This morning “M” is for MELODRAMATIC.  You know the type — overly everything!  Exaggeration reigns supreme in this character, and never is he or she at a loss for sensationalism.

melodramatic | adj.

1. of, like, or befitting melodrama. 2. exaggerated and emotional or
sentimental; sensational or sensationalized; overdramatic.

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As I sat down to write on this topic, the first image coming to mind was that of Theda Bara.  Famous silent film star, Bara was well-known for her vampish onscreen characters but also for her melodramatic expressions. Note the image to the right.

Without words, Bara was able to convey emotions and feelings with simple facial expressions.

However, as a writer, you have the ability to give your character not only facial and physical expressiveness but also the dialogue to mold this person into one of melodramatic proportions.

In researching melodrama for this post, I came across a site, PTypes, which offers descriptions of various personalities.  Under dramatic personality type, you’ll find a list of character traits, interests, strengths, and much more.  Here is a short list of traits that would build your melodramatic character into a believable one:

    1. Enjoying being seen and noticed
    2. Meticulous in personal appearance
    3. Eagerly respond to new ideas and suggestions of others
    4. Quickly build new relationships
    5. Rich imagination and love telling stories

Hope this post and PTypes‘ descriptions provide useful.

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