“If you treat your characters like people, they’ll reward you by being fully developed individuals.”
– Don Roff
Een van die grootste uitdagings vir ‘n skrywer is om karakters te skep waarmee ‘n leser kan identifiseer. ‘n Karakter kom meld hom of haar as ‘n blote gedagte by jou as die skrywer aan en dit is jou verantwoordelikheid om aan daardie karakter diepte en geloofwaardigheid te gee.
Elke skrywer het sy of haar eie manier hoe hulle karakters skep, maar daar is ‘n paar algemene reëls:
- ‘n Storie het gewoonlik meer as een karakter. Jou hoofkarakter/s is die sentrale figuur waarom die storie draai en dit is belangrik dat jy alles omtrent hulle weet. Selfs inligting wat nie van toepassing op die storie is nie. ‘n Goeie tegniek is om vir jou karakters volledige lewenssketse op te stel. Dit keer ook dat jy nie halfpad in die verhaal skielik vir jou karakter/s ander eienskappe gee nie.
- Alhoewel jou by-karakter/s slegs as ondersteuning vir die hoofkarakter/s en die storie dien, is dit belangrik dat jy ook soveel as moontlik van hulle weet. Dit sorg dat jy hulle sigbaar vir die leser kan voorstel.
- Maak seker elke karakter het ‘n doel in die verhaal. Te veel karakters verwar die leser, veral as hulle nie duidelik gedefinieerde rolle het nie. Raak ontslae van enige oortollige karakters.
- Skrywers is soms geneig om veral hul hoofkarakter/s so te skryf dat lesers van hulle moet hou. Een skrywer het die volgende hieroor gesê:
“Begin with an individual, and before you know it you have created a type;
begin with a type, and you find you have created … nothing.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald
Dit is dikwels juis die karakters se hebbelikhede wat hulle interessante karakters maak.
- Laat die karakters hul eie storie vertel. Dit is baie steurend wanneer ‘n mens die skrywer se stem raaklees. Indien daar ‘n boodskap in die verhaal is, moet dit deur die karakters en die verhaal self oorgedra word nie deur jou as skrywer nie.
- Hou mense dop en let veral op die klein gewoontes wat hulle anders maak. Dit is interessant hoeveel ‘n mens oor iemand kan leer net deur hulle dop te hou. Dieselfde geld vir ‘n skrywer en die karakters in ‘n verhaal. Jy hoef hulle nie altyd in detail te beskryf nie, maar eerder hul mannerismes, hul reaksies ens beskryf. Daardeur sal die leser hulle goed leer ken.
- Luister na gesprekke tussen mense en sorg dat jou dialoog eg klink.
- Moenie dit te maklik vir ‘n karakter maak nie. Die soeke/strewe/probleme wat oorkom moet word is juis die storie. ‘n Karakter moet self haar of sy probleme oorkom.
- Dit is maklik om ge-ykte karakters te skep, maar die uitdaging is juis om karakters te skryf wat drie-dimensioneel is.
Wilna Adriaanse:
Sedert 2000 het Wilna Adriaanse 12 boeke geskryf en gepubliseer. Van die meer onlangse boeke is, Rebecca, Met ander woorde en Die boek van Ester.
In 2002 wen sy Lapa-uitgewers se Liefdesverhaaltoekenning. In 2009 word Die Boek van Ester benoem vir die M-Net prys vir Mees Verfilmbare manuskrip en dieselfde boek wen ‘n ATKV/Sanlam Woordveertjie vir Beste Liefdesverhaal.
Wilna se boek, Vier seisoene kind wen ook in 2011 die ATKV Woordveertjie vir Beste Liefdesverhaal.
Wilna het haar Meestersgraad in Kreatiewe Skryfkuns, onder leiding van prof Etienne van Heerden, gedurende 2011 aan die Universiteit van Kaapstad voltooi.
Sy is sedert 2009 ‘n studieleier (tutor) vir die gewilde Skryf ‘n roman kursus (SA Writers College).
