“Character vs. Caricature: Creating Characters that Leap Off the Page” with Rubén Degollado
November 18 2026 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM CST
$59.00 – $119.00
This Event is for Members only.
Click here to learn more about benefits of membership
$59 for Members
$119 for Non-Members
This class is part of the Novel Writing Class Package.
You can write a tight plot and a fully realized setting, but if characters don’t feel real it can mean the difference between a reader being immersed in your story or subconsciously checking out. Or worse yet (gasp!) putting your story down forever, never to return.
In theater, there is a maxim: “There are no small roles, only small actors.” An actor inhabits the “small roles” by putting all of their skill and passion into their single scenes. For the fiction writer, this is achieved by a secondary characters’ thoughtful, intentional details, unspoken motives, mini-arcs, posture towards their world, and posture towards the main characters themselves. But how much detail do you give them? How do they not outshine the main characters? Through the study of popular films, classic novels, as well as the use of pre-writing exercises, storytellers will walk away with tools to better equip them to write fully realized characters instead of caricatures.
Students will walk away from this course with:
- A character empathy map and full character profile for their main character.
- Multiple characters with defined flaws, wants, motives, and needs.
- An understanding of the difference between primary, secondary, and tertiary characters and how much time to devote to them on the page.
- An understanding of how position and posture work in dialogue to create tension.
TAKE THIS CLASS IF:
- You’re a fiction writer.
- You are an emerging or experienced writer.
- You want to understand how every good story begins and ends with effective characters.
The deadline to register for this class is Wednesday, November 18 at 5:00 PM CT.
Can’t make it to the live class? No problem! All classes are recorded and made available to students until January 31, 2027.
CONTINUING YOUR WRITING JOURNEY
SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION
The WLT is committed to making our online classes accessible to all writers including writers who do not have the financial means to pay for programming. Five (5) seats in this class have been set aside for scholarship recipients to attend free of charge. Please fill out this application no later than 2 days prior to the class to be considered for one of the scholarship seats. We do not ask for any corroborating documents; we only ask that you help us understand your situation. If you are selected for one of the available seats you will be notified via email (from wlt@writersleague.org) no later than 24 hours before the start of the class. Please note, each writer is limited to no more than four (4) total scholarship seats per catalog season.
Instructor
Rubén Degollado, PEN/Faulkner Award nominee and Texas Institute of Letters Inductee, is the author of Throw, winner of the 2020 Texas Institute of Letters Award for Best Young Adult Book and The Family Izquierdo, a New York Times Editors’ Choice. His work has appeared or has been featured in Texas Highways, Lit Hub, The Rumpus, The Common, CRAFT, and Image. Rubén lives and writes along the southern border, in the Río Grande Valley of Texas. Recently he was awarded the inaugural Jesse H. Jones Fellowship to complete his forthcoming third novel, to be published by W.W. Norton.
Before purchasing, please read all policies as noted below and on our Accessibility and Policies page.
If your browser has difficulty with our website store, or if you prefer to mail in a check, click here for a class registration form. The document provides instructions on where to mail it. If you prefer this option, please email wlt@writersleague.org with a copy of the form as well to ensure we add you to the class roster as soon as possible.
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Class & Event Registration Policy
Once a purchase has been made, registrations are not refundable and cannot be transferred to a different class or event. No exceptions will be made. If you purchase a registration and then find you cannot attend the class or event, someone else can attend in your stead. Simply contact us at wlt@writersleague.org and let us know the name and contact information for the person who will be using the registration so that we can update the class or event roster.
Newsletter Opt In
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Anti-Harassment Policy
The Writers’ League of Texas is dedicated to providing harassment-free spaces for everyone, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, race, age, or religion. We do not tolerate harassment in any form. Violating these rules may result in expulsion from WLT programs without a refund at the discretion of the WLT staff.
Harassment includes, but is not limited to:
- Comments that reinforce social structures of domination (related to gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, race, age, or religion);
- Sexual images not appropriate for the specific subject of the public discussion;
- Deliberate intimidation or stalking;
- Harassing photography or recording;
- Sustained disruption of discussions or other events;
- Unwelcome sexual attention;
- Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behavior.
Enforcement
Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately. If a participant engages in harassing behavior, event organizers retain the right to take any actions to keep the event a welcoming environment for all participants. This includes warning the offender or expulsion from the event with no refund. Event organizers may take action to redress anything designed to, or with the clear impact of, disrupting the event or making the environment hostile for any participants. We expect participants to follow these rules during all events and event-related social activities.
Reporting
If someone makes you or anyone else feel unsafe or unwelcome, please report it as soon as possible. Reports can also be made via email at wlt@writersleague.org. We’ll handle any and all reports as respectfully as possible. You won’t be asked to confront anyone, and we won’t tell anyone who you are.
Accessibility Policy
Closed captioning is available for all online classes and special events.
The WLT is committed to making its programs & services accessible to all writers. Please contact us at wlt@writersleague.org or at 512-499-8914 for more information or to discuss accommodations you may need.
Credit Card Transaction Handling Fee Policy
All credit card transactions will incur a 4% handling fee. If you’d prefer to pay by check for membership, a class, or an event, you can use the provided forms on the membership or event pages and mail to: WLT, P.O. Box 14355, Austin, TX, 78704.
Writers’ League of Texas classes and workshops are also funded in part by the Texas Commission on the Arts – Investing in a Creative Texas. For more information, go to www.arts.texas.gov.