Character Diamonds by Kitty Bucholtz
May 9, 2011 by A Slice of Orange in category Archives tagged as It's Worth It
I’ve heard a couple of different people talk about character diamonds over the years. David Freeman in his Beyond Structure weekend uses the diamond shape to suggest the major character traits you can use throughout the story to make the character interesting, consistent and sometimes a little unexpected.
The idea is to have two major characteristics that define the character, one quirky or unexpected characteristic, and another trait that is a mask. The mask is what the character has developed to cover his deepest fear. (Or whatever is the biggest internal problem that you’ll explore during the story.)
In the screenwriting workshop I attended last month, Slaying the Dragon, the character diamond was used to show how character creates plot. The four points of the diamond are for recording a) the flaw that masks the character’s biggest fear, b) the biggest inner fear, c) the biggest need, and d) the plan the character develops to meet their need. This plan doesn’t work, of course, and as the character works his way along the hero’s journey he ends up having to change plans.
I have to come up with a new story for one of my classes so I’m going to sit down with my whiteboard and colored markers and draw out both kinds of diamonds. For each major character I’ll brainstorm what traits might be most interesting for each character, and what fears or problems. Then I’ll pick two major traits and – since I like writing humorous pieces – one odd or quirky trait.
The mask will be the same on both triangles. All of the traits from the first diamond will help me figure out what would naturally show up on the second diamond. All of those points together will help me develop plot points that naturally extend from the character.
Notice I used “naturally” twice? Nothing bothers me more than watching a character do things that I don’t believe they would do. Unless I’m the one who wrote the piece. 🙂
0
0 Read more
In the screenwriting workshop I attended last month, Slaying the Dragon, the character diamond was used to show how character creates plot. The four points of the diamond are for recording a) the flaw that masks the character’s biggest fear, b) the biggest inner fear, c) the biggest need, and d) the plan the character develops to meet their need. This plan doesn’t work, of course, and as the character works his way along the hero’s journey he ends up having to change plans.
I have to come up with a new story for one of my classes so I’m going to sit down with my whiteboard and colored markers and draw out both kinds of diamonds. For each major character I’ll brainstorm what traits might be most interesting for each character, and what fears or problems. Then I’ll pick two major traits and – since I like writing humorous pieces – one odd or quirky trait.
The mask will be the same on both triangles. All of the traits from the first diamond will help me figure out what would naturally show up on the second diamond. All of those points together will help me develop plot points that naturally extend from the character.
Notice I used “naturally” twice? Nothing bothers me more than watching a character do things that I don’t believe they would do. Unless I’m the one who wrote the piece. 🙂
Kitty Bucholtz is a writer and speaker, and a member of Romance Writers of America and Romance Writers of Australia. She co-founded Routines for Writers (http://www.routinesforwriters.com/) a web site dedicated to helping writers write more. In 2011, Kitty will receive her Master of Arts in Creative Writing degree from University of Technology, Sydney.
Featured Books
#PLEASE SAY YES (#HermosafortheHolidays Book 1)
So, you think social media has taken over YOUR life?
More info →
THE VISCOUNT’S SEDUCTION
An Irish lady from a scandalous family gets a chance at a Season in London and an opportunity for revenge, but her schemes stir up an unknown enemy and spark danger of a different sort in the person of a handsome young Viscount.
More info → 
ONCE AROUND THE SUN: Sweet, Funny, and Stranges Tales for All Seasons
Stories about winter, spring, summer and fall, and seasons of life, seasons of love, and even seasons of discovery.
More info → 
