The Mythic Guide to Characters: Writing Characters Who Enchant and Inspire

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  • The Mythic Guide to Characters: Writing Characters Who Enchant and Inspire by Antonio Del Drago

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    Its short, understandable and to the point. And its not complicated. Ideas in book vs larger ideas: It will give many future writers ideas on how to create rounded characters, some that most haven't even thought of. I will use the tools in this book for my own character creation, or to get a more in-depth look at the characters I am creating. I am also hoping that books that will become popular will be with well written characters.

    Although I hadn't tried the ideas the author mentions, they are intriguing and are designed to give more depth to various characters. Along with tests, there is also a character sheet with interesting ideas such as how a character will speak, or physical details, relationships, and so forth. The author does use sources such as Richard Bartle's book titled Designing Virtual Worlds, Joseph Campbell, James Frey and so forth, and does recommend that these books be read for further details. Ideally, though, they should be approached in unison, enabling you to construct a fleshed-out character fromt he ground up.

    Pulling it all together page 82 on my Sony e-reader. I would highly recommend this to be read either for new ideas or insights into the way characters are written and why are some of the books popular as they are. This is a review for Making Connections. Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.

    Interesting information, but could be expanded on While this book does have some information, it feels like it fell flat due to the length. Examples and explanations can stand to built upon more, just to give a fuller picture of what's being defined and matched with character examples. Worth reading Succinct but some ideas that I have not come across before and others that that not been so well explained. Mar 16, Zero Richardson rated it really liked it.

    It takes a while to get going. In fact, for quite a while I was afraid I was going to give the book a 3-star review which isn't necessarily bad, but much lower than I figured on giving. There's just too much explanation to be honest. I agree with the philosophy behind the book. Build characters with layers and the character on the page should be an iceberg with much more behind the page than ever needs to show up. I was fully in accord with him in this regard.

    But I did not need to know the hist It takes a while to get going. But I did not need to know the history of each device the author used to help build layers. And I did not need three examples behind every archetype although only one of the layers actually calls them "archetypes". Still, from an educational point of view, it's hard to finish reading those chapters without knowing exactly what the layers consist of, and the knowledge you gain will be useful when the author finally gives us the advice I am assuming paying customers buy the book for.

    This advice does not show up until the "Further Considerations" sections of the book, but it shows up with a vengeance.

    The Mythic Guide to Characters: Writing Characters Who Enchant and Inspire

    And the advice is not overbearing or of the this-is-the-only-way-you-can-write-effectively sort. It was agreeable and more importantly, useful. I'm not going to be using the advice much personally, because I take a much more natural approach to character building, but I can definitely see it being extremely helpful to an aspiring or beginning writer, or one that has some talent but struggles with characterization.

    A lot of what the author brings up is frequently overlooked by many.

    And when he starts the "Putting It All Together" chapter, boy does he ever put it all together. The entire book feels seamless by this point. What I will utilize is the Character Worksheet at the back. It's spectacular, and he conveniently includes a link to a printable version. I won't use this to develop characters mind you, but I feel it is a worthwhile exercise to run every character through and especially if your characters are to the point that they have a mind of their own, may even surprise you.

    The information in this book is good, the advice is great, and the worksheet is spectacular. I strongly recommend this to every writer that struggles with their characters. And although it is aimed at fantasy characters, the advice and worksheet are easily applied to any character in any genre. I am glad I have a copy.

    That said, there are some errors in the text as any first edition book will have though , and the slow burn of a build-up probably would have been a deal-breaker for me if I had not already planned on reviewing the entire thing. That said, I had a lot of people tell me that it was a great book, so I probably would have given it a chance in spite of the slow-burn, but it was definitely infuriating there for a while. Still, it's an easy read and the slow-burn is really not that slow given the length of the book about pages. You could easily read it the first time in a day, but I recommend the people that need this book come back to the "Further Considerations" sections through the end more than once, and again, the worksheet is a great resource.

    Jun 28, VaultOfBooks rated it it was ok. Grade B Drago starts off stating, or rather warning, that this is not an be all-in-all guide but that it is to be a few guidelines to help you with the process of developing your characters. He helps the readers connect with his points by adding comparisons of characters from pop fiction. And he has a good grasp on the characters from other novels. Studying his observations a bit may definitely help you see the characters portrayed in the popular novels in a different li By Dr. Studying his observations a bit may definitely help you see the characters portrayed in the popular novels in a different light and ultimately help you understand your own characters better.

    Sometimes it helps to see how others look at the same thing you may be looking at, even characters from a book. And that in turn helps you apply new observations to similar situations, such as your own characters.

    The book is a comprehensive and in-depth look at character development. I would read it with other books that talk about story development. My favorite part of this book is when Drago starts speaking about the difference between written English and spoken English. If I was writing a book on the art of writing myself I would start it out with this point.

