Write Better Characters! ( GREENE SCREEN )

Some tips from a goblin about how to write some more depth to your characters.
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[@DanielGreeneReviews]

I see people are upset about the fart joke and stabbing the child. The irony is that proves the exact point I was making. #NoRegrets

[@m.a.d.g.o.d]

Thank you so much Daniel this might will help me in the Fantasy story I'm writing

[@bookimecorner8715]

@@m.a.d.g.o.d i will pray you get success, and your story become a bestseller

[@m.a.d.g.o.d]

@@bookimecorner8715 Thank you soo much 🙏🙏🙏

[@bookimecorner8715]

@@m.a.d.g.o.d your most welcome

[@ShadowProject01]

@@m.a.d.g.o.d same good luck to you. I’m working on a graphic novel myself and a lot of the points Daniel made I seem to already be using. Best of luck to your success🤞🏿

[@timomahony1727]

Or what could happen is everyone could write worse characters for like a generation or two and then I can swoop in with my mediocre characters and revolutionize the genre.

[@MRuby-qb9bd]

Somebody's thinking streets ahead here.

[@charlie.tt4]

Galaxy brain

[@line4169]

♾️IQ

[@mireilleoppenheimer6662]

Big brain

[@magikoopa4779]

Mega big brain

[@muhammadhashir6136]

Daniel: People will judge you with what u do Proceeds to shit fire Daniel: see, i just did that Daniel is officially the most rich and diverse character of all time

[@KarlKristofferJohnsson]

That point about character consistency and hypocrisy reminded me of something my creative writing teacher taught me: "You need to know the rules. Then you can break them as much as you want."

[@mariotrujillo8860]

"Kids who have never seen peace and kids who have never seen war have different values!" part a quote from one piece

[@astraestus8828]

Greene screene Daniel Greene is the best Daniel

[@felviofernandez1225]

I don't wanna compare, but he is the equivalent of Book NakeyJakey. And I love that

[@potionseller2083]

Nah Desk Greene da best Greene

[@kinslayermds]

He's got that public access absurdity that is in short supply these days.

[@CCON20]

I meane I totally agree, I’m also quite keene on the Daniel Greene greene screene-it always makes me feel so serene in the mornings after my coffee and caffeine.

[@legenddairymilk2280]

Daniel Greene Screene is best Daniel besides drunk daniel

[@narfeyfjola]

And then you have Drunk Daniel Greene Screene which is just out of this world amazing

[@atharvadeshpande4749]

to be honest no Daniel is better than greene daniel.

[@leonmayne797]

What about Greene Daniel? Or Greene Screen Daniel?

[@OtherTheDave]

We got drunk Daniel? Why wasn’t I informed?

[@xogdo5260]

@@OtherTheDave He's drunk when he does cover reviews

[@UdyKumra]

Another thing I've noticed in great characters is the presence of contradictions. Not necessarily direct hypocrites-though these are certainly one form-but where there is some misalignment in a character which creates internal conflict. This instantly makes characters more compelling in my opinion. Szeth from The Stormlight Archive is a great example of this-an assassin who hates himself for his job. Or Lightsong from Warbreaker, a god who doesn't believe in his own divinity. Nona from Book of the Ancestor, a kind-hearted lovable and adorable nun who is a ruthless killing machine. Tyrion Lannister, the abused and traumatized son of the most ruthless lord in A Song of Ice and Fire, who nonetheless is cheerful, kind, witty, and smarter than everyone around him. Tau from The Rage of Dragons, a kind-hearted member of a genetically inferior race of humans with a soft upbringing who becomes the most powerful warrior in the world in his quest for vengeance.

[@gauracappelletti3893]

Therapist: wide daniel can't hurt you, He's not real Wide daniel: 1:37

[@robertminnie782]

I like to think of that as more of a 'Greene hobbit.'

