We may earn an affiliate commission when you visit our partners.

Character Development

Save

Character Development is the process of creating and refining characters in a story or other creative work. It involves defining their motivations, goals, and backstories, as well as their physical and emotional characteristics. Character Development is an essential part of any story, as it helps to make the characters relatable and believable to the audience.

Why Learn Character Development?

There are many reasons why you might want to learn about Character Development. Perhaps you are a writer who wants to create more compelling characters for your stories. Or maybe you are a game designer who wants to create more memorable characters for your games. Whatever your reason, learning about Character Development can help you to improve your storytelling skills and create more engaging characters.

How to Learn Character Development

There are many ways to learn about Character Development. You can read books on the subject, take online courses, or attend workshops. You can also practice developing characters by writing stories or creating games.

Online Courses

There are many online courses that can teach you about Character Development. These courses can be a great way to learn about the subject at your own pace and in your own time. Some of the best online courses on Character Development include:

Read more

Character Development is the process of creating and refining characters in a story or other creative work. It involves defining their motivations, goals, and backstories, as well as their physical and emotional characteristics. Character Development is an essential part of any story, as it helps to make the characters relatable and believable to the audience.

Why Learn Character Development?

There are many reasons why you might want to learn about Character Development. Perhaps you are a writer who wants to create more compelling characters for your stories. Or maybe you are a game designer who wants to create more memorable characters for your games. Whatever your reason, learning about Character Development can help you to improve your storytelling skills and create more engaging characters.

How to Learn Character Development

There are many ways to learn about Character Development. You can read books on the subject, take online courses, or attend workshops. You can also practice developing characters by writing stories or creating games.

Online Courses

There are many online courses that can teach you about Character Development. These courses can be a great way to learn about the subject at your own pace and in your own time. Some of the best online courses on Character Development include:

  • How to Write a Novel: Structure & Outline
  • How to Write a Novel: Writing the Draft
  • Creative Writing: The Craft of Character
  • Character Design for Video Games
  • Introduction to Game Design
  • Story and Narrative Development for Video Games
  • Script Writing: Write a Pilot Episode for a TV or Web Series (Project-Centered Course)
  • Shakespeare Matters
  • Core Interaction Programming
  • Storytelling for Social Change
  • Novel Writing Workshop
  • Directing the Actor: A USC course with Nina Foch
  • Write Your First Novel
  • Screenwriting & Storytelling Blueprint: Hero's Two Journeys
  • Finding your voice as a playwright
  • Writing Video Game Scenes and Dialogue
  • Capstone: Bringing it all together
  • Travel Writing: Explore the World & Publish Your Stories!

These courses will teach you the basics of Character Development, from creating believable motivations to writing dialogue that reveals character. They will also provide you with opportunities to practice developing characters through writing exercises and assignments.

Careers in Character Development

There are many different careers that involve Character Development. Some of the most common include:

  • Writer: Writers create characters for books, movies, TV shows, and video games.
  • Game Designer: Game designers create characters for video games.
  • Screenwriter: Screenwriters create characters for movies and TV shows.
  • Playwright: Playwrights create characters for plays.
  • Novelist: Novelists create characters for novels.
  • Character Animator: Character animators bring characters to life in movies and video games.
  • Voice Actor: Voice actors provide the voices for characters in movies and video games.

Conclusion

Character Development is an essential part of any story or other creative work. It is not just about creating characters that are interesting and memorable, but also about creating characters that are relatable and believable. By learning about Character Development, you can improve your storytelling skills and create more engaging characters.

Path to Character Development

Take the first step.
We've curated 24 courses to help you on your path to Character Development. Use these to develop your skills, build background knowledge, and put what you learn to practice.
Sorted from most relevant to least relevant:

Share

Help others find this page about Character Development: by sharing it with your friends and followers:

Reading list

We've selected ten books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Character Development.
Provides a comprehensive overview of character development, covering topics such as creating believable motivations, goals, and backstories, as well as developing physical and emotional characteristics. It valuable resource for writers of all levels who want to create memorable and engaging characters.
Provides a comprehensive overview of character development, covering topics such as creating believable motivations, goals, and backstories, as well as developing physical and emotional characteristics. It valuable resource for writers of all levels who want to create memorable and engaging characters.
Provides a step-by-step guide to creating memorable characters. It covers topics such as developing character arcs, creating believable dialogue, and avoiding common pitfalls. It valuable resource for writers of all levels who want to create characters that readers will love.
Focuses on the importance of creating believable and relatable characters. It provides tips on how to develop characters that readers will connect with and root for. It valuable resource for writers who want to create characters that drive their stories and keep readers engaged.
Provides a comprehensive list of emotions and their corresponding physical and verbal cues. It valuable resource for writers who want to create characters that are expressive and believable.
Provides a practical guide to creating realistic and believable characters. It covers topics such as developing character backstories, creating believable dialogue, and avoiding common pitfalls.
Provides a framework for developing characters and stories based on the principles of mythology. It explores the different stages of the hero's journey and how they can be used to create compelling and meaningful characters. While it is not specifically focused on character development, it can be a valuable resource for writers who want to create characters that resonate with readers on a deeper level.
Focuses on character development for comics and graphic novels. It covers topics such as creating visually appealing characters, developing character arcs, and using dialogue to create believable characters. It valuable resource for writers and artists who want to create compelling characters for their comics and graphic novels.
Is focused on character design and is intended for those creating characters for a visual format. It covers topics such as visual development, character sketching, creature design, and environment design. While it is not specifically focused on character development for writing, it can still be a valuable resource for writers who want to visualize their characters and create a more visually appealing story.
Our mission

OpenCourser helps millions of learners each year. People visit us to learn workspace skills, ace their exams, and nurture their curiosity.

Our extensive catalog contains over 50,000 courses and twice as many books. Browse by search, by topic, or even by career interests. We'll match you to the right resources quickly.

Find this site helpful? Tell a friend about us.

Affiliate disclosure

We're supported by our community of learners. When you purchase or subscribe to courses and programs or purchase books, we may earn a commission from our partners.

Your purchases help us maintain our catalog and keep our servers humming without ads.

Thank you for supporting OpenCourser.

© 2016 - 2024 OpenCourser