Creating Characters by Howard Lauther Read Free Book Online

won't take sides; instead, he'll want to know what they agree upon and then try to work out their differences from that point.
    If you need a helping hand, he's the one you want.
UNCOOPERATIVE
    Related Traits: Autonomous, competitive, individualistic, rivaling, separated, solitary, uncollaborative, uncompromising, vying.
    As Seen by Others:
    If you want to reach a goal, you'll have to get there without him.
    Once he stakes out a position, that's where he stays.
    Doesn't know the meaning of give and take.
    Keeps his ideas to himself.
    Works independently of everyone else, even when he is among them and they're engaged in the same thing.
    Acts like people are going to steal his ideas.
    Put him in a group and he'll try to do something better, faster, longer, etc. than everyone else.
    Seems as if he's not happy unless he has a rival.
    Incapable of surrendering one of his principles or desires for the benefit of a group.
    Partnership is a word he does not understand or appreciate.
SOPHISTICATED
    Related Traits:
    Aristocratic, courtly, cultivated, cultured, delicate, dignified, elegant, finished, genteel, grand, graceful, punctilious, polished, refined, urbane, well-bred.
    As Seen by Others:
    There is an unmistakable aristocratic air about him, and yet it is not pretentious.
    Appears to be well-educated or well-mannered.
    His image suggests aristocracy, without his actually being an aristocrat.
    There's a polish to him.
    There is a special excellence about him that can be observed, if not explained.
    Has displayed a keen appreciation of beauty.
    Movements are graceful, even refined.
    Possesses an unmistakable nobility that demands one's respect.
    Knows the rules of etiquette and obeys them.
    Absent from him is any sign of crudity or coarseness.
UNSOPHISTICATED
    Related Traits:
    Boorish, bourgeois, coarse, clownish, common, graceless, hickish, ill-behaved, ill-bred, ill-mannered, indelicate, inelegant, loutish, low-born, primitive, raw, rustic, uncouth, uncultivated, unpolished, untaught, untutored, vulgar.
    As Seen by Others:
    Manners are rough.
    Dresses badly.
    Language is coarse.
    Reminds one of lumber that needs sanding.
    Hasn't had the education that would fine-tune his mind.
    Seems as ordinary as an unpainted picket fence.
    Has none of the qualities that turns heads.
    He's an outside toilet kind of person.
    Knows almost nothing about a lot of things.
    A raisin among strawberries.
SKILLFUL
    Related Traits:
    Accomplished, adept, competent, efficient, experienced, expert, gifted, handy, ingenious, inventive, masterly, practiced, professional, proficient, qualified, talented, trained, versatile, versed, well-trained.
    As Seen by Others:
    In a certain area, his ability is of such magnitude that little is left for him to master.
    In his area of expertise, rarely makes a mistake—if ever.
    God gave him a talent that you just can't just sit down and explain.
    He's a jack-of-all-trades.
    Give him a problem and he'll give you a solution.
    Adept at using his hands to either build or repair something.
    Practice and more practice have been always been his mistresses.
    Exceptional at generating new ideas.
    There's little he can't do, and he does it well.
    He's among the best at what he does.
UNSKILLFUL
    Related Traits:
    Amateurish, deficient, green, incompetent, inefficient, inept, inexperienced, inexpert, neophytic, unable, unaccomplished, unpolished, unpracticed, unqualified, unschooled, unseasoned, untalented, untrained, untutored.
    As Seen by Others:
    Has little or no ability in a particular area.
    Lacks the experience.
    He could botch a cup of coffee.
    Gives amateurs a bad name.
    Regularly proves he is unable to do the job expected of him.
    Mistakes roll off him like sweat.
    Still a beginner, after all these years.
    He practices and practices, but never gets any better.
    Has no dexterity, no understanding of the thing.
POWERFUL
    Related Traits:
    Absolute, arbitrary, authoritative, autocratic, bossy, commanding, controlling, despotic,