[@bluerectangle5794]

Notes from the video: - THE 3 FUNDAMENTALS OF CHARACTER- 1. Internal Dialogue 2. Actions 3. Relationships(Look at Dresden Files for great execution for this) OVERLOOKED ASPECTS OF CHARACTER- PLACE IN SOCIETY AND UPBRINGING Every aspect of a character is dictated by their place in the social hierarchy and their childhood. (A good example of this is A Song Of Ice And Fire which uses this to build character efficiently.) CHARACTER THEMES/PURPOSE A character can be enhanced if their moral philosophy is well-defined. Such characters stand out. The character can be used to embody certain themes and allow you as the author to play with these ideas.(A good character example would be Galad from the Wheel Of Time.) HANDLING CONFLICT Use conflict to both define your character and allow character to treat conflicts in a way that is true to their personality and upbringing. When a conflict arises, focus on how different everyone deals with conflict. Not everyone tackles a conflict in the same way. One may use speech and logic while the other may use strength and aggression. Some face the challenge head-on while others may run away.(A good example is Kings Of The Wyld) HYPOCRITICAL CHARACTERS Writing hypocrisy can be incredibly hard. But doing so would cause a large amount of discussion from the readers. Allow these characters to embody an idea as mentioned earlier but they never do so. (A good example is the First Law series and the Poppy War.)

[@bluerectangle5794]

Any other things I need to add? Just let me know.

[@MRuby-qb9bd]

It is often true that what we hate most in others is what we hate about ourselves, the only difference being in whether or how we are able to suppress or justify our own actions. Suppression can lead to judgment or a tendency to try to control that behavior in others as an extension of self-control. Or you can explore the various justifications (cognitive dissonance) that people use to convince themselves it's ok when they act against their own moral code. The key, I think, is to figure out what that character is or would ashamed of. Where you find shame, you can build hypocrisy in a way that most people will recognize as a human flaw, rather than just inconsistent behavior in service of the plot.

[@bluerectangle5794]

@@MRuby-qb9bd What's an excellent way of looking at it. I agree with you, what we hate about ourselves is what we tend to criticize others for. I think that's not just writing advice but also life advice. You just blew my mind.

[@orionaugustwatson]

Thou art doing gods worketh

[@bluerectangle5794]

@@orionaugustwatson I actually take notes on some videos, I realized that other people might find this stuff helpful so I started posting the notes under the comments. Thanks anyway.

[@danielr5154]

Ah... the Greene Screen. You know you're in for a treat when Daniel has transplanted Rosharan physics into the real world and is currently chilling on the side of a building.

[@khfanboy666]

When you mentioned how different characters respond to conflicts differently, it reminded me of our introduction to the Ta'veren trio in Wheel Of Time. It's not really a "conflict" as such, but I distinctly remember when Padan Fain arrives with news from outside Two Rivers, a massive crowd forms, blocking the trio from seeing what's going on. Each of them then make their way through the crowd in a different way. Mat barges past people, I think, and I definitely remember Perrin gingerly sliding his way through the crowd despite his size, timidly apoligizing to everyone as he went. It's probably a bit obvious, but that moment always stuck with me because it instantly lets you know, roughly, what each of these characters are like, at least when the story starts, based entirely on how they tackle the problem of navigating a crowd.

[@sparkinstarfall_FD]

For some reason, I read 'GREENE SCREEN' as 'GREENE DANIEL', weird. Speaking off, where he at? I need to tell him about the Chronicles of Amber.

[@ribhuhooja3137]

I hope he reads it, cuz the Chronicles of Amber are AWESOME

[@sparkinstarfall_FD]

@@ribhuhooja3137 Yeah I have been telling him to read it for a while now

[@joana8615]

@@sparkinstarfall_FD do you think there’s any chance he’ll ever read The Mirror Visitor?🥺

[@sparkinstarfall_FD]

@@joana8615 Sorry to say I don't know what that is 😅

[@joana8615]

@@sparkinstarfall_FD oooh you should really read it!!! I mean it's originally in french but the translation looks good. I really really hope Daniel reviews it some day because it is one of the most creative series i've ever read :))

[@muhammadhashir6136]

Damascus steel knife mic holder daniel is your official name now. I feel blessed at attending your christening... Sorry for making it weird

[@therenegadebard3971]

It's also important to slowly reveal a character's individuality and do so using multiple scenarios. Using your Tyrion example. You slowly learn the true depth his dedication to family despite his treatment. You learn how far that goes, and where the breaking point is. But you don't learn this all at once. Addendum: Don't expect to flesh out a character in the first draft. It's a detailed process that takes time to see where a character should go.

[@ryanratchford2530]

I've missed your takes on writing! Good to see what you have to say! You're extremely articulate and thoughtful.

[@benellis3584]

You’re writing advice is like SUPER helpful. Thanks a bunch!

[@sarahkendall5714]

Daniel: Hey man what's your purpose Me: I DON'T KNOW!!!!

