Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Posts Tagged ‘character development’
Imagine a gas leak at your character’s place of business closes work for an entire day. Or a day-long meeting has been cancelled and your character has a day to spend doing nothing.
Whatever the reason and circumstance, your character has 24 hours all to herself. No assignments pending, no boss to please. What does she do with that time? Where does she go (if anywhere?) What activities does she engage in, what does she eat, how does she dress?
Most importantly–why? I think this could work into many story lines and give us some valuable insight into the mind and life of your character. See what you come up with!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
8/11 WIP Tip: Childhood Want
Think back to your childhood. What’s the one thing you wanted most but your parents wouldn’t let you have?
In my case, my first thought was a pony, but really…I only wanted that because my friend Cathy had one. No, what I really wanted was Michael Jackson’s Thriller cassette (stop laughing!). Desperately. The main reason I didn’t get one is because I had to use my allowance/babysitting money/lawnmowing money on jelly shoes and bracelets to match, but I also have a feeling mom wanted me to listen to her Kenny Rogers and Captain and Tennille cassettes forever.
I eventually made my own Thriller cassette by taping from the radio and borrowing friends’ cassettes to fill in the blanks. I survived, but I still get a little angry when I hear “The Gambler”.
What childhood “want” (materialistic) did your character desire but was never given? Has it affected her? How? Might only be a humorous recollection or something that drives her daily. Why did she want it so much–what did it symbolize to her at that time?
Monday, August 10, 2009
8/10 WIP Tip: Work.
Ahhh…summer. Its warm mornings and decadent garden vegetables are slipping through my fingers as we speak. I lament the loss of summer every year because longer nights mean less sunlight and September forces me from writing back into the classroom.
After a vacation from work, one of at least a week or more, how does your character feel about going back? Must she force herself back into the routine or is she back at her desk an hour before anyone arrives? What does she miss most about her vacation time and what does she relish most during her working hours?
Your character’s job may never show up in your work but knowing where she stands in terms of career can help you craft parallel activities showing her in happiness or in conflict.
Now to head to our teacher’s staff retreat…sigh!
Friday, August 7, 2009
8/7 WIP Tip: Festering Words
In each of our lives, someone has said something negative along the way to us–a backhanded comment, a flippant observation, a downright rude statement about us–that has stuck with us.
The same has happened with your character, you just may not know it yet. Maybe it was about their job, their looks, their family, a hobby or talent…whatever it was, it’s still deep in your character and festering.
Your job is to discover the comment, the person who made it, and how that comment affects your character on a daily basis. You know the drill–this might even work as a plot point to show back story in an interesting, non-narrative way.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
8/6 WIP Tip:Fair Food
I’m off for the day to the state fair, where I try to convince myself all the walking will burn off all the calories of the junky stuff I want to eat. (Hello, deep fried!)
If your character visited a fair (or carnival, festival or large, festive gathering of any type), what would they eat?
More importantly, why? Comfort, familiarity, trying something new, peer pressure, curiousity…try adding another layer of character flavor to your story by knowing why your character’s favorite junk foods are their favorite.
I’m a total deep-fried girl…I don’t even want to know what that says about me!
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
8/5 WIP Tip: Anger
Simmering in every person is at least one hot-button issue that will make even the most mild-mannered, quiet people gnash their teeth and spew bad words.
Which issue is this for your character? There are simple ones (crimes against kids, animals, the elderly…government and taxes…mean people) and complex ones. Go deep here and find out what issue would set your otherwise likeable character into a frenzy of rants–then discover why. For a bonus point, see if you can work it into your story.*
*no actual points will be given away LOL
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
7/28 WIP Tip: Passion…but why?
Dan Reeves, former NFL coach, was on ESPN touting his new book and talking about his various teams’ appearances in the Super Bowl. One of his players made the comment to him that it was often more fun getting to the Super Bowl than it was to be there.
Passion drives us in some aspect of our life, to do something we love even without the promise that we’ll make money or be famous for it. Making pies, fixing car engines, finishing every last crossword puzzle clue. What is the passion that drives your character–on that she could do all day, every day, miss meals and never make money from that fills her emotionally? Why does she have this passion, what does it reveal about her, and is there a way to work it into your story as a plot event?
Monday, July 27, 2009
7/27 WIP Tip: Need a Manicure?
Until LeBron James came on the scene, I was ridiculed and teased for being a lifetime nail biter. Once the cameras showed him chewing his nails on the bench, no doubt a manifestation of nervousness, my family finally stopped picking on me. (Bullies!)
Nails–their care, upkeep and usage–can reveal a great deal about our characters. Get a picture of your character’s nails in your mind. What do they look like? Why? How does the state of her nails reveal something about her character?
Friday, July 24, 2009
7/24 WIP Tip: Run Away With Me…
Today is a rainy, crappy day here in Ohio. I have an essay I need to finish by tonight, but couldn’t manage to convince myself to write anywhere in my house. Everything was blah, depressing, unmotivating. Instead, I chose to escape to a local coffee shop to reinvigorate myself and my prose. It was the perfect escape for my mind.
When your character needs to escape, where does she go? Somewhere physical or mental? Or both? Why does she go there? How does it change her mindset? How did this place become her place of escape? What things can she do there that she can’t do in her normal environment? Are there any places in the plot you can get her to come here to reveal something about her character?
Thursday, July 23, 2009
7/23 WIP Tip: The Songs In Her Head…
I was born with music in my blood. I love everything to do with music (80s rule!!) but I can’t write with music (music with lyrics) in the background. Today I came to a coffeeshop to write with my iPod loaded with instrumentals, but I found myself able to work on my essay with Paul Simon in the background. I even found myself singing along to one of his songs I haven’t heard in over two decades.
What music makes your heroine sing? Even if she’s in a place where singing out loud isn’t acceptable, what song on the radio would make her sing? (or hum?). What does that song reveal about her character? Is there a way that song can play into your story’s theme?
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It's pretty simple, really. I'm a writer who loves writing about writing, and sharing all the tricks of the trade with other writers. And when I'm not writing, I'm thinking about writing. I have a hunch you know what I mean :)