    Hopefully, most fellow writers know about this principle, which saves a lot of frustration. I am glad Drago mentioned it. There were a couple of parts, but not many, which seemed a bit one dimensional. While I have already mentioned that Drago does not mean this to be a book of rules written in stone, when it comes to a guide like this one that is encouraging artistic expression, it is best to iron all of those wrinkles out.

    It starts to feel like a psychology book when you get into the second chapter. And that is a logical path to take when you are dissecting characters but a part of me wished he used a less technical and more creative approach to this tutorial, something different from what I have already read before in other similar books. Writers could use some inspiration to make lifeless forms of paper and ink come to life. But really, other than that, I must say that the book on a whole is pretty well written.

    The only thing that would have made this a more enjoyable read is if it was a book in full color. If I had read this as a young and inexperienced novelist, it may have helped me with early issues in character development. But this book would have provided an excellent road map to finding an approach that worked well for me individually when it came to character development.

    In conclusion, this light reader may give you some ideas to think about for your next or maybe even current story. Originally reviewed at Vaultofbooks. We are looking for perceptive readers who can write well, and we are eager to provide lots of free books in exchange for reviews. Shot us a mail at contact vaultofbooks.

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    Jun 17, Brenda Margriet rated it liked it Shelves: I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review. Until being approached by Dr. Antonio del Drago to write a review, I was unaware of the Mythic Scribes community. I now believe that Dr. The title led me to believe the author's approach to character building would be based on myths, which, to me, meant ancient Greek and Roman sto I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review. The title led me to believe the author's approach to character building would be based on myths, which, to me, meant ancient Greek and Roman stories.

    Drago used contemporary novels, including the Harry Potter series, The Godfather and Jurassic Park, to explain his process. Not that I didn't find that very helpful once I got with the program. Technically, the book I read the Kindle version on my laptop was well laid out and well edited, although I did notice a couple of small errors. The overall tone was academic not necessarily a bad thing and a tad cold and clinical more like a psychiatric evaluation than meeting a new friend in a coffee shop but still fairly straight forward to read and follow. Drago himself admits the approach can appear complex at first sight, and I agree with him.

    As a writer, I'm more organic in my character development for good or ill and I've never been the type to fill out those incredibly complex character sheets, with spaces for astrological signs and how many times a day he or she goes to the bathroom. However, I did find value in a deeper understanding of human personalities in Dr. Drago's explanations of enneagrams, Bartle types and archetypes. As well, the book includes a reasonably succinct worksheet which leads you through Dr.

    Drago's method, should you wish to follow it step-by-step, which I can see as being very helpful. Drago even goes into the physical aspects of character building. He points out that many writers begin with hair and eye colouring when describing characters, when really these are two of the least important characteristics. After all, those attributes will not affect how a character reacts to the plot in your book.

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    However, gender, age and fitness level as only a few examples will actually affect how that character influences your story. I thought this was a brilliant point. I was also struck by his explanation of how people or in the case of fiction, characters don't always do what's best for themselves. As well, he points out that, while two characters may have similar personality traits on the inside, they will not necessarily manifest them in the same way on the outside.

    That is why his way of building characters can work — just because you've written about two Achievers, for example, it doesn't mean they will both react to certain plot points in the same way. Jun 05, Anna Erishkigal rated it really liked it. The Mythic Guide to Characters is a well-written guide to help writers flesh out the conscious and unconscious drives which will predict how their characters will act in any given situation. The best writers develop well-rounded, three-dimensional characters that begin to develop a life of their own.

    Have you ever tried to get your character to do something and they won't cooperate? It means you have yourself given some thought to the unconscious drives that shape your character. This book wil The Mythic Guide to Characters is a well-written guide to help writers flesh out the conscious and unconscious drives which will predict how their characters will act in any given situation.

    This book will help you give those factors conscious thought so that you, too, can take that step between a character who's so palpable on the page your reader falls in love or hate with them and a flat, two-dimensional character. The Mythic Guide to Characters covers the following psychological theories of personality development: The theories are explained in plain English anybody can understand and does not resort to 'psychobabble' or spiritual nonsense.

    There is also a helpful character worksheet at the end of the book and a bibliography of further reading if you wish to educate yourself further. Why 4 stars instead of 5? My undergraduate degree is in psychology, and while the book's examples are impeccable, that part of me which is a writer wished some of the well-known line drawings of each theory had been included to help 'ground' the idea for somebody with a non-psychology degree. The writer in me also fervently wished there had been short writing exercises at the end of each 'Layer' to take the theories the author had just explained and then apply it to my OWN characters.

    This has become a standard and expected part of writing novels and I noted their absence. I would most definitely come back and upgrade my 4-star rating to a 5-star rating if the author releases an updated version of this book with a writing exercise at the end of each chapter.

    The Mythic Guide to Characters: Writing Characters Who Enchant and Inspire by Antonio Del Drago

    Even without those exercises, however, I found this book to be extremely helpful and would recommend it to fellow writers. I received this book for free after the author contacted me requesting an honest, unbiased review. May 22, Shannon rated it it was amazing.

