David Corbett worked as a private investigator for fifteen years before becoming the widely acclaimed author of four novels, with short fiction twice chosen for Best American Mystery Stories. He has taught at the UCLA Extension Writers' Program, 826 Valencia, Chuck Palahniuk's LitReactor, and the San Francisco Writers' Grotto.
Praise for The Art of Character"David Corbett has written a wise,
inspiring love letter to all the imaginary creatures inside our
minds—so we might conjure them whole on the page. I predict that
massively underscored copies of The Art of Character will
rest close at hand on writers’ desks for many years to
come."—Cheryl Strayed, author of Wild and Torch“David Corbett has
combined his unique talents as a gifted writer and an extraordinary
teacher to create a superb resource on character development.
Deftly crafted and impeccably researched, The Art of Character is a
thoughtful and insightful book that is immensely readable
and practical. Suitable for beginners to best-selling authors,
The Art of Character should be on every serious writer's shelf next
to Strunk and White's The Elements of Style, Anne Lamott's Bird by
Bird, and Stephen King's On Writing. Highly recommended.”—Sheldon
Siegel, New York Times Best Selling Author of Perfect Alibi and
Incriminating Evidence“I once made the mistake of writing a story
with David Corbett. The man smoked me. He can delineate
the character and personality of an accordion on three
strokes. I didn't even know accordions had character.
Imagine what he can do with people. This act of generosity and
wisdom from a very good writer will help anyone who is staring at a
blank page, any day, any time. Highly recommended.”—Luis Alberto
Urrea, author of Queen of America and The Hummingbird’s
Daughter“Corbett’s The Art of Character is no "how to" book or
"writing by numbers" manual. It is an artful testament to the
writers’ credo – that a story is only as affecting and meaningful
as the characters who tell it – that writing, essentially, is
character. The Art of Character is a writer’s bible that will
lead to your character’s soul. Corbett writes with the grace
and authority of a seasoned professional, but offers much more than
the usual inventory of method and strategy. With clarity and
compassion, he gets to the very thing that lies deep within us,
that longing we share to discover that one distinct and authentic
voice. The Art of Character is itself a work of art, an
indispensable resource for writers of any genre, and a pedagogical
tool for teachers of writing at any level.”—Elizabeth Brundage,
author of A Stranger Like You and The Doctor’s Wife."Well-delivered
character development - an issue that can so easily intimidate a
writer - is crucial to the richness of the narrative, because
characters are not simply at the heart of the story - they are
the story. David Corbett's The Art of Character offers a deep
inquiry into the creation of character for the novice
writer, with valuable nuggets of wisdom for the
seasoned storyteller. If you are a writer, it should be on your
desk."—Jacqueline Winspear, New York Times Bestselling Author of
Elegy for Eddie and Maisie Dobbs
"Corbett shares his secrets for making characters come to life on
the page, from presenting their back stories and motivations to
crafting memorable dialogue and great scenes that flesh out
characters and move the plot forward at a compelling,
tension-fueled pace. Corbett has a clear and elegant style that’s
easy for would-be writers to absorb..”—The Writer Magazine,
selected as one of the Top 13 Writing Guides of 2013
“Both inspiring and practical, The Art of Character
belongs on every writer’s shelf. David Corbett brilliantly
illustrates those elusive tools writers need to breathe life into
their characters with greater confidence and deeper insight.”—Cara
Black, bestselling author of Murder at the Lanterne Rouge"David
Corbett's The Art of Character belongs on every writer's shelf
beside Elizabeth George's Write Away and Stephen King's On
Writing. An invaluable resource for both the novice and the
experienced novelist, it's as much fun to read as a great
novel."—Deborah Crombie, author of No Mark Upon Her"David Corbett
is a guy who knows his business. Reading this book, I learned
things I didn't know and was reminded of ones I did. I recommend
The Art of Character to every writer, at any level."—S. J. Rozan,
award-winning author of Ghost Hero“Indispensable. Few are the
writer’s guides that are written as beautifully, cogently, and
intelligently as a well-wrought novel (or a well-rendered
character) itself. This is one of those books.”—Megan Abbott, Edgar
Award-Winning author of The End of Everything and Dare Me "The
topic of character development begins and ends with David Corbett’s
The Art of Character. This is the book on the subject, destined to
stand among the writings of John Gardner, Joseph Campbell, and the
others of that select few whose work is fundamental to
understanding the craft of storytelling."—Craig Clevenger, author
of The Contortionist’s Handbook"It is rare to find the deep
philosophical questions of literature (and life) met with such
straight-forward and inspiring instruction. But David Corbett is
that writer, and The Art of Character is that book."—Robert Mailer
Anderson, author Boonville
“David Corbett, himself a master crafter of riveting
and remarkable narratives, delivers up in this highly readable
guide, a smorgasbord of smart examples of memorable characters from
literature and popular culture, to create an addictive and helpful
primer on this most central of narrative ingredients.
Clear-headed and confident, Corbett takes us through the steps in a
manner that resists formula while at the same time demystifying a
process that has likely daunted every writer since Homer.”—Robin
Hemley, author of Turning Life into Fiction
“This fine book is about as thorough an examination of
character and what it means in all sorts of imaginative writing as
you're likely to find anywhere. A terrific starting place for
those who wish to sharpen or enhance their skill at making sharp,
believable, meaningful characters, it also has practical uses
that go far beyond the ordinary creative writing text. This is an
exploration of the phenomenon of character -- in as wide a variety
of fiction and drama as there is. It will help any
writer create and sustain human beings who make you forget
you're reading, who are alive, who are worthy of our attention
and sympathy.”—Robert Bausch, author of Out of Season “Writers—pay
attention! The Art of Character is a tremendously useful and
important book. David Corbett delivers in-depth analysis and
practical wisdom on every page.”—Sam Barry, author of Write That
Book Already! The Tough Love You Need to Get Published
Now “Character is the beating heart of fiction and with The
Art of Character novelist David Corbett has written a clear,
in-depth, and highly entertaining exploration of how to create
remarkable characters. This an essential guide to students of
the writer’s craft at all levels.”—Mark Haskell Smith, author
of Baked
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