I'm currently developing the main characters for my new WIP and having a blast. One element of this novel is to create a strong, trio of friends. I've been reading some great posts and chapters about how to develop memorable characters, and thinking about some of my favorite literary characters, particularly in children's literature.I thought I'd share a little about how I'm approaching these characters and how I'm shaping their personalities.
As I searched around the net for tips on this topic, I knew I didn't want to fill in a huge character trait sheet. Some authors love this method when they're starting out.. And I say, "If that's what inspires you, go for it!" Instead, I thought about what was important to me, what do I like to know about someone, and tried to come up with my own brief profile for my main characters and some secondary ones.
At first I just brainstormed and took notes, particularly after listening to music which I felt represented something about that character. The floodgates of personality and backstory open up when I listen to these songs. Then I try to organize my thoughts in each character's profile. I'm also asking myself questions about how I want to portray relationships between characters and taking notes on that. Below, are a couple of links to recent posts about developing characters which I've found helpful. And I've included the brief profile and some of the questions I've been using. I hope you find them helpful.
Excellent posts on character development:
Crafting Multi-Layered Characters @ Adventures in YA and Children's Publishing
Developing Characters with multiple posts on different topics relating to character @ Janice Hardy's blog, The Other Side of the Story.
Name:
Song:
Age:
Place
in family:
Physical
Description:
Personality
Traits:
Quirks:
Comforts:
Favorites:
Pet
Peeves/Frustrations:
What
is s/he good at:
Not
so good at:
Fears/Insecurities:
Hopes/Dreams:
Beliefs:
Backstory
Information:
Questions:
How did they meet each other?
What has sealed their friendship with each other?
How do these friends relate to their parents/family? How does affect who they are and how they relate to each other?
Do you create your characters before you start writing or develop them as you go along? Do you use a profile or character sheet? What do you like to ask yourself (or your characters) as you create them?
I create my characters before I write the story, but when I write the story I get to know them better through the way they behave and react. It is an interesting process of discovery.
ReplyDeleteYes, Julia. This is how I plan to approach my novel this time. I'm not confined to the profile. Rather it serves as a tool to get me thinking about them as real people, so their reactions and dialogue will flow better as I write.
DeleteI tend to just free write when I'm creating characters, trying to develop their personalities. And I always build playlists for them--music is such an inspiring tool!
ReplyDeleteThis is the first time I'm using a playlist and I'm loving it. Music has always inspired me so this feels natural.
DeleteI think developing characters is the best part about writing. I feel like I have a bucket of characters on stand-by waiting for a story. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's a lot of fun :)
DeleteI can't do this. I need to have character discovery as a completely organic process. They reveal themselves to me as I write and get to know them. For me, the process of writing out a character before the writing is too contrived.
ReplyDeleteBut hey, each to their own. We find the way that works for us, right?
Absolutely. And what works with one novel, doesn't necessarily mean it will work with another. I did the reveal as I went along with my last novel. It worked well with my main character, but the secondary characters were flat. I had to rewrite A LOT!
DeleteI feel like my craft is improving through this prep work and I'm hoping that it will allow my writing to flow.
My characters tend to come to me, and after I've written a few thousand words, I sit down and craft a character profile...so I don't get in too deep before I really know them.
ReplyDeleteI like that, Liza and can see how that would be helpful. Thanks!
DeleteI need to do something like this for my characters in my fantasy WIP. I haven't done it yet because I'm not sure how deep to go.
ReplyDeleteI think you'll get an idea of how deep as you go along. Sometimes for me, I'll get a sense of a character while working on another, or through brainstorming my plot. And I did't complete the above profile on each character before starting to write. I fill in the blanks later if I feel the need.
DeleteFor me, the most important thing to understand about my characters is why they behave the way they do. I try to understand their backstory and motivation before delving in.
ReplyDeleteI'm totally with you, Talli!
DeleteI don't list out a full profile, but I have a good idea of a character when I start writing. The best traits and nuances emerge as I go, because they truly reflect the story.
ReplyDeleteI think that's a thing you have to be careful of when creating individual profiles...everything should serve the story on some level, especially in children's literature. Quirks that emerge relative to the plot (i.e. are revealed, not necessarily in a causal relationship) will have more impact than a quirk that comes from a disassociated character profile.
I'm not saying that profile is bad, getting to know your characters and making them unique is critical, just incorporate the story into it. It all has to come together.
Thanks for your input, Rick. I thought a lot about my characters before beginning my current WiP and I feel like my novel will be stronger because of that. These short profiles are helping me create characters who are multi-dimensional - something I'm really focusing on this time. However, I don't allow them to limit my writing, and you're right, getting to know them along the way is just as critical.
DeleteThanks for the links! :) And I can never start out with character sheets, I always have to start out with a few scenes first, then write out a bit of a backstory and character stats. :) It really is all about finding out what works for you as an individual - great post!
ReplyDeleteThat's why I love when writer's share their methods with one another. We, as writers, are as unique as what we write!
DeleteThese are excellent questions to ask of your MCs! I use the garbage can challenge - what's the last thing she threw away that meant something and why? Did she have to hide it or shred it, etc, or did she just toss it?
ReplyDelete