[@reidblanchard6453]

Why do I love Greene screen videos so much

[@ryanratchford2530]

i love Daniel's Greene Screen style!!!

[@dakrakenz5314]

Is this the return of Greene Daniel?

[@starmillion88]

Thank you man, I've been wanting to write for years and your videos gave me the kick I needed. Love the videos, love the lack of socks!

[@UdyKumra]

Daniel if you ever re-open your PO box I'm gonna send you a lot of fantasy-themed socks.

[@Morfeusm]

...And my axe!

[@nickolasdiamond5619]

@@Morfeusm and also the head it took off

[@MagusMarquillin]

Hi my name ist Hedwig - I have read socks.

[@emmerzk93]

This is super helpful advice! I’m in the middle of the first draft of my first book & while it occurred to me that character B reads social queues from character A, it didn’t occur to me that the same would happen in the reverse. Sounds kinda obvious, but like you even said, if they come from different social backgrounds (peasant vs royalty), they’re both going to have their own cultures and expectations and ways of viewing things based on experience. It’s not a one-sided thing. This is how normal life even works as we make judgement calls on those we are surrounded by, just by what we see and hear. This will definitely help me flesh my MCs out for draft 2, so thank you!!

[@safinan8008]

Thank u always for all ur videos!! Keep safe!!! 😊📖

[@courtenay8655]

The forest bit.... who knew you could do Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon moves... and no wires!

[@norsekingcole]

Think about the lie your character believes. Think about the differences between what they want and what they need. Think about the change they will have to undergo relative to the protagonist. That is your story.

[@isabelamenezes5212]

he really out here showing his feet for free

[@isabelamenezes5212]

@V release the onlyfans account daniel

[@thebookfreak7149]

I love your first list of character musts XD

[@RKGold]

Wait I need to take notes these are really good tips

[@shamsham1229]

I guess you could call Green Screen Daniel.... Greene Daniel

[@thatloganr4819]

How to With Daniel Greene, and his Green Screen.

[@fidlr2904]

Great video. But it just left me even more baffled why you are so critical of Malazan's characters. I wanted to scream Karsa Orlong and Witness!!! all through this video

[@ritviktaneja9596]

Yeah hard disagree with his interpretation of Malazan characters, I think they’re masterfully crafted. That’s what opinions are for though. I find it very heavy handed when we’re just told what a character thinks and feels and don’t have any of the subtlety. Show don’t tell.

[@wingcastlereads5657]

'Greene screen' 😂😂😂

[@muhammadhashir6136]

I saw a livestream of some book con the other day and they said that "PLOT and world is most important in fantasy." Bruh I'd be fine if a book has no plot...but bad character, that's gonna ruin it

[@GeeOff]

Whatever you do, DO NOT! Absolutely NOT! Do NOT! overuse internal monologues. That's how you wind up with a character like Alex from YIIK.

[@MrNetsrac]

Green-Screen Daniel Greene is truly the best Daniel.

[@danielsodre9229]

We need more Greene screene Daniel

[@ChristopherCopeland]

Beautiful analogy with the focal length camera tests 👏🏻👏🏻

[@robertmacgregor7174]

I was nervous the entire time you were waving that knife around! :p

[@davidmernick7360]

I'm a simple man. I see Daniel in gray sweatpants, I watch and hit the thumbs up!

[@kaitlin1836]

Not an important comment at all, but whatever you have as the backdrop at 4:57 is EXACTLY how I pictured the building they found the Bowl of the Winds in.

[@kriplaniankit774]

6:36 most relatable character ever.

[@bookimecorner8715]

Awesome videos

[@skellumfh]

Internal contradictions are what makes a character feel real for me, therefore i think they are a must in stories i find compelling. It is for me a part of the dialectical process that helps them move forward through the story. Glokta is a good example of that. It is also why i find Adolin a very interesting perspective, torn as he is between comradery ("we're all in this together") and his internalized noble pretentions ("It's just the natural order that some are born leaders and other followers"). A character that has just one thing they care about, even if it's a nicely illuminated thing ("I want to be the best Swordmaster/Wizard/Pokemon master") feels overly smooth to me. Disclaimer: have not read Stormlight 4 yet, so i don't know if my opinion on that will change. PS: Internal contradictions are what makes historical characters so interesting to me as well. Robbespierre started out as an ardent opponent of the death penalty but also as a firm believer in law and the rightness of his political vision. In his writings you can clearly see him trying his hardest to reconcile those things ("the government of the revolution is the despotism of liberty against the tyrants"), grasping one expedient after the other in the heat of the moment, ending up how most ppl know him today.

