Characters constitute the vital essence of narrative. When readers experience their presence convincingly, the entire story springs to life, and audiences become invested in these individuals; whether they find them likable or challenging, youthful or mature, recognizable or exotic matters less than their authenticity.
Across fiction, nonfiction, and screenwriting, this course demonstrates how to create characters that resonate with genuine presence; characters readers believe in and develop emotional investment toward.
Character 1 explores the foundational process of character conception: discovering their origins, identifying their inner and outer qualities, recognizing their contradictions, locating their deepest motivations, and understanding what makes them compelling.
Character 2 focuses on translating characters into vivid reality on the page with sufficient authenticity that readers might envision living alongside them or encountering them in daily life.
About the Class:
Character 1: Creation represents an intensive workshop format delivered within compressed timeframes: one day on-site in New York City, two days via Zoom, or three weeks through online delivery. This course combines instructional lectures with hands-on writing activities and welcomes participants at any experience level. A detailed syllabus is available below for review.
If you already feel confident in character conception, you may advance directly to Character 2. However, if you have any uncertainty, beginning with Character 1 will provide valuable reinforcement even if portions are familiar territory.
Key Information:
This cross-genre workshop applies to all writing forms that feature characters, encompassing both fiction and nonfiction narratives.
The course provides a foundational overview for developing exceptional characters across any narrative form. Components include:
- Lecture presentations
- Practical writing exercises
Online Course Schedule:
- Week 1
- All of Humanity: Character's function in storytelling; protagonist likeability considerations; round versus flat character types; character origination methods.
- Week 2
- Getting to Know Them: Backstory development; physical characterization; personality traits; essential character elements; internal contradictions and consistency patterns.
- Week 3
- The Character Thickens: Character motivation and desire; character transformation; naming strategies.
Note: Individual class content may vary.
Essential Information:
- The posted schedule indicates the class start and end dates. You may enter the course at any time within the scheduled window, accessing materials around the clock. Refer to Online Class Delivery guidelines for additional details.
- After registration, participants receive email guidance with instructions and classroom access information.
Program Overview:
- Online classes connect students from around the world to Gotham, which is recognized as New York City's premier writing school.
- Online offerings operate asynchronously, not requiring real-time participation. Class access is available continuously, though coursework progresses on a weekly basis with weekly completion expectations.
- Online writing instruction is accessible from any location with internet connectivity. Although most online participants reside in the United States, the program draws students from virtually every country worldwide.
- Technical support services are provided throughout the course.
- Beyond time and location flexibility, students maintain complete documentation of all class materials for printing and future reference. All content exists in text and image format rather than video format.
