Creative Workshops for Crafting Unforgettable Characters
We believe great fiction starts with the people who live in it. Join our Saturday sessions in Bangalore as we break down character arcs, motivations, and those subtle flaws that make a protagonist feel real.
Not all characters get a happy ending. This session focused on crafting a "Negative Character Arc," where a protagonist's journey leads to their downfall or corruption. It was a fascinating study in tragedy and flawed humanity.
Inspired by Mother Gothel from 'Tangled', this workshop explored the archetype of the manipulative matriarch. We delved into writing complex villains whose motivations are twisted by a dark, possessive form of love.
How do you tell a story when your narrator can't be trusted? We had fun exploring the concept of the unreliable narrator, learning how to mislead the reader and create stunning plot twists through a character's biased point of view.
What would a story look like from the perspective of an alien, an animal, or even an inanimate object? This session on "Non-Human POV" pushed our creative boundaries, forcing us to imagine the world in entirely new ways.
A great way to know your character is to live in their head. This workshop introduced "Character Journaling," using the format of a D&D character sheet as a fun analogy for building a detailed profile of a fictional person.
Empathy is the bridge between a reader and a character. This session explored how to write with empathy, allowing us to create characters, even villains, whose motivations are understandable and whose struggles feel real.
Perfect characters are boring. This workshop celebrated "Flawed Humans," focusing on creating relatable protagonists by giving them realistic weaknesses, insecurities, and imperfections that make them feel authentic.
This session, "Beyond the Mask," challenged us to write about vigilantes and anti-heroes. We explored the complex morality of characters like The Punisher and Rorschach, delving into what drives someone to operate outside the law.
Our 12th-anniversary meetup was a "Gender Bender" session. We explored identity and perspective by taking existing stories or characters and flipping their gender, a creative exercise that challenged assumptions and opened up new narrative possibilities.
How do you write about older women as central, dynamic characters? This online session focused on creating compelling fiction centered around older female protagonists, moving beyond stereotypical roles to explore their unique stories and perspectives.
About Creating Unforgettable Characters
We do not just talk theory; we actually put pen to paper. In our recent character-focused sessions, writers have mapped out everything from D&D-style character sheets to the moral descent of a complex villain. Whether you are stuck on a protagonist's motivation or trying to humanize an antagonist, our 40-minute writing sprints give you the space to test these ideas in real time.
How We Build Characters
Writing a compelling character is rarely about writing a hero. It is about understanding the cracks, the conflicting desires, and the history that drives someone to act against their own interests. In our Saturday sessions, we dive into the mechanics of fiction, stripping away the polish to look at what makes a character tick.
What to expect in these sessions:
- The 40-Minute Sprint: We dedicate specific time to timed writing exercises based on our weekly prompt. This removes the pressure of perfection and forces you to get your ideas onto the page.
- Safe-Space Feedback: After the sprint, you have the option to read your work aloud. Our group offers honest, constructive reactions in a space that prioritizes kindness and mutual respect over competition.
- Diverse Perspectives: From writing non-human viewpoints to crafting unreliable narrators, we intentionally choose prompts that pull you out of your comfort zone.
Practical Details
We meet every Saturday from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Our offline home is the terrace at Sana Plaza, near Trinity Metro Station in Bangalore. It is an urban, open-air setting that encourages conversation and connection. If you cannot make it to the terrace, we also run virtual circles via Zoom so you can join from anywhere.
All we ask is that you bring something to write with, something to write on, and an open mind. We are a social club first, so stick around after the session; we almost always head out for coffee to keep the conversation going.
Write Club
We are a bunch of Bangalore-based writers who trade corporate life for Saturday afternoons on a terrace. We are not a formal academy, but a community where we share our stories, debate plot holes, and obsess over character motivations over chai.
Looking for a different writing theme?
Explore our other creative writing workshops and upcoming session topics.
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