“Novels seek to emotionally engage readers on all levels, and, to achieve that goal, authors must develop characters in depth, create realistic settings, do extensive research and come up with a structured pacing that alternates between the thoughtful and the rip-roaring.” (Jeffery Deaver, More Twisted)

Character Development Exercise: Balancing Emotional Intensity and Reflection

Core Techniques Explored

1. Dynamic Emotional Pacing – Alternating between high-intensity moments and thoughtful character development to create sustained reader engagement
2. Depth Through Context – Building character complexity by weaving together personal history, setting details, and immediate action

Writing Prompt (500 words)

Write a scene where a character faces an urgent situation (examples: a crucial deadline, an unexpected confrontation, a critical decision) while simultaneously grappling with a deeper personal conflict. The scene should alternate between external action and internal reflection, using setting details and backstory to deepen the emotional impact.

Key requirements:

• Begin with an immediate tension that demands action
• Include at least two moments where time slows for meaningful reflection
• Incorporate specific setting details that reflect or contrast with the character’s emotional state
• Weave in relevant backstory that illuminates the character’s current choices
• End with a decision or action that carries both immediate and personal significance

Evaluation Criteria

Strong Responses Will:

• Create clear transitions between action and reflection without losing momentum
• Use setting details that serve multiple purposes (advance plot, reveal character, build atmosphere)
• Include backstory that feels organic to the moment rather than expository
• Maintain tension even during quieter moments
• Show how external and internal conflicts inform each other
• Balance showing and telling effectively

Weak Responses Typically:

• Treat action and reflection as completely separate elements
• Include random setting details that don’t contribute to the story’s emotional impact
• Dump backstory in large blocks that halt the narrative
• Lose momentum during reflective passages
• Fail to connect external events with internal character development
• Rely too heavily on either action or introspection

Workshop Questions

1. Where does the pacing feel most effective? Where does it lag?
2. How do the setting details contribute to our understanding of the character’s emotional state?
3. What specific moments reveal the connection between past and present?
4. How does the character’s internal conflict affect their handling of the external situation?
5. What questions about the character remain intriguing but unresolved?

Revision Suggestions

1. Create a pacing map marking high-intensity and reflective moments. Are they well-distributed?
2. Highlight setting details. Does each one serve multiple purposes?
3. Examine transitions between action and reflection. Are they smooth and motivated?
4. List what readers learn about the character’s past. Is it revealed naturally?

Model Text

Read “The Third and Final Continent” by Jhumpa Lahiri (from Interpreter of Maladies). Notice how Lahiri masterfully balances immediate action with reflection, using specific details about the protagonist’s boarding house and his relationship with his elderly landlady to reveal deeper themes about adaptation and connection. Pay attention to how she weaves together present action, memory, and setting to create emotional resonance.

Time Management (2 hours)

• 15 minutes: Reading and analyzing example text
• 15 minutes: Scene planning and character background development
• 45 minutes: Initial draft writing
• 15 minutes: Evaluation against criteria
• 30 minutes: Revision focusing on pacing and integration of elements

Regards,

RAR