Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Art of Character | 2013 | David Corbett | Buy |
The Art of Character, published in 2013, is David Corbett’s guide to building fictional characters. It draws on his years as a crime novelist, his background as a private investigator, and his experience teaching writing at conferences and universities. The book covers the full process of character creation, from initial conception through development across a story.
Corbett’s approach is practical rather than academic. He uses examples from published fiction and film to illustrate his points, and includes exercises that writers can use to develop their own characters. The book has become a standard recommendation in writing workshops and MFA programs, and it remains Corbett’s most widely read non-fiction work.