Welcome to session two! Here is where you learn how to create scenes and give your characters the conflicts they need to grow throughout the story.
Part 1: Protagonist vs. Antagonist
Lorna and Adrian discuss how characters with opposing goals get in each other’s way.
Resources
- Catching Fire – clip
Part 2: Antagonist Brainstorm
Lorna and Adrian show you how to write your character’s personal antagonist.
EXERCISE: Personal Antagonist (10 minutes)
Brainstorm a personal antagonist for your character from session one. Who is this person, and why do they get under your protagonist’s skin? How do their goals conflict with the protagonist’s?
Part 3: Make Them Miserable
Lorna and Adrian discuss how to give your characters a hard time!
Resources
- The Good Place (WARNING: this clip includes some images of blood)
EXERCISE: Personal Hell (10 minutes)
Brainstorm a personal hell for one of the characters you came up with (either in this session, in the last one, or a totally new one). This personal hell doesn’t need to be a literal hell as it is in The Good Place, but consider what situations would really challenge their greatest fears and wants.
Part 4: What is a Scene?
Lorna and Adrian examine the basic building blocks of a story—scenes—and how they move the story forward.
Resources
EXERCISE: Write into Scene (10 minutes)
Now that you have a character, their antagonist, and a personal hell for them, bring it all together by writing them into a scene! Keep in mind that the protagonist should be at odds with their antagonist over something important to the character, whether emotionally or otherwise.
WRAP UP
Congratulations on completing session two—now go challenge your characters! Head over to session three for some information on point of view and dialogue.
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