From serial killers to business tycoons to politicians, The Writers Guide to Character Traits profiles the mental, emotional and physical qualities of dozens of different personality types. Featuring a highly accessible format, writers can mix and match the traits of specific personality types to create original, complex characters. Unique personality styles and types are profiled including psychopaths, cult members, overachievers, addicts, amnesia victims, social climbers, career criminals and philanthropists. In addition, this guide includes sections on child personality types;
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Stereotypes exist for a reason. Usually, because there's an element of truth to them. With The Writer's Guide to Character Traits, psychologist and professor Linda Edelstein has created a basic guide for Writers. Her goal? "To create a friendly reference" for writers who want "to create believable characters and need accurate information about personality and behaviour." Sure, disparage it if you like. But wouldn't you like to know which of your protagonist's offspring is most predisposed to warming up to their new stepfather? What kind of criminal is likely to have a religious mother? The traits of people who commit suicide? Edelstein has included over 400 lists: of traits associated with child development, psychological disorders, criminal styles, sexual styles, love and marriage, life-changing events, physical problems, career, and the like. "Even when a writer's imagination soars to places more fascinating than reality," says Edelstein, "characters must possess an internal cohesiveness: they must make sense." And let's face it: "People," she adds, "are more consistent than not." (The book includes real-life character anecdotes from Edelstein's own work and a huge character-trait cross-referencing index at the end.) --Jane Steinberg
About the Author
As a practicing psychologist, Dr. Linda Edelstein specialises in the development of professional identity, creative adaption and grief. She is also an associate professor at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology and frequently presents at national conferences and workshops.
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Writers ask me all kinds of questions: "What makes a man have an affair? Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
Writers ask me all kinds of questions: "What makes a man have an affair? Read the first page
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
27 of 29 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
However, I don't feel it's as easy to reference as it could be and some of the listings seem a little terse. If you took this too seriously you'd be tempted to look up everyone you know, or worry yourself sick over the clothes you happen to wear. As a writer I feel you have to temper these traits with other aspects of life. If I choose to wear loose clothing it may be because I need ease of movement for some reason and not because I wish to appear invisible, so I think it's best to approach this from the other direction and think of the character you wish to portray - look up aspects pertaining to that type of person and decide what you wish to use to give your character more life, make him or her more plausible. I haven't seen a book like it elsewhere in the market though and like I say I'm sure if you feel the need for it, it will have its uses.
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
By Bibliomaniac
Format:Hardcover
This is a big book crammed with a wide range of information about human nature and character traits. It's all based on recent psychological and psychiatric research, so is as trustworthy as any writing on human nature can ever be.
The fact that it's research-based is also its biggest problem. It contains heaps of information on the sort of things psychologists research, and nothing on what they don't. This makes the material biased towards extreme and unusual behaviour rather than what normal people do. (Of course, you probably know enough normal people to do your own research into what they do.)
As an editor, I also have a quibble with the standard of editing. The various sections are thrown together with no overall style, and even the layout and type style fall down in places. This is annoying to read, but doesn't damage the information itself.
All in all, I'm glad I have this book on my shelf. If I need a handy guide to (for instance) childhood development, the effects of divorce, stages of mourning, or types of personality disturbance, this is the first place I'd look. By all means follow it up by talking to real live people if you can, but this is a good place to start.
The fact that it's research-based is also its biggest problem. It contains heaps of information on the sort of things psychologists research, and nothing on what they don't. This makes the material biased towards extreme and unusual behaviour rather than what normal people do. (Of course, you probably know enough normal people to do your own research into what they do.)
As an editor, I also have a quibble with the standard of editing. The various sections are thrown together with no overall style, and even the layout and type style fall down in places. This is annoying to read, but doesn't damage the information itself.
All in all, I'm glad I have this book on my shelf. If I need a handy guide to (for instance) childhood development, the effects of divorce, stages of mourning, or types of personality disturbance, this is the first place I'd look. By all means follow it up by talking to real live people if you can, but this is a good place to start.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By Morris Minor
Format:Paperback
E.g.:
The stutterer:
Speech not fluent
Begins early
Generally ends by 16
Worse with anxiety.
A book full of time-worn clichés. Which is actually its strength. You read it and you say, "Ok, if it's like that, my character starts stuttering at the age of 18. And it's only bad when she's really happy, otherwise when she's stressed, she's a poet. Na na na na na, nerrr. Ok! Let's go: who, what, where, when, why?" If characters are cocktails then this is a sort of recipe book. Only the best cocktails never follow the recipe but the barman's tush. (Some would say: if you need a recipe book you don't know how to cook. But then again it's reassuring to know which direction to head when looking for the market. Etc.)
