Could your MC tag your other characters in this pic? Could YOU?
May is character month, and it's time to ask: Just how well do you know your characters, anyway? Are they your best friends ever, or are they that weird third-cousin twice removed that you've never seen until he makes you hug him at a family reunion?
If the latter is the case, you need to get to know these characters! If the prior is true, you still probably could do with some fine-tuning... and, besides, "Get-to-Know-You" games are fun.
Here are some suggestions for better getting to know your characters:
1. ME, ME, ME
So, you want to get to know your hero's best friend, or love interest, or worst enemy. Try writing a scene from their point of view (I prefer 1st person to get to know them) -- no, it will never make it into the book, but it will help strengthen characters that you might otherwise have left rather flat. Try http://writeordie.drwicked.com/ for forced-writing! It's great for scenes that you might not know how to write.
2. EYES -- no, don't put "two"
Questionairres are surprisingly helpful. It seems as though you're not getting into anything deep, but you can surprise yourself when your character's favorite food becomes: "Anything I can get my hands on." This character questionairre is the one we were working on at SOLAB!A until parental units showed up and interruppted us part-way through:
Full Name:
Birthday:
Birthplace:
Current Location:
Heritage:
Eye Color/Hair Color:
Right or Left Handed:
Major Strength:
Major Weakness:
Fears:
Life Goal:
Dream Profession:
Actual Profession:
Favorite Meal:
Coffee Drinker:
Favorite Alcoholic Drink:
Has Character Been in Love:
Is Character Attractive:
Does Character Think of Self as Attractive:
Healthy Habits:
Unhealthy Habits:
Favorite Movie:
Vices:
Tattoo(s)/ Piercing(s):
Number One Regret:
(Thanks to Writer's Digest for the questionairre.)
Don't be afraid to Google for more of these!
3. HE SAID/SHE SAID
What do your characters think of one another? Do they get along? Try putting two of your characters in an unlikely situation with each other (i.e. make your villain and sidekick go grocery shopping together). Try to explain the same situation/argument from the point of view of two very different characters. Definitely try doing one of these: http://measthenarrator.deviantart.com/art/The-Narrative-OC-MEME-145509715 (it's not hard to find these online -- actually, it's almost hard NOT to if you're searching for character developement).
4. DRAGON WRITING PROMPTS
http://dragonwritingprompts.blogspot.com/ (look at the labels, search under "Character Developement"). These are EXCELLENT. It was almost entirely this website we worked from at SOLAB!A on Friday.
5. FRIEND-OF-A-FRIEND
Who are your favorite characters that you've read? Personally, I've always been attatched to pretty much all of J. K. Rowling's characters. There's something about the way she writes them that makes me like even the most dislikeable character. Look at the characters you love, and think about why you love them. Can you relate to them? Learn from them? Fall in love with them? Enjoy hating them? What tactics can you take from this?
6. ♪Family History, I am doing it!♫♪
Okay, so I don't work on my OWN family history, but I do work on that of my characters. Why? Once I had a character that was REALLY annoying, and rather cliche -- you know, just totally pompous. Then I wrote about his parents (who never, not ONCE, make it into the story), and I learned why I should forgive him and love him. Did it make him any less anoying? No. But now I GOT him, and now I could really write him. Much though you might want to deny it, who we are related to affects who we become. So find out who your MC grew up with.
7. BFF
Your characters existed before "Once Upon a Time." They had lives -- and they were living them (well, unless you start your story the moment your MC is born... but then your MC's parents had lives before the story began, and so did the doctors or the Taxi driver or whoever else is there). My point is, your characters have stories. Best friends and heart breaks, fears and challenges. What was your MC's favorite class in school? When did they have their first kiss? When they were three, what did they want to be when they grew up? (Bai wanted to be a Mail Box.) What are they most proud of? How old were they when they learned to ride a bike? Who was their favorite teacher? I'm making these questions up off the top of my head -- I'm sure you can make up plenty. If you want, I'll just post an entire post of random questions to ask your MC. In fact, now I want to do that....
8. IDK, Google it!
Definitely Google for more ideas. If you find anything brilliant, let me know!
For now, I will simply end with this thought: Remember that every time your character "comes on stage," they are coming from somewhere. If your MC walks into a room, and there are people in there, have those people be DOING something. Ever watched a show where the MC walks into the room, and the other people are just standing there, waiting for the action to start? Don't let that be you! Every side-character is the main character of their own story. Give them credit where credit is due. Why is your henchman a henchman? What's up with the kid who sits next to your MC in math class? A person's a person, no matter how small a role they play in your story.
Okay, I'm done. Have fun working on Character Profiles!
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