Did you know this session has two times? If you can't make it to this one, find out if the other works better with your schedule right here.

Strong stories need a plot, a setting, and most importantly, engaging characters. Agents and editors will tell you that all stories are character-driven. However, if your characters are stereotypes, one-dimensional, or predictable, the reader will soon lose interest. Readers are engaged with characters who are relatable, flawed, and unique. But how do you accomplish that in fiction? In this webinar, we will look at the tricks you can use to create strong, memorable characters that are supported by a fascinating cast. We will address a number of different character crafting techniques, including: defining your characters' formative years, understanding body language and the use of physical space, how opposites create tension and interest, using dialogue to illustrate emotions and need, and how to make troubled characters likable. In addition to the presentation, there will be resource handouts available for download.

ABOUT THE PRESENTER: Jeanne Lyet Gassman's debut novel, Blood of a Stone (Tuscany Press), received a Bronze 2015 Independent Publisher Book Award in the national category of religious fiction. Her short work has been nominated for Best Small Fictions and the Pushcart Prize. Additional awards include fellowships from Ragdale and the Arizona Commission on the Arts. Jeanne's writing has appeared in The Manifest Station, Queen Mob's Tea House, Hippocampus Magazine, Literary Mama, Barrelhouse, and Hermeneutic Chaos Literary Journal, among many others. Her short story, "Sweet Dirty Love," was recently published in the anthology, Debris & Detritus: The Lesser Greek Gods Running Amok. Visit Jeanne at her website: www.jeannelyetgassman.com