Tasha L. Harrison - The Basic Character Creation Workbook

1. Brainstorming- this is the ideation stage where you scribble down notes, dream up your characters, and decide if the story has legs or not.
2. Prewriting- this is the outlining and character development stage that involves sketching out scenes, developing back story, and mapping out some of the big plot points in your story.
3. First draft- the word vomit that falls out of your head. This is when you just focus on getting the story down.
4. Second draft- your first read through where you refine your plot, check your continuity, layer in details that will enrich your story and just generally make it better.
5. Editing- This is where you seek out a professional to cut out the fluff, polish, and buff that book to a gorgeous shine!

If youre a panster, no worries! You can use these character development tools when you dive into your second draft to make sure your characters remain consistent from Chapter One to the The End. Remember, this is my process, but you can always use what you need and throw away the rest!

Here's a pro-tip for you:

If you have the physical version of this book, mark up it up.

If you had the ebook copy, grab a notebook and a pen so that you can complete the exercises as you go.

You think you dont need to do this. I know. I might be one of a few analog girls in this digital world, but I know that everyone wants to store everything in the cloud. I get it and I understand, but I really? I dont care. This is my process, remember? And this is the way I do things. Old school. In the lab with a pen and a pad, as Dr. Dre once said.

Why?

Well, mostly because The Basic Character Creation Workbook is a workbook. Youre meant to do the actual work and for me, that translates into writing things longhand.

Not good enough?

Okay, here are two really good reasons. After I give you these, Im almost positive you will find your favorite pen and the nearest Target, Barnes & Noble or fancy stationery store to grab up a few Moleskines, Leuchtturm 1927s, or my personal preference, a regular ole marble backed, college-ruled, composition notebook, every time you sit down to plot a book.

Youll learn more, learn faster, and remember almost everything you write down

Honestly. Truly. This is not a joke or fake news. The areas of the brain associated with learning work far better when you use pen and paper. To add to that, writing things down, making checklists, or keeping a day planner make it far more likely that youll remember the things you need and want to remember. Studies have been done on this so you dont have to take my word for it. Make your google work.

You wont be distracted

Staying focused on the task at hand is difficult in this day and age, but its damn near impossible when you have so many distractions right at your fingertips. Taking your work off the laptop and into your novel notebook will keep you focused and thinking clearly. I have taken it one step further and have gone back to writing my first draft in my novel notebook. I've found that it makes it easier to write a much cleaner second draft.