I originally received an ARC for this book via NetGalley, however, I didn’t get to it before it was archived. I finally got around to reading it and I really really enjoyed it. I am a novice writer myself and I found this book eye opening and so helpful. This author and the information he shares with the world is such a gift.

Engaging and accessible. A recommended purchase for collections where writing craft titles are popular.

The Secrets of Character by Matt Bird is a writing reference book with personal anecdotes and explanations of characters from books, tv, and films. While that's a helpful way to explain how to create characters, after so many examples of storylines, my interest waned. The author does have a great storytelling voice, but I was expecting something else from this craft book.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

My very first Matt Bird and I loved it. Definitely a must have and a more must read for anyone who intends to write a character. How much I’ve learned from him. He gives you the ingredients and shows you recipes to make your own Hero anyone will love.

I love watching movies and reading novels and I always wonder how writers develop characters that are memorable. Matt Bird provided a lot of helpful information about what makes a character believable and unforgettable. I enjoyed his analysis of characters from many movies and novels -- some of which I already watched or read -- using his assessment techniques. As a movie viewer and novel reader, I will take more notes of how a character acts, thinks, and talks. Bird makes me interested in learning about characters, especially in the first part of the story. I am not so fond of the introduction of the characters, with all the descriptions and back story. I know characterization is as important as the plot. The Secrets of Characters definitely change the way I watch movies and read books. This is a great resource for writers, too!

Thank you Matt Bird, Writer's Digest Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC and to share my honest review.

I've read a lot of books on the craft of writing, and this is one of the best I've read on the topic of characterization. I plan to use this book as a guide when I am creating characters or when I have a character in a story that just isn't fleshed out enough. So many specific examples of what makes characters tick (and what makes readers believe in them and want to invest in them!). Highly recommend for authors.

For someone who loves annalizing movies and books, this book was amazing! It clearly breaks down what makes believable and lovable characters, and the little intricate details matter when creating authentic characters.
I also loved how this book flowed. One point led into the next, and before you know it, you've been reading for an hour and hadn't even noticed!
Really recommend it for anyone who loves to understand characters or for writers wanting to make their readers Believe, Invest and Care!

Thanks to NetGalley for proving this book to me!

Book review : The Secrets of a Character by Matt Bird is an exclusive book referring to character and how compelling and relatable he should be.

It's all about character, because ten pages is not enough for more than the beginnings of a story, but it's enough for a reader to decide whether they want to spend an entire book with this protagonist. The three main categories considered are Believe, Care and Invest, with plenty of specific suggestions for each particular. I appreciate the emphasis on choosing only some of the suggestions, because of course there's no such thing as a single formula for the perfect character.

Making a good first impression is no easy task. Making a great first impression is even worse. And achieving it for your characters and literary creations is a daunting task.

However, here we have an excellent and rigorous manual to be able to draw the public's attention, build very well-structured characters, and increase our desire to write, write and continue writing.

The reading is very enjoyable and easy to follow. It offers diverse points of view, convenient recommendations, and a very clear vision of what a publisher or a reader could be looking for in your book, as well as very interesting ways to achieve it and exceed those expectations.

I loved reading this book and would recommend this book for all authors, genre-agnostic, and enjoyable by anyone who wants to polish their writing. I am thankful to netgalley and the publisher for providing me this book in return of an honest review.
Happy Reading!

Great book for writers who want a greater understanding of writing characters, and making them come to life. Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book!

Wonderful and brilliant, like everything Matt Bird writes. This book is a masterclass in character creation with simple tips that should help any author or screenwriter.

Like his previous book, Secrets of Story, while all the advice is simple and straightforward, it's not something you see all the time, and probably not something most authors apply. The feeling I get from reading his work is always that my own writing is crap. Maybe it's a fair assessment, and at least I know why.

I knew this book was coming but didn't know it was going to be about the first pages. I recently wrote a book about beginnings, called Hook Them or Lose Them (under D. Leitao), and thankfully, it's very different. Phew. That said, I mention emotional connection as one of the pillars for hooking readers. Secrets of Character is a masterclass that deep dives on how to create emotional connection, and for that reason it's a great read.

Finally, if anyone is not used to this author's work, I recommend reading a bit of his blog Secrets of Story or checking his book. Some of his ideas go against the grain, and his advice might seem odd for someone coming across it for the first time. I find that many authors approach craft books looking into expanding the toolbox they already have, or trying to see how this advice fits in it. I'd advise authors to keep an open mind, especially when his advice sounds strange or contradicts common wisdom. This is actually great, it means you could be learning something.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC.
This was a fun how to book on creating wonderful and fun characters! Thank you!

The Secrets of Character by Matt Bird doesn't quite offer up secrets but reading through this how-to guide will provide writers and screenwriters with useful tips to creating compelling characters. His Believe/Care/Invest model for writing comes to life when paired with a bevy of relevant examples. If you're looking to strengthen your characters this is definitely a worthwhile read.

A lot of time when I read books on writing I like to think of them in terms of college courses — is this a 100 level book for beginning writers or a 400 level book on editing theme into your eighth draft of a novel? I would say this particular book falls in the 200 level. Where the book really shines is the work Matt Bird has done to pull out some of the best examples in modern film and literature of how to define character. It’s not a book you want to read all at once but is great to pick up and read a couple pages every day before you start writing or editing.

