Many books attempt to show writers how to create believable characters. This one
is unlike the majority: it specifically identifies 16 "master archetypes," complete
with thumbnail sketches and descriptions of specific qualities, flaws, background,
styles, and possible occupations. The authors, all writers and writing instructors,
detail eight male and eight female archetypes in Sections 1 and 2 and then in Section 3
discuss how the characters can interact and evolve, often warning that "a writer cannot
simply lift the archetypes from these pages." Although these archetypes from these pages."
Although these archetypes are admittedly rather stereotypical (e.g., the Chief, the Bad
Boy, and the Warrior, or the Seductress, the Waif, and the Nurturer), the book does
provide a thought-provoking exploration of character development and its myriad
possibilities. Useful examples from literature, television, and cinema are included
in the appendex. Although the book is written in an easily accessible writing style,
it nevertheless contains more detail than would be needed for most undergraduate
programs. It is therefore more suitable for advanced creative writing programs.
Recommended for midsize to larger public libraries.

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