    How to Write a Main Character Who Drives the Plot

    So I really have nothing to compare this book to. I may have to buy a print copy just so I can mark it up with ideas! Seriously, if a Muse could manifest in the form of a book, it would be this book! I have found that most of the books I really fall in love with are ones with characters that embody the aspects Del Drago discusses in The Mythic Guide.

    He covers all the aspects an author needs to create a realistic character — the perfection is in the details. Some of the different topics you will learn about are: The Soul Triptych — 3 characters in a story that each represent one of the powers of soul: Body, Mind and Spirit. You also get a handy-dandy worksheet to use!

    Appropriate for all aspiring authors! Jul 13, Mad Giles Giles A. A Thoughtful Approach to the Task of Characterization 4. Being both an avid reader and author myself, there has been a lifelong romance with the art of storytelling and the crafting of the written word that brings worlds to life. I feel the upside in doing so is that I am rather open to hearing new strategies and viewpoints. A possible downside is that at times I can find myself being a stern critic when I feel I have been mislead or disappointed by an author, when offering something they did not deliver.

    Any feelings of possible disappointment were far from on the radar when finished reading this title. This layered approach to character building is both insightful and easy to grasp even for those who have never taken a psychology class in their life. The author wisely gives a more comfortable feel to what may be new concepts by using popular fictional characters that most readers would have at least a passing familiarity with in his examples.

    The worksheet at the end of the book provides a straightforward structure for the reader to put to use the lessons held within the previous pages. If asked what kept this from being a five star review it would be that I felt that the readers would have greatly benefited from a few brief exercises at the end of chapters. A somewhat proven standard in most books on similar topics, which would have presented the chance to explore each idea before moving forward with the next concept. Even so, I have no reservations whatsoever in recommending this book to all beginning writers interested in developing characters capable of stepping right off the page and into the lives of their audience.

    Also, believe it is a worthy read for the more experienced writers who enjoy exploring new ideas about the work they are so passionate about pursuing. Jun 27, Alyssia rated it really liked it Shelves: Thank you to the author and Making Connections for providing me with a copy of this title to read and review. I would highly recommend this to anyone who is considering writing to publish or who enjoys writing for fun or storytelling.

    Even if your intention is not ever to publish, if you are a storyteller in the literal or RPG sense of the word there's a lot to be interested in here. In fact, I think that most readers of fantasy, mythology and literature that makes use of archetypes would quite Thank you to the author and Making Connections for providing me with a copy of this title to read and review. In fact, I think that most readers of fantasy, mythology and literature that makes use of archetypes would quite enjoy it as well.

    The book is a quick-read. The first chapters were, to me, the weakest. Much of what was pointed out at first was somewhat obvious I felt for anyone who already enjoys reading and writing or has spent any time at all in acadamia, or studying psychology, etc. As the book went on, however, Del Drago made a number of incredibly insightful points and had a lot of good advice. Readers of The Hunger Games, Harry Potter, The Godfather will find Del Drago's explanations regarding these books to be very helpful in grasping the theory that he is providing. The text is extremely accessible and easy to read - especially if one has familiarity with the texts referenced.

    Also, most YA authors need to read the section on physical descriptions and characters. With the exception of language which I felt probably deserved more time and explanation than Del Drago gave it , the chapter on fleshing out and conveying characters to readers was really brilliant. A lot of the errors in flow and description that pull readers out of the world the author tries to immerse them in were covered here. It's a great chapter for aspiring creative writers. There is a rather large section at the end with worksheets to answer when creating characters. I have every intention of using them and making others use them.

    I think they will be very helpful. It's important to know they are there though, because they do take up a large portion of the text.

    When I first arrived at them I was somewhat disappointed that the text had ended - but after reading through them I decided they were definite keepers. Jun 16, Terry Ambrose rated it really liked it. The Mythic Guide to Characters seeks to help writers improve the depth of their characters by showing that characters have more than one layer. Antonio Del Drago describes those layers as the character within, the character in his or her world, and the character in the story.

    Del Drago also discusses physical characteristics and character patterns. Because of the title and the author's involvement with the fantasy community, I was concerned about its applicability to other genres. That concern wa The Mythic Guide to Characters seeks to help writers improve the depth of their characters by showing that characters have more than one layer.

    That concern was unwarranted because Del Drago does an excellent job of applying these principles to all genres. The worksheet at the end of the book makes it easy for writers to regard this book as a tool to be used many times, not just read once and forgotten. Overall, this is a cleanly written book on writing that will help many writers add complexity and interest to their characters. Del Drago is hoping that writers will want to take the time to learn more about the minds and behaviors of their characters.

    For those primarily concerned with plot, this process will feel tedious and complex. May 29, K. Garvey rated it it was amazing. Del Drago contacted me with the offer of a free copy of his book, 'The Mythic Guide to Characters' in exchange for an honest review and I accepted. I had every intention of getting to it within the next week or so as I had another started book and my own projects going on. When I received it, I opened it to 'skim' through and form an initial impression, which would probably have determined just how long it would be before I got around to reading it.

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