I’ve been reading a book about how writers can deepen their character building, The Compass of Character by David Corbett.
I love his approach to figuring out what a character is lacking. What they’re yearning for. What resistance they face. And what their core desire is.
What I find particularly interesting is that at the end of the book, he suggests that authors apply the character questions he’s put forth in the book to our own lives.
This really resonated with me.
I’m struggling to build characters that are complex and believable, partially because I’m struggling to find my place in the world. Where do I want my life to go? What will make me happy? What am I willing to change and/or give up in order to grow as a person?
Fully fleshing out my characters might not give me all the answers, but so far, it’s shown me some concepts I might want to explore in my own life.
