Title: 45 Master Characters: Mythic Models For Creating Original Characters
Author: Victoria Lynn Schmidt
Reviewer: Karen
Genre: Adult Non-Fiction, Writing Tips
Rating: Fabulous
Alerts/Warnings: References to some movies/books with more adult content or behavior
Premise: "Create unforgettable characters your readers will love!Want to make your characters and their stories more compelling, complex, and original than ever before? "45 Master Characters" is here to help you explore the most common male and female archetypes--the mythic, cross-cultural models from which all characters originate" (GoodReads.com).
Opinions: I purchased this book on the recommendation of another author. Best decision ever. This book has catapulted the complexity and quality of my writing by cavernous measures. I love the detailed explanation of why each of the Greek Gods' characters resonates with readers and what makes them so memorable. But what I found to be the greatest asset in this book is the comparison for each segment of the character's growth to well-known and loved books and movies that I would never have originally connected to someone from Greek mythology. I am a very visual learner, and to have the examples of how gender differences, or the hero/villainous aspects of a character's nature played out in stories I well know was beyond enlightening. I also loved the ideas the author provided of how secondary characters can impact the main character changing their story line or growth. Now I have hundreds of ideas how to take my writing to the next level. If you are a storyteller in any way, shape or form, then I recommend you read this book and take copious notes.
