Writing Voice Exercise – A Narcissistic Character

Exercise: Create a self-centered, insecure, character using a narcissistic voice. Place the character in a corporate setting where he or she expected a promotion but did not get it. Instead, the promotion went to a person your character does not respect based on some frivolous trait the person has. Be sure to include thoughts and dialogue to create a three dimensional portrait of your narcissistic character.

Purpose: The purpose of this exercise is to help you understand different personalities and how you must bring them to life in your stories.

With a Narcissistic personality “people have an inflated sense of their own importance and a deep need for admiration. They believe that they’re superior to others and have little regard for other people’s feelings. But behind this mask of ultra-confidence lies a fragile self-esteem, vulnerable to the slightest criticism.” – Mayo Clinic

Your goal then would be to also make the contrast between what this person shows on the outside and what they feel on the inside and how this duality would affect how they perceive disappointment, what they feel they deserve in life and work, and his or her relationships.

Tips: Before you start this exercise decide what this character feels he or she is superior at. Then decide what this person is truly capable of and what others around them feel he or she is capable of. Also include dialogue within his or her own thoughts as well as dialogue this person has with co-workers before they learn they didn’t get the promotion and after they learn this information.

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This post was written by:

Tressa Sanders - who has written 107 posts on Three West.

Tressa Sanders, founder of Three West Creative Development, Asabi Publishing, and Ijaba Films, provides active learning, workshops for business Image, publishing, creative writing, graphics design, and filmmaking. In addition, she has authored the curriculum for the Big Bad Business Image, Concise Publishing, and Creative Writing workshops as well as several literary titles. Tressa also holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Psychology and authored the introduction for a book titled “A Peek Inside the Goo: Depression & The Borderline Personality”. Prior to becoming a filmmaker, Tressa was a well established Information Technology professional working with the largest IT, communication, utilities and financial companies in the country. Some of the companies Tressa has worked for include, the New York Independent System Operator, GE Capital Business Asset Funding, IBM Global Services, AT & T Wireless, Hewlett Packard, MCI/Worldcom, GTE, and Sprint. Her areas of expertise include: Publishing Startup & Planning, Business Image Planning, Creative Writing Development, Effective Graphics Design, Cost Conservative Filmmaking.

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