READ MORE: *Developing Your Character’s Character – Four Ways To Create Credibility *Best Writing Advice: Let Your Characters Tell Their Story *Whose Point Of View Is It, Anyway?
Terugvoer van Wilna se Oud-studente
“I do not have the words to describe the enormous contribution Wilna Adriaanse had to my development as a writer. She is an excellent tutor. She motivated and inspired me throughout the course. She was very prompt and clear with her feedback. She is an esteemed writer and it is clear why SA Writers College appointed her as a tutor. I would recommend this course and especially the SA Writers’ College to any person who would like to start a writing career.” PE Mostert, Pretoria, Skryf ‘n roman kursus, SA Writers College
“Words on paper can tell you a story, but the emotional gain from completing something so satisfactory that you want more, is a whole new exciting ball game on its own. The course was motivating and inspirational at all times. I look forward to working with my tutor again on the Advanced Novel Writing course. I found her knowledge and input very satisfying, she helped me a lot and she has excellent experience in the field. I’ve gained a lot through the experience which involves bettering my skill in emotional intelligence. It is an excellent course and I would refer it to anybody who wishes to learn how to write a novel. Thank you so much”. Alta Steyn, Skryf ‘n roman kursus, SA Writers College
“Without Wilna’s continued support and belief in my story and my characters, I probably would’ve given up on it. I would’ve missed finally making that real connection with my characters. And I wouldn’t have a debut novel, Donker Spoor, on shelves in book stores as I type this. So I want to thank the South African Writers College for offering these writing courses and attracting people like Wilna Adriaanse. I enjoyed the well-structured course material, and appreciated that it also dealt with publishing aspects like blurbs and submission letters. But it is the one-on-one tutorship that really makes your courses special. Thank you for helping me realise my life-long dream.” Martin Steyn, Skryf ‘n roman kursus, SA Writers College
“Die SA Writers College doen wat hulle op hule webblad beloof om te doen – iets wat mens nie deesdae baie gereeld kry nie. Ek voel dus asof ek waarde vir my geld ontvang het. En al doen ek niks met dit wat ek geleer het nie, was die ervaring die moeite werd.” Karin van Zijl, Skryf ‘n roman kursus, SA Writers College
“‘n Wonderlike ervaring. Ek was baie beindruk met die aanbieding van die roman kursus – die volledigheid van die modules asook die terugvoer van die studieleier. ‘n Baie aangename ervaring en ‘n voorreg om soveel leiding van een van ons voorste Afrikaanse skrywers te ontvang.” Lizelle Burger, Vredendal, Skryf ‘n roman kursus, SA Writers College
“It was a great experience; great value for money and a useful tool to learn exactly what is needed to write a novel. I would have liked the course notes in Afrikaans but other than that it was a great learning curve for me; everything was very well presented. I received very good service from SA Writers’ College and my tutor Wilna was absolutely fantastic! I learnt a lot from her; her feedback was always clear, to the point and very valuable; she is a great motivator. I’ve gained a lot of knowledge and the will to see my novel through and complete it. The feedback and overall critique from my tutor has grown my confidence and made me realise with hard work and dedication I might actually do this! Thanks to all of you.” Corne Scheepers, Skryf ‘n roman Kursus, SA Writers College
“I was honoured to have Wilna as a tutor. She was professional and easily approachable.” Tanya van der Westhuizen, Skryf ‘n roman Kursus, SA Writers College
“I would definitely come back again and tell others about it. SAWC has seen a huge opportunity and I am proud to say I am one of their students. I also appreciate it that the standard was so high.” Karelien Stolper, Pretoria, Skryf ‘n roman Kursus, SA Writers College
“A highly professional distance learning institute, with top class curriculum made up of theoretical modules and professional tutorship by experienced writers.” Riaan Marshall, Skryf ‘n roman Kursus, SA Writers College
“I enjoyed doing this course. I would recommend this to anyone interested. All notes and modules were easy to read and understand. The explanations and examples given made it easier to write. My tutor was very professional and supportive. I enjoyed her feedback and her mentoring was of the best quality.” Natasha Basson, Skryf ‘n roman Kursus, SA Writers College
