Playwriting III: Thought, Word and Deed: A Master Class in Character Development

While story structure may get a character part way up the mountain, it does not guarantee his (or a play’s) success. In this workshop, writers examine characters from their emotional power base, analyzing and implementing the desires that motivate them through learning how to arc, map, and choose one of “nine emotional engines”(nine emotional engines ©all rights reserved lhutzler@ucla.edu) that motivate character. Writers may wish to deepen the behaviors and personalities of their own characters-in-progress and/or write short plays, scenes or monologues that identify each character type discussed in the workshop. The “Nine Emotional Engines” model, conceived by UCLA professor and story editor Laurie H. Hutzler will help the writer to kick-start character action (wants versus need), create conflict (external and internal) and generate proper, concurring responses (flee, fight or surrender).