45 Master Characters, Revised Edition: Mythic Models for Creating Original Characters

Create unforgettable characters your readers will love!

Want to make your characters and their stories more compelling, complex, and original than ever before? 45 Master Characters is here to help you explore the most common male and female archetypes--the mythic, cross-cultural models from which all characters originate.

   • Explore a wide variety of character profiles including heroes, villains, and supporting characters.
   • Learn how to use archetypes as foundations for your own unique characters
   • Examine the mythic journeys of heroes and heroines--the progression of events upon which each archetype's character arc develops--and learn how to use them to enhance your story.


Complete with examples culled from literature, television, and film, 45 Master Characters illustrates just how memorable and effective these archetypes can be--from "Gladiators" and "Kings" like Rocky Balboa and Captain Ahab to "Amazons" and "Maidens" like Wonder Woman and Guinevere. Great heroes and villains are necessary to bring any story to life; let this guide help you create characters that stand the test of time.

Victoria Lynn Schmidt is an author, instructor, and authority on creativity. Her books for Writer's Digest include 45 Master Characters, Story Structure Architect, and the best-selling Book in a Month. These three titles show readers how to hone their craft and reach their dream of writing a book or screenplay.

Victoria began her career as a screenwriter for film and television. She is a graduate from the prestigious film program at UCLA, holds a master's degree in screenwriting from Loyola Marymount University and a doctorate in psychology. She also attended film school at NYU and studied independent filmmaking in NYC with some of the top artists in the field. She was awarded the Rocco Viglietta scholarship for creativity, a full Regents Scholarship to UCLA and she is a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society. She also teaches for several Universities including Tiffin University where she uses 45 Master Characters to explore cultural archetypes.