That’s one of my least favorite roles that women fill on TV shows — the killjoy who tells the goofy fun guy to knock it off. We consciously tried to avoid that dynamic — we had them like each other, treat each other like peers, seek advice from each other, and (maybe most importantly) we…
Read moreWhen you create flaws, make them nasty and unmanageable. Characters with things about themselves that they despise, try to hide and/or can’t control make writing conflict easier and naturally vivid.
Read moreWHY DO EMOTIONLESS CHARACTERS WORK?
Because they aren’t. Dexter, Spock, Data, Castiel, even poor Bishop in Aliens. Their lack of emotion is complete fiction. They say one thing and act with the pure motivation of children who love absolutely. That’s why they succeed as characters. They recognize that there are human beings who can’t be replaced and behave accordingly. All…
Read moreHOW DO I WRITE MALE CHARACTERS WELL?
There’s no reason that writing male characters should pose a problem for female screenwriters. The differences between us may seem like a gulf that can only be crossed with a bridge of sandwiches, but we have a lot of common ground. When writing male characters, remember: Don’t be shallow. Avoid defining them by how much…
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