Currently Empty: $0.00
specifics make characters real
A hero with no problem is boring.
A hero with a problem and a favorite pizza topping is a person. We talk about why specific details (favorite snack, weird fear, a thing they always do with their hands) make a character feel real, and play a fast game to find your character's three best specifics. Real characters have weird, specific details. Make a list. Pick three. The character starts feeling like someone you know.
Boring hero · real hero
| Boring hero | Real hero |
|---|---|
| Brave | Brave but afraid of moths |
| Has a sword | Has a sword and won't eat broccoli |
| Good at math | Good at math, terrible at jokes |
| Likes adventure | Likes adventure, has a favorite pillow |
The specifics game
- What's your hero's favorite snack? (Be specific.)
- What's one weird thing they're afraid of?
- What do they do with their hands when they're nervous?
- What's their favorite song to sing in the shower?
- What's one thing they say a lot? (A phrase.)
- Use these specifics in your next scene.
A hero with a favorite pizza topping is a real person. Without it, they're a cardboard cutout in a cape. Add the specifics. Watch them come alive.
— L.A. Walton, The Book Maven
From the Maven Catalog
- Kid Free eCourse — Make a Real Character
- Kid Master Course — Kid Character Builder
- Kid eBook — Pizza, Problems, and Pets
- Kid Toolkit — Kid Character Toolkit
Play the specifics game tonight. Find your hero's three best details. Add them to the next scene. The character comes alive. You'll see it on the page.