Creating Characters: One Step in Developing Fiction Stories

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Creating CharactersOne Step in Developing
Fiction Stories

• Presented by Cindy Abbott
• McWhirter Elementary School
• Clear Creek ISD
• GHAWP 2005

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7 Reasons Why Children Should Write Stories

1. To entertain
2. To foster artistic expression
3. To explore the functions and values of writing
4. To stimulate imagination
5. To clarify thinking
6. To search for identity
7. To learn to read and write

Gail Tompkins. (1982). Seven Reasons Why
Children Should Write Stories,
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How do you get them interested?

• The teacher must emphasize childrens personal
  involvement and investment in their writing.
• Carla Resenbrink, Writing as Play

By creating their own characters Students take
ownership of their story creations and have pride
in their final product.
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Every story needs character.

• But, I dont know who to write about!!

Inexperienced writers sometimes find that their
characters are all like one another, and dont
know how to break the mould. Jill McGown
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How do you break the mould?Create an original
character!

• 1.Students form groups of three to create their
  character. They will need a tri-folded piece of
  paper.
• 2.Each person picks a part of the character to
  draw head, trunk, tail.
• 3.Each person draws their part without showing
  their drawing to their group members.
• 4.When final piece is drawn, the paper can be
  opened up to reveal the new character.
• 5.Groups select a name for their creation, and
  brainstorm a story surrounding him/her/it.

Lets try it
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The Tri-Fold Paper
HEAD
TRUNK
TAIL
Fosters artistic expression
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Own the character by naming it
Rosie the Flying Octopus
Search for identity
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Brainstorm the storyWho is your character?
-The Art of Writing
Rosie the Flying Octopus
What makes her laugh?
Whom does your character respect most?
Whom does your character most resemble?
What does she do for fun?
Does she have any family?
Where does she live?
Does she have any enemies?
What makes her sad?
Where is she going?
To clarify thinking
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Questionnaire

• Other possible tool for students to use in
  creating their characters personality
• ( 6 Thinking Questions)
• 1.What would your character say if she suspected
  someone had just lied to her?
• a. Thats a pile of horse manure.
• b. Bull
• c. Liar!
• d. I beg your pardon, but I believe youve
  spoken falsely.
• e. Wait a minute. Are you sure youve got your
  facts straight?
• f. You dont say?
• g. ?
• 2.What makes your character laugh?
• a. Slapstick
• b. Sarcasm
• c. Limericks
• d. His own mistakes
• e. Others misfortunes
• f. Funny movies
• g. ?

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Questionnaire continued

• 3. Whom does your character respect most?
• a. Albert Einstein
• b. Hillary Duff
• c. Walt Disney
• d. Michael Jordan
• e. Oprah Winfrey
• f. The Pope
• g. ?
• 4. What sort of movies does your character watch?
• a. romantic comedies
• b. horror movies
• c. action thrillers
• d. foreign movies
• e. cartoons
• f. black and white
• g. ?

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Questionnaire cont.

• 5. What smell evokes the strongest memory for
  your character?
• a. hospital antiseptic
• b. warm oatmeal cookies
• c. perfume
• d. moldy leaves
• e. shoe polish
• f. hot asphalt
• e. ?
• 6. What trivial fault is your character most
  ashamed of in himself?
• a. an addiction to marshmallows
• b. an ugly tattoo on his butt
• c. an unpaid library fine
• d. an insect phobia
• e. a speech impediment
• f. stealing a toy from his best friend
• g. ?

Adapted from The Art of Writing
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Regulating the Activity

• Use any or both tools to get the conversation
  started.
• Working in groups takes the pressure off!
• Rules
• Have fun, be creative, think outside your comfort
  zone!

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Write a paragraph about your new character

• Now that you have background information about
  your character, write a paragraph with your group
  introducing him/her to the class.

Rosie The Flying Octopus Rosie is no ordinary
sea creature with fins and gills. Though she
lives in the ocean, she spends many hours
stretching her wings across the sky
To stimulate imagination
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And now

• Students can continue with their groups to
  develop a story around their character.
• Once a final draft has been created, it can be
  illustrated and published.
• The groups can read their book to the class, and
  the book can be kept in the classroom library.

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Modifications

• Once an identity has been established, each
  person in the group can create their own story.
  The students will be creating a series around the
  same character.
• Students can write stories about or including
  other characters from the class.
• Illustrating/Storyboarding the adventures of the
  character will allow every student to express
  themselves in their most effective manner.

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Bibliography

• Essex, Christopher (1996) Teaching Creative
  Writing. www.ericdigests.org/1996-3/writing.html
• McGown, Jill. Creating characters.
  www.jillmcgown.com/pages/writing_advice/creating_c
  haracters.html
• The Art of Writing. How well do you know your
  character? www.webcom.com/wordings/artofwrite/fea
  ture.html
• Tompkins, Gail E. (1982). Seven Reasons Why
  Children Should Write Stories. Language Arts,
  59(7), 718-21.
• Resenbrink, Carla (1987). Writing as Play.
  Language Arts, 64(6), 59-60.