Down and Dirty Character Development
with Amanda Arista
Why spend months developing a character only to find that is the wrong character for the story you want to tell? Using a boiled-down amalgamation of three top screenwriting teachers, Amanda Arista will show you how to create a character that will leap off the page with their own backstory, voice, and deep connection to the story.
Amanda Arista was born in Illinois, raised in Corpus Christi, lives in Dallas but her heart lies in London. Good thing she loves to travel. During the summer after second grade, she read every book in the young adult section of the library, much to the surprise of the local librarian. So she started making up her own stories and hasn’t stopped. She has a husband who fights crime, one dog who thinks he's a real boy, and another who might be a fruit bat in disguise. When not writing, Amanda often dreams of co-opening an evil bakery and selling despicable desserts. Her particularly favorites are larvaceous lemon bars and sinful cinnamon streusel. She spends her weekends writing at coffee shops, practicing for the day that caffeine intake becomes an Olympic sport, and plotting character demises with fellow writers Wolvarez, Killer Cupcake and Keith (names have been changed to protect the not-so-innocent).
The Writers Guild of Texas presents Guest Speaker / Program meetings on the 3rd Monday of each month in the Basement Program room of the Richardson Public Library. Visitors are welcome to attend.