Creating Iconic Characters with Samantha Bond and Carla Caruso

Getting started— this week is all about introducing participants to a variety of well-known fictional characters and what their creators did to make them iconic. We'll look at why characters like Scarlett O'Hara, Stephanie Plum, The Sweet Valley twins and other heroines have stood the test of time. And not to ignore those important male heroes, we'll also look at a selection of favourites (Rhett Butler, Joe O'Loughlin and even Sheldon Cooper, amongst others) to see what makes them tick and why we love 'em!

Week 2:
What makes a great character? — now that participants have an understanding of what makes an unforgettable character, we'll show you how to create your own. We'll look at:
• character quirks, habits and ticks
• appearance and avoiding clichés
• they way they speak and using effective dialogue
• their relationship to the world and other characters
• character pairings and "foils"
• how a cast of characters can be used to best effect
This lesson will include exercises to hone your character creation cred!

Week 3:
Character is destiny — it's an oft quoted line, but particularly true in fiction. This lesson will show how active characters create their own destiny (plots and stories) and how by employing simple techniques, you can turn a passive character into an active one. All iconic characters are active, and this lesson will demonstrate how so, and explain the crucial link between characters, their actions and the overall story arc. It will also look at the sometimes neglected character arc — how the events of your story affect your character's inner growth and development — and provide exercises to help students put theory into practice.

Week 4:
Action! —Theory is all well and good, but you don't want to just know what goes into making an iconic character (that's a mere shopping list!) you want to know how to make them burst off the page.
This last lesson will tie up loose threads, including issues to consider when writing a series character, and then invite participants to submit a substantial scene of their work in progress to the presenters for individual feedback. Each participant will receive a report on the effectiveness of their characters, focusing on the components taught in this online workshop.