[@carlajenkins1990]

I do good old-fashioned doublethink. My MC has opposing value systems, and he believes in both of them. Same as Robbespierre. Politics will make real jackasses out of all of us. It is the damn nature of the beast.

[@theladytassi]

I'm in the midst of preparing to start my third draft-this is all incredibly helpful. Thank you!

[@tadashiuchiha9680]

I would love to see your favorite quotes from fantasy series. I fear it might not make a great video but... better to do it than to live with the fear of it.

[@marwindeguzman7217]

This is now my most favorite among your videos. 🥂🍾❤️ Love from the Philippines. ❤️

[@VicRibeiro777]

Hey Daniel, congratulations and thank you for stepping up your game man. Well done on consistently providing us with examples about what you are talking about. It really helps us to better grasp the points you bring up. And if you mentioned a book/series I haven't read yet, it made me excited to do so. Good job, keep it up.

[@jessi4894]

I really liked that focal point analogy.

[@YourLastGreatkNight]

I appreciate the hustle using that thumbnail Daniel. Grab those clicks my friend 🤙😂!

[@LocklanStareyes]

Careful, you’re gonna poke- just poke that eye out

[@mireilleoppenheimer6662]

@OnThisSideoftheSky same!

[@silverskall1432]

I dont know why but that fart joke at the first minute really got me good xD

[@thepagesofsamantha]

FEET. also wow green screen daniel is best daniel

[@maybebianca]

The knife returns!

[@BlackReshiram]

My biggest problem with all of this is remembering to keep it in mind and remember it while writing/editing ^^"

[@johnnywalking83]

Valuable thoughts

[@SandaArtCraft]

Nice video.. thank for sharing... Stay connected.. Good Luck...

[@mireilleoppenheimer6662]

Dude you're iconic even in your helpful videos

[@Tenchinu]

Shoeless Daniel is best Daniel

[@JonathanHarbour]

Good rant, dude. Very helpful.

[@sentinelshoshin4632]

1:38 thicc Daniel lol

[@iLiviesimone]

you know the little random preview youtube shows when you hover over a video thumbnail? This one is great 😂

[@Breonteew]

Love these videos man!

[@mercury2110]

This helped a ton! Thanks👍 Was nice seeing a video not just going over the standard 3 things. Though I still will watch those like my life depends on it😅

[@fedoranation6272]

Dresden Files is adult Percy Jackson, prove me wrong!

[@jackwriter1908]

From a review from the aweful Kim Possible Real Life Movie to Daniel Greenes newest video: Writer better Characters. The KZbin algorithm is incredible! And perfect. Great video Daniel, totally agree on that.

[@SS-rr7by]

Yaaaaa

[@Katastra_]

Greene Screen is an excellent format/series/segment title.

[@kerneywilliams632]

Daniel: What I say isn't word of god. Somebody from my imagination: Wait your not a god? (drops replica knife/microphone and looks down at his would be sacrifice)

[@melaniev9446]

The best advice I got from this? To add those characteristic details during later drafts. I often try to add it all the first time I want to write something and end up so lost in those details and figuring out how to write them in smoothly that I will loose my train of thought on the actual story. It's my bad habit of wanting to do it all the first time since I already know it all. Need to try a different method 😁

[@arcane_ironic]

I'm a simple man. I see Greene Screen, I click

[@Rhadagar]

I wish more characters were written like Sand dan Glotka by Joe Abercrombie. Not the same character over and over obviously, but just that style of character creation and execution.

[@rockrocker100]

My guy that knife is fluctuating my anxiety. I love it

[@tristou2259]

More more more more of that please!!!!

