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Title: 45 Master Characters: Mythic Models for Creating Original Characters by Victoria Schmidt ISBN: 1-58297-069-6 Publisher: Writers Digest Books Pub. Date: September, 2001 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $19.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.11 (9 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: Promising, but not fulfilling.
Comment: Schmidt's topic is welcome-there are few "how-to" books on using character archetypes-and her list of them is useful. Her sometimes imprecise descriptions, however, require some skeptical reading. The impression is that her insights are limited or parochial because they are green, which is a weak position from which to be writing a book on universal, eternal archetypes.
The character journeys she provides are based on Campbell's theory of the hero's quest. Revised and simplified for a more contemporary style, these are befitting and usable, though it bears remembering that the hero's quest is just one serviceable character journey. Schmidt has certainly done research, but the credibility of all her research is not supported by the book's dedication, in which she thanks her family for sharing their archetypes. Perhaps her family members are literary scholars, but one would expect her archetypes came from the likes of Jung, Campbell, Frye, or their equals. Choosing to quote from a book by Jed Diamond, not a scholar but a therapist, does leave her open to such a charge.
Where the prose of literary theory can be dense, hers is accessible. However, Schmidt is not a strong writer, and her words lack economy. She also needs a stronger editor to cut the constant use of clichés.
Rating: 3
Summary: Interesting Idea, Archetypes a bit to rigid....
Comment: I have enjoyed perusing 45 Master Characters: Mythic Models for Creating Original Characters, but while its an interesting exploration into archetypes, I didn't find it to be very useful as a writing tool.
The values for the archetypes were too absolute, rigid and at times too esoteric for me to find practical. For instance, at first glance, I was thinking the "Artemis" archetype might be perfect for a female warrior I enjoy writing about. However, the author insists to fit this archetype the heroine must: 'care deeply about the feminine nature and the earth'. Say what? Then she gives an example that "Xena" fits this archetype. I'm not sure how many episodes of Xena that the author has watched, but as a former fan, I don't think anyone would call her an environmentalist. (Perhaps Gabrielle, but certainly not Xena). LOL. I bring up this example, primarily because I think her definitions are a little off-base for me.
Continuing on, I reviewed the rest of the female archetypes, and didn't find any of the others that fit the character either, except perhaps Aphrodite, which is ironic, (since Aphrodite is the goddess of love, not war). I found the rest of the female archetypes very unappealing. The author describes "Athena" (who was also a warrior: "caring about aligning herself with a powerful man and supporting the patriarchy," hmmmm... Say what? and "She only cares what other men think of her?" Hardly a positive character trait, and not traits I really think of when I think of Athena: as the goddess. Feh...
But if the female archetypes were bad, the male archetypes are worse. I found none of them useful for my writing, and most of them impractical.
So, overall, while I've enjoyed the IDEA of this writers reference, it failed for me... Perhaps BECAUSE of its 'mystical' new-age, style aspects.
Rating: 5
Summary: Deffinitely a Bible!
Comment: I'm not sure why someone would say this isn't great to use for SF/F writing! This book covers everything! AND is the only book to cover the Female Hero's Journey...something very integral to SF/F writing as this is the genre where female characters shine!
I found this book extremely useful and very needed as it includes:
Female and Male Heroes and Villians,
Supporting Character Archetypes,
The Female Hero's Journey
And a great alternative Male Hero's Journey.
NO other book has this!
I guess you can tell I'm a fan and I hear she has 2 other books in the works. Can't wait.
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Title: 20 Master Plots: And How to Build Them by Ronald B. Tobias ISBN: 1582972397 Publisher: Writers Digest Books Pub. Date: January, 2003 List Price(USD): $14.99 |
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Title: The Writer's Guide to Character Traits: Includes Profiles of Human Behaviors and Personality Types by Linda N. Edelstein ISBN: 0898799015 Publisher: Writers Digest Books Pub. Date: October, 1999 List Price(USD): $18.99 |
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Title: The Complete Writer's Guide to Heroes and Heroines by Tami D. Cowden, Caro LaFever, Sue Viders ISBN: 1580650244 Publisher: Lone Eagle Publishing Company Pub. Date: 19 June, 2000 List Price(USD): $17.95 |
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Title: Writing Dialogue by Tom Chiarella ISBN: 1884910327 Publisher: Writers Digest Books Pub. Date: February, 1998 List Price(USD): $14.99 |
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Title: Characters and Viewpoint (Elements of Fiction Writing) by Orson Scott Card ISBN: 0898799279 Publisher: Writers Digest Books Pub. Date: April, 1999 List Price(USD): $12.99 |
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