IWW
Practice-W Exercise Archives
Exercise: Characterization (v. 4)
These exercises were written
by IWW members
and administrators to provide structured practice opportunities for its
members.
You are welcome to use them for practice as well. Please mention that
you found
them at the Internet Writers Workshop
(http://www.internetwritingworkshop.org/).
Prepared
by: Florence Cardinal
Posted on: Sun, 11 Feb 2001
Reposted on: Sun, 8 Dec 2002
Reposted,
revised, on: Sun, 9 Apr 2006
Reposted, revised, on: Sun, 4 May 2008
Reposted, revised, on: Sun, 25 Oct 2009
Reposted on: Sun, 24 July 2011
Reposted on: Sun, 21 July 2013
Reposted on: Sun, 31 August 2014
Reposted on: Sun, 18 November 2018
Reposted on: Sun, 21 November 2021
-------------------------
Exercise: In 400 words or less describe a person in terms that
flesh out the character and make us feel we know him or her.
Don't use simplistic or bland descriptive phrases such as,
"he had red hair," "she was about 70," or "he was tall."
Avoid general terms like "beautiful, ugly, fat or thin." SHOW
us that red-haired, tall, thin, ugly man.
-------------------------
What can you show us about this character's place in the world,
his/her goals, achievements, dreams or fears that will let us see
the individual? Use the whole bag of writer's tricks--description,
satire, exaggeration, dialogue, or other characters as foils to help
us to picture this individual. You don't have to tell a whole story;
but if you do find a story taking shape, that's fine.
-------------------------
When critiquing, consider how much you learned about the character
and comment on the ways the author achieved this portrait. What
devices were used to help you visualize this character? Did you get
an impression of how this character thinks? Tell the author what
worked for you in this scene.
Web site created by
Rhéal Nadeau and
the administrators of the Internet Writing Workshop.
Modified by Gayle Surrette.
| |