[@leonardsolene3762]

loved the chaotic energy here

[@Avengers5412]

I want reiterate that Daniels outro music SLAPS

[@rhiannonstableford-morgan2961]

A note on conflict, from an editor: the easiest way to create and maintain conflict is to have your protagonist make a mistake! (A real mistake, not an "oh no I'm so stupid/so clumsy/not really at fault" effort). A mistake immediately creates both internal and external conflict, as they generally affect other people. One of the most common problems you see in slush piles are good guys waiting for the bad guys to provoke conflict. That barely even works in middle grade these days. I see many writers claim that they haven't written a Mary Sue type because "they have a fault," but has that fault been turned into action? Nope? Then what's the point of it being there? You could argue that Kvothe only works as a character because he regrets leaving his parents that awful day; he views it as a mistake. It taints everything. Mistakes are about perspectives and difficult choices. He's good at everything and meticulously dissects his decisions to justify them, but nothing takes away from what he views to be a HUGE mistake. If ever you get writer's block, have your character make a mistake. It will open up their head and open up the plot.

[@jmparker78]

6:08 BALL SCRATCH!

[@MagnanimouseDX]

Daniel you should check out the Cradle series

[@books_and_waistcoats7154]

Appreciating the libby hoody

[@maximiliangerboc]

Can you link to where you got that Libby hoodie? I use that app all the time and I didn't realize that had merch. Love it!

[@gregcampwriter]

Yes, you can go wrong with internal dialogue. Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, for examples, spend so much time on cud chewing that they frequently forget that other things are going on.

[@PsychologyandChillwMichi]

thanks for this analysis :)

[@woahitscorrina]

Alright Daniel, flexing with that Damascus steel

[@thecurmudg3on]

Hey Daniel, I love your content. I’m not sure if you’ve done a video on this yet, but your talk about good characters got me thinking of the importance of good villains/antagonists. A hero can’t be a hero without a villain/conflict to define him/her. It’s why I think Marvel trumps DC in the comic genre, because Marvel has more complex, believable and relatable villains.

[@isaacm6052]

A well developed antagonist is important to an extent, it really depends on the type of story.

[@KayoYuuki]

I love this, make more forever

[@mirandamoore1241]

Understanding some Human behavioral science too can go a long way into character development or deterioration

[@Bluehearte07]

I was actually eating bread and butter while watching this video😀. These points are literally the major backbone to any great character development. Well said. These points would work perfectly for the main characters in a story, since there will be some side characters whose back story readers may not need to know so much about. My opinion Or what do you think about side characters' background/childhood story? Do they need to be developed alongside the main characters?

[@atharvadeshpande4749]

Why is Daniel Greene screen's shadow giving me Peter Pan's shadow vibes?

[@muhammadhashir6136]

Character Consistency is kinda wrong, can I just say that. As a human being, i know that people make no sense. We are living breathing contradictions, sometimes i hate something with every fibre of my being while other times I love it with all my heart. Emotions change freqeuntly and there is no one way we think, the tinniest amount of new info can change our entire perspective on something or someone WE R ALL HYPOCRITES

[@hahaimout1693]

I don't have enough accounts to like this comment. I can't be more agree

[@KarlKristofferJohnsson]

In a way you're right. People are often self-contradictory. But I think most people want to be consistent. That's why cognitive dissonance is a thing. If we didn't care about consistency, we wouldn't need to justify our actions, as people who experience cognitive dissonance often do. And that is the important point. Your characters don't have to be consistent, but they should somehow make sense.

[@muhammadhashir6136]

@@hahaimout1693 that's some praise, glad we reached an agreement😁 even if we r agreeing that most of us r chaotic people

[@muhammadhashir6136]

@@KarlKristofferJohnsson I agree with that, but i would think our internal philosophies and thoughts are more varried and messy than our outward actions. Behaviour most of the times is consistent but thought processes are not so much

[@DanielGreeneReviews]

hence why the best characters are written this way though from a writing stand point its hard to do.

[@johnclark8108]

Oh this energy is necessary

[@Eu_Sunt_Dracul]

Do a ranking list for all the different types of Daniels! On the other side of things, interesting video.

[@bernardmulligan5504]

This was a good video

[@someokiedude9549]

'Hey man, like, what's your purpose?" "I DON'T KNOOOOWW" That's a mood.

[@blewlight5708]

This video was a very weird but satisfying experience xD

[@theeccentricwriter4657]

This is like I'm getting a lesson from a stoned friend. And I'm loving it.

[@drewtheunspoken3988]

For a fun exercise, I write a character from other 1st person viewpoints. A kindly man to one person can be a cold, unfeeling person to soneone else. I guess it's called "Eulogy Writing?"

[@bdooralrefaie6952]

This is so beneficial

[@jeremyfee]

Who is this shoeless hobbit floating around on the screen? LOL. Great video, as usual.