spin on a recognizable style.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Transformational Character Arcs: 6 Steps to a Plot-Driving Protagonist (Skillshare) Skillshare
Skillshare

Transformational Character Arcs: 6 Steps to a Plot-Driving Protagonist (Skillshare)

What's the secret to keeping your readers turning those pages? A flawed protagonist who transforms into a hero! In this class, Michelle will walk you through six steps that will help you figure out what's at the root of your main character's biggest flaws and how her deepest beliefs push her to make decisions and take action—and drive the plot of your story to a satisfying conclusion.

Self Paced
Self-Paced