The Cynic’s Guide to Film and Literary Criticism

The tired and jaded view. It’s actually quite funny– and often true!

Power of Conscience

These characters believe they are their brother’s keeper. They feel responsible for the greater good and for doing good. They wrestle with how far they should go in seeking justice and fairness for others, in exposing corruption and injustice or in standing up against evil or wrong-doing. They worry about with what is the higher duty and what exactly is required of them in response.

Power of Idealism

Personality Power of Idealism characters believe that life and love should involve a grand passion or an heroic destiny.  They see the world in terms of sweeping epic poetry or as a struggle of operatic proportions.  Intensity of feeling (good or bad) makes this character’s life worth living. Power of Idealism characters believe it is… Continue reading Power of Idealism

Laughing Until It Hurts

“Comedy is never the gaiety of things, it is the groan made gay,” wrote drama critic Walter Kerr. This is the great irony implicit in comedy. It feels good to walk out of a theater laughing. But we often go into the theater not feeling so good. Many times, what makes us laugh is seeing that other people are not feeling so good either.

Power of Excitement

These characters are usually an agent of chaos. Their rakish push-the- envelop devil-may-care attitude inevitably shakes things up in a story. But their charm, ready wit and natural talent as an escape artist or improvisor often saves the day.

Mobile Micro-Blog Novel Writing

The Micro-Blog Novel is shaking up a publishing industry that has been declining for a decade. An author of fiction is lucky to sell a few thousand copies of a title. A popular cell-phone novelist sells several hundred thousand, and recruitment for new talent is intense.

Write Every Day

Here’s how to put Martin Scorcese’s philosophy into practice every day. Below is a FREE LESSON from the One Hour Screenwriter eBook.

Power of Love

These characters see their own value reflected in the eyes of their love object. Their philosophy might be stated: “You’re nothing without me. (And I feel I am nothing without you.)”

#TypesTuesday – Some Character Type Examples

#TypesTuesday – Here is a list of character examples.