The compass of character : creating complex motivation for compelling characters in fiction, film, and TV : the four directional forces that guide your characters
(Book)

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Published
[Cincinnati, Ohio] : Writer's Digest Books, [2019].
Format
Book
Edition
First edition.
ISBN
9781440300868, 1440300860
Physical Desc
280 pages ; 22 cm
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LocationCall NumberStatus
Goleta Valley Library - Adult Non-Fiction - Writers’ Corner808.397 CORBETTOn Shelf

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Published
[Cincinnati, Ohio] : Writer's Digest Books, [2019].
Edition
First edition.
Language
English
ISBN
9781440300868, 1440300860

Notes

General Note
Includes index.
Description
"Just as a compass provides direction for an explorer, so does motivation provide direction for characters in fiction. The 'compass' of character motivation is composed of four points: Lack, Yearning, Resistance, and Desire. In The Compass of Character, you'll learn to deeply consider the key question 'What does my character want?' and learn techniques to answer that question by writing realistic and empathetic characters without falling into formulaic, unsatisfying results that only diminish the character. Bestselling author and acclaimed writing instructor David Corbett provides writers with the essentials for building characters with motivations that range from clear to complex by exploring topics such as: human yearning; pathological maneuvers; the pain of life vs. the promise of life; backstory and behavior; mechanics of growth and transformation; dramatizing mistaken desire and misbegotten yearnings; and moral arguments. The key to fascinating characters is rendering subtle inner states in straightforward external circumstances, which requires a fundamental understanding of the simple building blocks of complex motivation as they manifest themselves in behavior, where complexity of purpose collides with the messy, indifferent world. The Compass of Character is the one book that can guide writers to that end with both instruction and inspiration."--Publisher's description.

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Citations

APA Citation, 7th Edition (style guide)

Corbett, D. (2019). The compass of character: creating complex motivation for compelling characters in fiction, film, and TV : the four directional forces that guide your characters (First edition.). Writer's Digest Books.

Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)

Corbett, David, 1953-. 2019. The Compass of Character: Creating Complex Motivation for Compelling Characters in Fiction, Film, and TV : The Four Directional Forces That Guide Your Characters. Writer's Digest Books.

Chicago / Turabian - Humanities (Notes and Bibliography) Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)

Corbett, David, 1953-. The Compass of Character: Creating Complex Motivation for Compelling Characters in Fiction, Film, and TV : The Four Directional Forces That Guide Your Characters Writer's Digest Books, 2019.

MLA Citation, 9th Edition (style guide)

Corbett, David. The Compass of Character: Creating Complex Motivation for Compelling Characters in Fiction, Film, and TV : The Four Directional Forces That Guide Your Characters First edition., Writer's Digest Books, 2019.

Note! Citations contain only title, author, edition, publisher, and year published. Citations should be used as a guideline and should be double checked for accuracy. Citation formats are based on standards as of August 2021.