Journal 5

David Colon

Creative Writing

Professor Miller

2/14/18

“Gotham Writers’ Workshop” is one of the most interesting textbooks that I have read. Instead of stating facts, like traditional textbooks, Gotham talks to you about craft and the art of storytelling; Each chapter talks to you, rather than at you. And in Chapter 2, I found this to be prominent.

When discussing protagonist characteristics, the author states, “You can’t judge a book by its cover, but a cover can be informative and set up expectations” (37). I found this statement to be interesting due to the fact that appearance can reveal many aspects of a character. Appearance can be set up to symbolize themes, but the author takes this idea further: by giving your characters clothing and emotional representation, that can demonstrate intricacies that the reader can then pick up on. I love how the author took this cliche statement of “You can’t judge a book by its cover,” and added “…but a cover can be informative and set up expectations” (37).

Another area in Chapter 2 that I found intriguing occurred on page 45 when the author discussed speech and dialogue. The author states “What people say, how they say it, and what they don’t say are all very illuminating. If you want to get to know someone, what do you do? You talk to them” (45). I always think of writing speech like I’m watching a film. By imagining what my character’s facial expressions are and by imagining how they say what they’re saying has always interested me. I love how the author discusses how character traits and personalities can be revealed through dialogue: in dialogue, you can have your characters show something by what they say.

On page 47, the text reads “Use these four methods-action, speech, appearance, thought-in concert to create a sense of depth in the moment-to-moment experience of the story” (47). I like how Gotham frames character creation: character creation and representation is like a concert. You have to blend action, speech, appearance, and thought to create depth and conviction. When done correctly, readers may feel like your character is a full fledged, real person.