When working on a project that contains a large cast of characters, whether in fiction, nonfiction, or poetry, writers benefit from practices and mechanisms that help them generate and organize said characters in a way that supports, rather than constrains, the creative process. In this practical, generative workshop, we’ll explore several mechanisms for creating and developing memorable characters—from D&D character sheets to case studies from contemporary novels and poetry collections—and then we’ll use provided shells to kickstart the process of character-building in a way that allows us to keep track of those characters in a writer-friendly and efficient way. We’ll conclude with time for experiential sharing, Q&A, and trouble-shooting.

Participants may have a project in mind/project in progress to work on during the workshop, but that is not required. Participants will receive digital copies of the provided generative and organizational shells that they can modify for their own use.

Holly M. Wendt is the author of Heading North (Braddock Avenue Books, 2023) and Associate Professor of English & Creative Writing and Director of Creative Writing at Lebanon Valley College. A former Peter Taylor Fellow for the Kenyon Review Writers Workshop, Holly is a recipient of the Robert and Charlotte Baron Fellowship for Creative and Performing Artists from the American Antiquarian Society and fellowships from the Jentel Foundation and Hambidge Center. Their writing has appeared in Shenandoah, Four Way Review, Barrelhouse, Memorious, and elsewhere.