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IWW
Practice-W Exercise Archives
Exercise: Characterization (v. 3)
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.internetwritingwor
kshop.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
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Exercise: In 300 words or less, describe
one of your
characters so we can see him or her. We don't want things like "he
had red hair," or "he was a tall man." Don't tell us she's beautiful or
ugly. Make us see "red" and "tall," "beautiful" or "ugly."
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Think
about the character's place in the world, his or her goals, whatever
will let us see an individual, full of life. Use whatever you need--description,
satire, exaggeration. Dialogue's
fine, too. Think of "show, don't tell." Don't try to tell a whole
story;
simply create a character. Use any other characters you may need to
show us your creation. If a story begins in the process, that's fine,
but it's not necessary.
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Exercise: In 300 words or less, describe
one of your
characters so we can see him or her. We don't want things like "he
had red hair," or "he was a tall man." Don't tell us she's beautiful or
ugly. Make us see "red" and "tall," "beautiful" or "ugly."
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In your critiques, let the author know
whether the character
portrayed stands out as a unique individual. If something strikes you
as particularly effective, note that. Would you like to hear more
about this character's doings? Note any "telling" you discover.
Web site created by
Rhéal Nadeau and
the administrators of the Internet Writing Workshop.
Modified by Gayle Surrette.
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