I've enjoyed bouncing off this book. The intro is over-earnest self-important puff, chapter one is a disclaimer ("Good characters break out of stereotypes"), and the rest is essentially one big list of clichés, prejudices, and déjà-vues, all packed up in one book, to play with and have fun. The alcoholic Islamist alchemist. The narcissist, post-divorce, tennis-playing, insomniac child. Bring 'em on.
The stutterer:
Speech not fluent
Begins early
Generally ends by 16
Worse with anxiety.
A book full of time-worn clichés. Which is actually its strength. You read it and you say, "Ok, if it's like that, my character starts stuttering at the age of 18. And it's only bad when she's really happy, otherwise when she's stressed, she's a poet. Na na na na na, nerrr. Ok! Let's go: who, what, where, when, why?" If characters are cocktails then this is a sort of recipe book. Only the best cocktails never follow the recipe but the barman's tush. (Some would say: if you need a recipe book you don't know how to cook. But then again it's reassuring to know which direction to head when looking for the market. Etc.)
I've enjoyed bouncing off this book. The intro is over-earnest self-important puff, chapter one is a disclaimer ("Good characters break out of stereotypes"), and the rest is essentially one big list of clichés, prejudices, and déjà-vues, all packed up in one book, to play with and have fun. The alcoholic Islamist alchemist. The narcissist, post-divorce, tennis-playing, insomniac child. Bring 'em on.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By johnb
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
If you want a book on psychology look elsewhere. If you are a writer looking for a tool to help with character development this is ideal.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By L. Pearce
Format:Paperback
This excellent writer's resource could also be used by non-writers looking for an overview of personality traits.
It lists personality types and contains lists of behaviours exhibited by, for example:
Children of certain ages
Types of criminals
Alcoholics
Victims of domestic abuse
It is these lists I have used most often in my writing.
If you were looking for crucial information for a main character, (for example your detective in a series of books has asperger's syndrome) you would want to do more extensive research, but it's ideal for minor characters and as a starting point for ideas - why is this character so withdrawn? Why can't this one control his spending?
Highly recommended!
It lists personality types and contains lists of behaviours exhibited by, for example:
Children of certain ages
Types of criminals
Alcoholics
Victims of domestic abuse
It is these lists I have used most often in my writing.
If you were looking for crucial information for a main character, (for example your detective in a series of books has asperger's syndrome) you would want to do more extensive research, but it's ideal for minor characters and as a starting point for ideas - why is this character so withdrawn? Why can't this one control his spending?
Highly recommended!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By M. Parker
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
An excellent insight into character traits which is enabling me to enhance my character profiles, thereby giving them more depth, interest and, ultimately, reality. I enjoyed the earlier edition of this book, but this later edition has so much more information and is extremely well set out. No serious writer should be without a copy of The Writer's Guide to Character Traits. May P
8 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By M. Joannou
Format:Paperback
This book is so awful I felt compelled to write a review. There is nothing of worth in here unless you are completely lacking in imagination and insight into even the slightest variance of human nature.
I would recommend researching the 16 personality types as defined by the Myers-Briggs test - Google this and you will find a lot of useful info on personality types, which will help you write convincing characters with believable motives far better than this book ever could.
This isn't even a good 'writers' book for inspiring or informing writers! The examples of each personality type (written as typical life histories) are patronising and pointless. I've read quite a few writers books (the Elements of Writing Fiction and Writer's Digest guides are really good) but this has to be the worst I've ever read.
Save your money.
I would recommend researching the 16 personality types as defined by the Myers-Briggs test - Google this and you will find a lot of useful info on personality types, which will help you write convincing characters with believable motives far better than this book ever could.
This isn't even a good 'writers' book for inspiring or informing writers! The examples of each personality type (written as typical life histories) are patronising and pointless. I've read quite a few writers books (the Elements of Writing Fiction and Writer's Digest guides are really good) but this has to be the worst I've ever read.
Save your money.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars
Could be better
The book I recommend to my creative writing class is Catherine Coulter's Homeopathic Portraits. Odd? Certainly. Read more
Published on 30 Dec 2008 by amantedofado
3.0 out of 5 stars
conceptually flawed?
The idea that people in certain roles have common charateristics is beyond doubt, the whole of business recruitment is based on that fact. Read more
Published on 6 Nov 2003 by sam
4.0 out of 5 stars
Extremely helpful & interesting
I dont know why I am the first to review this book? Surely it cant be because it is not any use & no one is buying this book!! Read more
Published on 28 Nov 2000 by gnicol5498@aol.com
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