CLASS 49: The Supporting Cast: How to Make Every Character Matter

Characterization is best brought out by showing how a character acts in relationship to other characters. In this seminar, you'll learn what choices reveal about characterization—and the three types of desire a character might have. We’ll also cover the disadvantages of “character arcs” and how to overcome them, why motivation does not equal intention, and list specific ways to add dimensionality to your story’s characters through choices and relationship management. Learn the C.H.A.I.R technique for understanding and developing your story’s unique characters.

Steven James is a critically acclaimed author of nineteen novels and numerous nonfiction books that have sold more than 1 million copies. His books have won or been shortlisted for dozens of national and international awards. In addition, his stories and articles have appeared in more than eighty different publications, including The New York Times. He is also a popular keynote speaker and professional storyteller with a master's degree in storytelling. Since 1996 he has appeared more than two thousand times at events spanning the globe, presenting his stories and teaching the principles of storytelling to writers, speakers, teachers, and leaders. When he's not writing or speaking, he hosts the weekly podcast The Story Blender, on which he interviews some of the world's leading writers and storytellers. In 2020 he was inducted into the Christy Hall of Fame for excellence in fiction writing. Publishers Weekly has called him "[a] master storyteller at the peak of his game.”