The Compass of Character: Creating Complex Motivation for Compelling Characters in Fiction, Film, and TV

by David Corbett

Just as a compass provides direction for an explorer, so does motivation provide direction for characters in fiction. The "compass" of character motivation is composed of four Lack, Yearning, Resistance, and Desire. In The Compass of Character you'll learn to deeply consider the key question "What does my character want?" and learn techniques to answer that question by writing realistic and empathetic characters without falling into formulaic, unsatisfying results that only diminish the character. Bestselling author and acclaimed writing instructor David Corbett provides writers with the essentials for building characters with motivations that range from clear to complex by exploring topics such    • human yearning   • pathological maneuvers   • the pain of life vs. the promise of life   • backstory and behavior   • mechanics of growth and transformation   • dramatizing mistaken desire and misbegotten yearnings   • moral arguments The key to fascinating characters is rendering subtle inner states in straightforward external circumstances, which requires a fundamental understanding of the simple building blocks of complex motivation as they manifest themselves in behavior, where complexity of purpose collides with the messy, indifferent world. The Compass of Character is the one book that can guide writers to that end with both instruction and inspiration.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction

288 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 19, 2019

About the author

David Corbett is the author of seven novels: The Devil’s Redhead (nominated for the Anthony and Barry Awards for Best First Novel) Done for a Dime (a New York Times Notable Book and nominated for the Macavity Award for Best Novel), Blood of Paradise (nominated for numerous awards, including the Edgar), Do They Know I’m Running (Spinetingler Award, Best Novel—Rising Star Category 2011), The Mercy of the Night, The Long-Lost Love Letters of Doc Holliday (nominated for the Lefty Award for Best Historical Mystery), and The Truth Against the World (June, 2023).

David’s short fiction and poetry have appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies, with two stories selected for Best American Mystery Stories.

In 2012, Mysterious Press/Open Road Media re-issued his four novels plus a story collection, Thirteen Confessions, in ebook format.

In January 2013 Penguin published his textbook on the craft of characterization, The Art of Character (“A writer’s bible that will lead to your character’s soul.” —Elizabeth Brundage). he followed this up with The Compass of Character (Writers Digest Books).

He has taught creative writing at the UCLA Extension Writers’ Project, Chuck Pahalniuk’s Litreactor, 826 Valencia, The Grotto in San Francisco, Book Passage, and at writing conference across the country. He is also a monthly contributor to Writer Unboxed, an award-winning blog dedicated to the craft and business of fiction.

Before becoming a novelist, David spent fifteen years as an investigator for the San Francisco private detective agency Palladino & Sutherland, working on such high-profile civil and criminal litigations as The DeLorean Case, the Peoples Temple Trial, the Lincoln Savings & Loan Scandal, the Cotton Club Murder Case, the Michael Jackson child molestation investigation and a RICO action brought by the Teamsters against members of organized crime.

Reviews

[Luna Saint Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Get out your highlighter and post its!
This is a master class in philosophy and psychology. The Compass of Character is a provocative and insightful exploration into the essence of character and will move the reader to question their own reason for being. An essential read for all writers. Keep it on hand. It is an indispensable book you will reference repeatedly—a valuable investment in your writing future.
–Luna Saint Claire, author of The Sleeping Serpent

[Thomas Burchfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

"David Corbett, the author of excellent contemporary thrillers such as Do They Know I’m Running? and The Long-Lost Love Letters of Doc Holliday, is also a fiction writing teacher of high reputation. His first non-fiction book, The Art of Character (Penguin) was a richly argued guide to writing compelling memorable fiction by way of equally compelling memorable characters."

In other words, a terrific book for all fiction writers. You can read the rest of my review at:

https://medium.com/@Thomburchfield/the-reading-chair-the-compass-of-character-by-david-corbett-a14cc96f8576?source=friends_link&sk=d06a5bc44b2112ac936be0b41c0dcc13

Thank you!

[Joni Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I had read this book years ago. Corbett's deep dive into crafting compelling, fascinating, and believable characters is a must read for fiction writers who want to lift their craft to the highest level of the art. He pinpoints precisely how to develop characters that matter to readers.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're not sure where to start or need help developing solid protagonists, antagonists, romantic interests and strong secondary characters, this book will help guide you.
It features a lot of individualizing mental writing challenges based off the characters and uses the human psyche of how to develop them further.

The book is broken down into how one creates a good character based off complex motivation.

The first part is Longing (Lack, Yearning, Resistance, Desire) which caters to every type, broken down over the series of topics as to who/why the characters are the way they are.
For me, the most helpful was the section on Yearnings unfulfilled. This focuses on characters' weaknesses, wounds, limitations, opposition/obligations, flaws, and interplay of each.

The next section focuses on the use of the characters' backstory, how to develop it and how to structure your story in terms of a characters' arc.

The second half of the book focuses on a characters' follies, the antagonist and the anti-hero.

This book was very helpful in terms of breaking down a character from the very beginning and allowing you to come up with dozens, if not hundreds, of different ways a character could be written and how to include that in your story.

[Deborah Ledford · Rating 5 out of 5]

From novels to film and TV scripts, this comprehensive, smart and relevant instruction from David Corbett will blow you away. Truly, his "Four Directional Forces" is a master plan to creating characters your readers (and viewers) will connect with and remember. The highest recommendation from me, for sure.

[Sonee Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent guide on how to create rich and full characters

[Dawn Byrne · Rating 5 out of 5]

An indebt study of rich character creation. David Corbett explains psychology behind personality types that can give birth to characters with flesh, guts and spirit.
A valuable take-away from Corbett's writer's resource: Rethinking conflict as desire, held at bay, to cause tension in advancing my story. I appreciated recaps at the end of each chapter that solidify concepts.
The Compass of Character comprehensively directs delivery of resonating, imaginary people.

[Joshua A.H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

An essential read if you want your characters to jump off the page and dance their way into your readers' hearts.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I’ve read on character development ever.

[Brigitte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without a doubt, THE BEST book on developing characters for fiction. So useful.

[Andrew Schrader · Rating 5 out of 5]

An under appreciated gem.

[Gera Sandoval · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good screenplay lessons are when you read it 2 pages at a time because you end up analyzing your whole SELF and LIFE.

[Tish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exceptionally dense - reads a little deeper than a Psy101 course. Exceptionally, helpful in avoiding character actualization pitfalls. Missing 1 star because every chapter had a long summary section repeating everything in the chapter, which made the presentation of the material rather tedius.