10 Ways to Get to Know Your Character
EDITOR'S NOTE:
If this is posted earlier or later than planned (Saturday), it's because KJ's gone on a trip with some friends this weekend. She should have turned on the auto-post thing, so if you're reading this on Saturday it worked. But if it didn't work......well, that's why. Just know that Saturday is still the set day for weekly updates.
It's not just the readers that need to get aquainted with your characters--you need to as well. You should know absolutely everything about your creations , from important stuff like what made them who they are to irrevelant little things like what type of coffee they prefer. Knowing these things about your main characters will make them seem more real and consistent to the readers. So, without further ado, here are 10 writing exercises you can use to better get to know your character. Keep in mind, I didn't make any of it up myself--I picked these tips up from writing websites all over the internet like TheWritePractice and Reedsy.
1-BIOGRAPHY PAGE
This is for sure the best thing to do. Keeping a folder of biography pages for all my characters in my desk has helped me so much! Just get a blank piece of paper and jot down the character's full name, age, height, eye and hair colour...stuff like that. You might also want to include their worst fear, their goal in the novel, and any hobbies or unusual habits they might have. You won't believe how useful little details like those can get later on through the writing process.
2-THE ROBIN HOOD PROBLEM
Alright, so picture this situation: your character is the only witness to a robbery. They follow the robber, and see that he's taken the bags full of money to a local orphanage. Does your character
a)--report and arrest the guy. A crime is a crime--or b)--keep quiet. It's the wrong thing, but for the right reason.
What you believe your character will do says a lot about their morals and overall personality. It may seem like an impossible choice, but you need to really think about it. Is your character self-righteous and bold, or timid and indecisive?
3-DRAW YOUR CHARACTERS
It doesn't matter if you think you're good at drawing or not. Giving an image and a physical face to your character will improve your written description of them. What kind of expression is on their face? How do they style their hair? And make sure to style whatever clothes they're wearing according to whatever era (or whatever planet) they're living in. Have fun!
4-HAWAII FALSE MISSILE ALERT
Here's another question.......what would your character do if they knew they were about to die? As I read from TheWritePractice, this actually happened once in Hawaii--there was a false missile alert. Everyone living in the islands thought that a missile was on its way, and that only a few minutes were left for them to escape with their lives. What if the main character of your novel was put in the same situation?
5-THE STARBUCKS LINE
Another situation for your characters, one that may be better to write out. Picture this: a character is standing in line for Starbucks. They've been waiting a long time, and when they finally reach the front of the line, they're relieved. But then suddenly, someone cuts right in front of them and starts ordering. Write down exactly what your character is feeling and what they do about it. It might help to do this for all the characters in your novel.
6-TINDER PROFILE
This is much like the biography page, but instead of including every little personal detail about your character, a Tinder profile tells only what the writer wants it to. This is going to show you what your character think about themselves, and what they want others to think about them.
7-THE JOB INTERVIEW
Let's pretend your character wants a job, and you're the interviewer. Ask them where they see themselves in 5 years. Why they want what they want. Why you should hire them. Make sure to grill them with all the professional-sounding questions. It's good to see how your character will behave under pressure. Are they charming and laid-back, or introverted and nervous?
8-72 QUESTIONS WITH....
Do you know how Vogue magazine visits the homes of celebrities, then asks them about 72 casual questions as they walk around the house? Pretend your main character is now a celebrity, successful after the events of your novel. You're the interviewer again, asking them everything you can think of. You can look up '72 questions' on Youtube if you need more ideas. And remember, celebrities can choose to answer their questions however way they want. They can keep some private information back or outright lie--and it's the same for your character.
9-TRUTH OR DARE
This one's not too much different from '72 questions', but it sure is a lot more fun to write. What's your character's deepest, darkest secret? Will they be brave enough to kiss the person sitting to their left? Do they even want to play the game?
Have fun torturing your creations in a good ol' game of Truth or Dare. I had a lot of laughs with this one, as the main character in the book I'm currently writing is a bit of an introvert.
10-MAKE A CONVERSATION
And here's the last one. It's the most simple writing exercise, but not any less helpful than the rest of this list. Pick two of your characters. One has to be your MC. The other can be a friend, a relative, a fellow human...whatever. Once you've picked your two guinea pigs, write a line of dialogue between them without indicating who's who. The conversation can be about anything--as long as it makes sense and gets some sort of reaction. When you feel the conversation is done, go back and read it over. Does your main character and whoever they're talking to sound exactly the same? If you're not sure, give the dialogue to someone else and ask them if they can tell that it's two different people with different personalities talking to each other. There should be a clear distinction between the two people--like what words they use, how confidently they speak, or whatever accents are indicated. Because if there isn't, that means you haven't found what's called your character's 'voice' yet.
For a bit more on a character's 'voice', check this out:
https://writersblock.loft.org/2013/08/14/2641/finding_your_characters_voice
Thanks for reading everyone! Have a great weekend!
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