Many say that you should not judge a book by its cover, or someone by their first impression. However, for one reason or another, that is the way we work. Both for people, and the literary and audiovisual industry itself.

Making a good first impression is no easy task. Making a great first impression is even worse. And achieving it for your characters and literary creations is a daunting task.

However, here we have an excellent and rigorous manual to be able to draw the public's attention, build very well-structured characters, and increase our desire to write, write and continue writing.

The reading is very enjoyable and easy to follow. It offers diverse points of view, convenient recommendations, and a very clear vision of what a publisher or a reader could be looking for in your book, as well as very interesting ways to achieve it and exceed those expectations.

A great recommendation for all authors, genre-agnostic, and enjoyable by anyone who wants to polish their writing.

The One That Will Make You Slap your Forehead and Cry: 'It's so simple!'

This is not Matt Bird's first foray into fiction writing. However, he makes it very clear in his introduction that he has only grown since his 2016 publication 'The Secrets of Story'.

This time, he asks you to suspend any preconceived notions you may have from his first work (or other similar works about Cats, perse...) on fiction writing, and allow him to paint a broader picture. This time, he is offering readers a toolkit, rather than a checklist. A way to make your first 10 pages of story POP in a sea of publishing applications.

So how do I do that? You may find yourself wondering. Or: why would I want to?

The reason is simple: publishers typically only ask for a 10-page sample of your work before deciding if they're interested. It may seem cruel, daunting even, but in light of their job it makes perfect sense. A publisher needs to make quick decisions on what they want to keep and pass on. 10 pages (or one chapter), often times, that's all you get.

The way to accomplish this is quite simply through character. Intuitive, right?
In the first 10 pages publishers want to meet your character and figure out why they should care.

Well if that scares you, don't worry - Matt Bird is here to help!

As an aspiring author, I love having professional insight when I write. Things that can help me keep a leg-up while drafting (and editing) my manuscripts. I can happily say that Matt has given me the courage to start on the right foot!

For anyone struggling to get accepted, looking to get started, or simply overwhelmed by the fiction publishing process; this book is for you. "The Secrets of Character' presents a no-nonsense theory backed by staggering amounts of evidence and led by a kindly narrator who plainly wants to see you succeed.

After reading this, all you will have left to do is write.
Makes it sound easy, doesn't it?

[Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.]

I enjoy writing, and by chance on NetGallery I found this book. Writing good characters isn't always an easy thing to do. That's where Matt Bird's The Secrets of Character comes in. This book is full of tips, knowledge, and advice for writers and for anyone looking to write good characters. I enjoyed reading this book, and recommend it to readers.

My thanks to Penguin Random House, Writer's Digest Books, and NetGallery for a digital copy of this book for my review!

A solid resource for writers, one that I’ll use for students who love world building and plot planning, but struggle with character development. The exercises are pretty direct and uncomplicated, which makes them approachable. The examples throughout the book are varied and work with a range of tastes, from indie films to super hero flicks and all sorts of novels. I do wish there was less emphasis on “the hero” as not all cultures or storytelling revolve around that concepts.

In ‘The Secrets of Character’, there are detailed recommendations to develop realistic and believable characters, with plenty of examples and references. I am not a writer, and I was not really looking for an exhaustive guidance. Nevertheless, I have always been intrigued by the process and in this book, I have found valuable information as a reader to analyze the gathering of those required elements and better appreciate the creativity of their authors.

Thank you to Matt Bird, NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn’t expecting much from The Secrets of Character by Matt Bird, but it was packed full of advice and useful tips and strategies for creating dynamic and lovable characters. I loved the tone throughout as it was casual and approachable while being very informative and helpful. The multitude of examples from different genres, styles and mediums illustrated all of the points Bird was making and provided clarity; the way that Bird always ensured the reader knew that these were guidelines and suggestions instead of rules was also reassuring and good to hear. The structure of how the book was laid out was very clever and helped everything make sense; the two parts interconnected and worked together really well to ensure the advice made sense and was illustrated in many different scenarios. I will definitely be using this book as a reference in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Random House, and Writer's Digest Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ - 4/5 "The Secrets of Character"

One of my 2022 goals was to read for non-fiction books, and to finally start writing my novel. Matt Bird's book, "The Secrets of Character: Writing a Hero Anyone Will Love" has helped me to achieve both of these goals.

Bird, a popular online blogger, screenwriter and writing coach. In his second book he guides you through the process and tools needed to craft a believable hero character that your audience can relate to and connect with. Chalk full of helpful examples from relevant movies, boos, and film, Bird outlines and explains the three facets of creating a hero anyone would love; believe, care and invest.

By answering the thee simple questions of:
•Why so we believe?
•Why do we care?
•Why do we invest?
Bird shows us how to write a heroine our audience will fall in love with - and all within the first ten pages (the most important pages of your novel as they give the reader a feel for the novel's themes overall).

Thanks again to Netgalley and Matt Bird for providing me an ARC of "The Secrets of Character: Writing a Hero Anyone Will Love".

If you are interested in getting your own copy of Matt Bird's newest book head over to Penguin Random House to buy your own copy today.

Released April 18th 2022