As a result of watching a lot of USAnetwork television, I have constantly heard their motto play, “Characters Welcomed.” Initially I felt like it was nothing more than a fitting description and motto that they’re committed to; each of the shows on the network is driven by compelling characters. But soon I began to realize the secret formula to writing great stories all along: the characters.
Interesting stories revolve around interesting characters. Once you have the players, you can conjure up an endless possibility of stories. So though I only have a month left of my summer, I am going to strive to live by this creative motto. Whether or not I can actually create something that has any substantial worth is still debatable, but at least now I can begin to find a compelling character, instead of going in circles all the time.
Samantha Yu 