Screenwriting Product Review: Character Writer 3.1 Review
By Forris Day, Jr. Have you ever heard someone say “Oh boy, he’s such a character”? Sure you have. It’s usually said with a big smile or perhaps a rolling…
By Forris Day, Jr.
Have you ever heard someone say “Oh boy, he's such a character”? Sure you have. It's usually said with a big smile or perhaps a rolling of the eyes. What is it about certain people that incites such a reaction, whether good or bad, from other people? It is indeed their “character,” the way they behave, talk, walk or do things. The more bizarre or unusual a person is, the more of a character they are generally considered, and usually, the more interesting they are to people. Just think about most any wacky celebrity. They are just regular people like you and me, but they let their character shine through big time, and therefore, we are interested in them.
Character is important.
Character is important when writing a movie, play, novel or any other story too. Your characters make or break it. You need multi-layered beings in your tale. How do you do this? A great tool I discovered is Character Writer 3.1 (now ON SALE until September 17, 2013). It is a software with one goal. To help you create characters that people want to know and care about.
Character Writer 3.1 (for both Mac and Windows) is no lightweight program. There are several terrific character creation programs on the market but what makes this one different is how it guides you in the make-up of the people you are creating.
It uses a method called Enneagram, which is used by psychiatrists and psychologists, to define the details of people's character. Enneagram divides people's personalities into nine distinctive categories with two subcategories in each. I had never heard of it before delving into Character Writer 3.1. It's interesting to study each type because you will realize you know people who are exactly like these types. I found myself in there too... oh boy. By using these nine types of characters, then adding details such as background information, eye and hair color, you can make a basic character. Now go in for the nitty gritty.
Character Writer 3.1 has something pretty cool that none of the others have. You can explore the psychology of your character by adding disorders to him or her. There is a list of dozens of disorders. Strictly optional, of course, but what a neat way of looking at characters in a way you may not have otherwise. Each disorder has an in-depth description of what it is and how it affects people. Think of how many memorable movie and book characters have some kind of disorder. It talks about how the person feels and how the world around them may view people with each disorder so you can really create some neat relationship dynamics.
Maybe you don't have any ideas for characters. There is a “Generate Instant Character” button. Push it and you now have a new basic character. All you have to do is add your own touch, and you look like a genius to the world. By creating these instant characters you may just come up with a story you never thought you had in you.
Got a character but no story? Go to the “story generator.” Click on the “Generate Story Points,” and it creates a nine-point outline with scenarios for your character. Don't like the story? Click again and create a new one. Type in the details of your custom tale in each of the nine outline points. It really is easy. Character Writer 3.1 is primarily designed for character development but has the added feature of helping to outline each character's journey and their relationships with each other, which can only help you make more unforgettable characters.
Add a picture, create some dialogue, and even flesh-out a few scenes with it's built-in fully featured word processor in Character Writer 3.1. Now you're well on your way to creating the next bestselling novel, screenplay, TV show or whatever you desire. I also see Character Writer 3.1 useful, not just for writers, but for actors who want to dig into and create a character they may be playing in a movie or stage play.
Pros – You can create characters with incredible depth and layers very easily. You do not have to know anything about psychology to create these characters because the program does it for you.
Cons – It doesn't seem to have any export feature to use it with other programs such as Final Draft or Movie Magic Screenwriter.
Bottom-Line – Powerful. Anyone can create fascinating characters with this easy-to-use and affordable software.
Get Character Writer 3.1
NOW ON SALE until September 17, 2013!
Watch a video demonstration of Character Writer 3.1 by Forris Day, Jr.
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