Writing wise characters

AuditoryVisuals

AuditoryVisuals

Well-known member
I'm writing a script and I need to write a wise character. And all of his lines are really inferior. I need to know the formula for wise statements. Or at least something that'll pass for wisdom. :cry:
 
First of all, you need to pinpoint what topic you need your character to be "wise" about. If your character is supposed to be a genius doctor, you will need to research medicine and try to make his dialogue feel as eloquent and natural as possible.

You need to know your character before you begin to give him lines and action.

Hope that helps :)
 
Watch a lot of TV, especially shows which relate to the kind of character your 'wise' person is. If he's a doctor, then watch House or ER. If he's a lawyer, watch Law and Order. Study the way they talk -- the power of their eloquence.

As Mroctoberfest says, it's really hard to write a character if you know nothing about him or her. To develop great characters, you have to study people -- both real and fictional. This is why it's much easier to 'write what you know.'
 
A good deal depends on his overall character. I've known some people who might qualify as geniusus, but they cannot keep their mouth shut to save their life.

Conversely, some of the least intelligent people I know seem to know enough to keep their trap shut. It can make them seem like observative, introspective and contemplative individuals - people who only say something when it is of great weight and importance.

If your script requires a great deal of technical language, then you'll have to find a friendly consultant or do some research. Damned research.

e
 
Don't have the guy say anything. He just stares blankly at the other guy until the other guy says, "Of course! Why didn't I see it! You're such a genius!"
 
chapelgrovefilms said:
Watch a lot of TV, especially shows which relate to the kind of character your 'wise' person is. If he's a doctor, then watch House or ER. If he's a lawyer, watch Law and Order. Study the way they talk -- the power of their eloquence.

As Mroctoberfest says, it's really hard to write a character if you know nothing about him or her. To develop great characters, you have to study people -- both real and fictional. This is why it's much easier to 'write what you know.'
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400th post! Woo hoo!
I think I know the character. The subject of wisdom is sort of general. I saw this movie "Fetching Cody" before, and there was an old man who found a time machine. He was talking about Chronos and time. He's sort of like my character but more neutral emotioned. Content most of the time. He's not particualrly intelligent, just wise. Maybe I'll write a back story.

Ted Spencer said:
Find a wise co-writer : )
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Now that's a good one. In two ways!:thumbsup:

Erik Olson said:
A good deal depends on his overall character. I've known some people who might qualify as geniusus, but they cannot keep their mouth shut to save their life.

Conversely, some of the least intelligent people I know seem to know enough to keep their trap shut. It can make them seem like observative, introspective and contemplative individuals - people who only say something when it is of great weight and importance.
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Yeah, some people are to smart to be smart. You need to define the difference between intelligence and wisdom.

Erik Olson said:
If your script requires a great deal of technical language, then you'll have to find a friendly consultant or do some research. Damned research.
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Actually, I was thinking of keeping the language simple, but wise. I tried to write a genius character before but all his lines were just big words with no genius. Or proper languege at best!

EJ Pennypacker said:
Cheat and quote the internet or from books.

EJ
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I perfer to write original stuff! Sorry if that sounded mean. :D

Judgement said:
Read some books with authors who invent the some tone of voice or another completed script!
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Any recomends? Or possibly talk with someone really wise?
 
People who are always wise are always writing down notes. For them to speak wise thoughts, simply write the dialogue that they are trying to say and use thesaurus.com and put in big words instead of the ones you originally intended to use.

I think the majority of this really lands on the casting of the character more than the writing. Cast a man that you think is wise and let him play around w/ the dialogue.
 
Wisdom can quite often be separated from education. A person can be wise about people and life, but not speak eloquently or use big words. A homeless person with a 5th grade education can be wise. A Harvard grad with a doctorate may be learned, but he may not be wise at all.
 
dasher said:
I think the majority of this really lands on the casting of the character more than the writing. Cast a man that you think is wise and let him play around w/ the dialogue.
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It's hard to find someone as wise as I want my character. Maybe I'm pushing him to hard. But great advice, I'll cast the wisest I can get.

chapelgrovefilms said:
Wisdom can quite often be separated from education. A person can be wise about people and life, but not speak eloquently or use big words. A homeless person with a 5th grade education can be wise. A Harvard grad with a doctorate may be learned, but he may not be wise at all.
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Usually seems relative to your life experience, not just your age but what you went through in life. What you overcome in life.
 
Wise people listen much more than they talk, and the effect works in film very well (Silent Bob in the Kevin Smith films is an extreme example). When they do have a conversation with another character they will ask questions to guide the other person to the conversation's ultimate conclusion (The Oracle in the Matrix movies) . Big words do not make a person seem wise; smart maybe, but not wise...

Everyone who breathes should read "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie. Written in 1952, it is a collection of stories from very successful people that are grouped by various themes. From Presidents to door to door salesmen, it covers just about everything about managing interpersonal relationships. There is A LOT of true wisdom in this book, which is why it is a best seller to this day. Write a character who practices what Mr. Carnegie preaches and you can't miss.

Bob
 
If you don't have any life experience yourself, it will be next to impossible for you to understand what it is and the perspective it gives you on the world. Wisdom is a combination of intelligence over time.

However, if you're writing about it then you can give a character the traits you perceive. Commonly perceived traits of a person with wisdom:

They don't react to situations instantly and with blind emotion.
There is much consideration before taking action.
Many of the questions they ask, they already know the answers to.
They don't presume what actions someone will take.
They don't panic regardless of the situation.
They have a calm demeaner.
They can express intelligence without holding it over anyone.

As a writer you also have the advantage of knowing the story ahead of the audience. You "wise" character with the above traits can appear almost clairvoyant at times but not predictive.

Hopefully that points you in the right direction.
 
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Two people have mentioned that a wise person asks questions -- particularly questions he/she already knows the answers to. I think this is a very important point. Why do they do this? In order to help the other people figure things out for himself, rather than just TELLING him or her what to do. It's the old adage about "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime."
 
chapelgrovefilms said:
...that a wise person asks questions -- particularly questions he/she already knows the answers to....Why do they do this?
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I 'm not sure if this is a rhetorical question but I'll give my understanding of it.

Some people do this because it gives them a better sense of who they are dealing with.

Example: Buying a PC and the buyer is a computer engineer.
By asking qustions he knows the answers to, he's able to tell if the salesman is trying to take him for a ride.
If he gets the answers to those correctly, then he can trust the answers to the questions he does not know to be close to accurate as well.

Employers I suspect use this trick at times while interviewing prospective employees. I sure get that impression anyways.
 
You don't need fancy words an a Ph.D to talk wise. Great thread I think everyone has valid points. A character does not have to be omnisciently wise either, he can be wise about a certain thing, and doesn't have to be "intelligent".

Like someone mentioned the homeless man. Wisdom is an insight into something. Being aware, listening. Asking questions, as someone mentioned. It depends on your character too, he doesn't have to be Merlin or Siddhartha Gautama. Figure out first WHAT makes him/her wise? How did they become that way? What are they wise about?

OR --- you could just have them constantly quote affirmations and proverbs and such and talk slowly. Spew out a few dozen of these and your character will have to be wise (or a pretentious knave =D

And yeah acting can be a lot. For example simply casting Morgan Freeman will make anything you write look wise. But I will assume you are unable to get him =)
 
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