Main Characters–Assemble!: Filling Your Fiction with Memorable Characters

Most fiction doesn\’t follow just one character, but a wide cast of characters who interact in different ways. From X-Men and Avengers comics to Ursula Le Guin\’s The Tombs of Atuan books and Leigh Barudo\’s Six of Crows, plenty of popular fiction starts with characters coming together, working through their differences, and forming a cohesive group. But how can we introduce these kinds of ensemble casts in a way that is memorable without being confusing? How can we plant seeds for the character dynamics that will drive the rest of the story–or even the series? This short class will focus on brainstorming and writing practices to create strong character introductions, differentiate characters from one another, and set up tensions that will excite and hook readers. For writers age 13 – 18 ONLY.