Do you Really Know the Characters in your Novel? by Connie Vines

Before a writer starts the first draft of a novel, the writer has the plot-points drafted.  The setting, profession, manner of dress and speech have been established.  The writer knows what the character looks like. 

The writer knows the characters, right?

Maybe.  Or maybe not.

Yes, there are character questionnaires, we’ve all seen them and groaned.  Two- hundred plus questions, who has time for that?

Do:

• Approach it as a brainstorming exercise
• Understand that your in-depth knowledge of the character will bleed into your writing, even if the vast majority of this information is never written in your manuscript

Don't:

• Use it to start building a character - you should already have the broad brushstrokes of your character, including what drives them and their biggest flaw
• Use all of the information in your novel - most of the answers should be internalized, not spelled out

Basic Character Questions

1. First name?
2. Surname?
   
3. Middle names?
4. Nicknames?

Physical / Appearance

1. Height?
2. Weight?
3. Build?

The seven questions listed above are standard. 

I work my characterization backwards.

1.       .1 What is my main character’s profession?

2 This will determine a great deal of his/her physical, mental abilities, and personality traits.

For example:  branches of the military have requirements, moving up in rank require additional skills.

·         A rodeo clowns’ skill set is different from a bronc-rider, or a bull-rider.

·         Where as a spy and an under-cover cop may share some of the same skill set, but the focus and the personality/ training would be more selective.

·         A professional blogger and home-cook vs a food-critic who’s travel-the-world and only dines at 5-star restaurants.

2.       How do they wear their clothes?

3.       What are their feet like? (type of shoes, state of shoes, socks, feet, pristine, dirty, worn, etc)

4.       Race / Ethnicity?

5.       Mannerisms?

6.       Are they in good health?  An athlete will have had injuries.

7.       Do they have any secrets? 

8.       What haunts them?

Personality (this is something that pops into my head during the writing of the 1^st draft)

1. Catchphrase?
2. Bad habits?
3. What makes them laugh out loud?
4. How do they display affection?
5. How do they want to be seen by others? (this can be a secret)
6. How do they see themselves?
7. Strongest character trait?
8. Weakest character trait?
9. How do they react to praise?
10. How do they react to criticism? (this can be a trigger for a villain)
11. What is their greatest fear?
12. What will they stand up for? Willing to die for?
13. Who do they quote? (The Commissioner in the TV show, Blue Bloods quotes Teddy Roosevelt.)

Friends and Family

1. Is their family big or small? Who does it consist of?
   
2. What is their perception of family?
3. Do they have siblings? Older or younger?
4. Describe their best friend.
5. Do they have any pets?
6. Who are their natural allies?
7. Who are their surprising allies?

Past and Future

1. What was your character like as a baby? As a child? (This is something the hero/heroine can wonder about or even ask.)
2. Did they grow up rich or poor?
3. Did they grow up nurtured or neglected?
4. What smells remind them of their childhood?
5. Has anyone ever saved their life?
6. Strongest childhood memory?

Conflict

1. How do they respond to a threat?
2. Are they most likely to fight with their fists or their tongue?
3. What is your character’s kryptonite?
4. How do they perceive strangers?
5. What is their choice of weapon? (the home-cook could serve a crispy and dry mac and cheese casserole.)
6. Where do they go when they’re angry?
7. Who are their enemies and why?

Possessions

1. What is in their fridge:
2. What is in their purse or wallet?
3. What is in their pockets?
4. What is their most treasured possession?

Values

1. What do they think is the worst thing that can be done to a person?
2. Did they keep or break their last promise?

Miscellaneous

1. What would they do if they won the lottery?
2. What fairy-tale do they hate? Why?
3. Do they believe in happy endings?
4. What would they ask a fortune teller?
5. If they could have a superpower, what would they choose?

My questionnaire is just a little over 50 questions.  However, the important answers pop into my mind when I’m writing the first draft.  Others are answered when I’m working on a revision.

And as every writer knows, at some point during the writing process, the characters take-over and a great deal of careful plotting gets tossed out the window.

Along with the links to my novels, I’ve included a recipe for a potato-side dish (remember the reference to the food-blogger/home cook?

Lynx                 Brede             Tanayia 

Here Today Zombie Tomorrow

This is a hot casserole for dinner, lunch, or breakfast.  I often make it for a potluck, church social, or divide it into individual containers and freeze and reheat for future meals.

8 ingredient/Gluten Free  

9 X 14-inch casserole dish (bottom coated with oil/butter).

350-degree preheated oven

Potato Casserole

1 small onion, diced

1 bag 30 oz. frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed

1 can cream of chicken soup

½ tsp pepper

1 tsp salt

Dash of garlic powder (optional

1 stick of butter, melted

8 oz sharp cheddar cheese (1/2 of the cheese in the mixture)

1 cup sour cream

·         In a large bowl add ingredients one-by-one, folding each into the mixture with a large spoon or spatula.

·         Pour n the melted butter and then add the cheese and sour cream.

·         Toss into casserole dish, moving the mixture so it is evenly distributed and touches the all sides of the dish.

Add the reminding cheese on top of the casserole.  Since my family loves cheese, I was much more generous with the cheese topping.

 Stop by my website: www.novelsbyconnievines.com

My weblog:https://mizging.blogspot.com/ 

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram, too!

Happy Reading, 

Connie Vines

Writing Styles by J. S. Marlo

J. S. Marlo BWL Author Page

Planner vs Pantser. These two different types of writers are more than likely familiar to you. A planner is a writer who plans her entire story from start to end—the key plot, the subplots, the characters, the settings, etc—before writing the first word. At the other end of the writing spectrum is the pantser who develops her story as she writes—she flies by the seat of her pants, therefore pantser. I'll admit I started as a true pantser, but after writing myself in a corner on one too many occasions,  I
began thinking ahead. I grew into an hybrid. A Plantser. Before I start writing a new novel, I plan my key plot and major characters, then the magic of writing takes over. These characters introduce me to my minor characters and create their own subplots. I know what you're thinking. They are all figments of my imagination, except they are not. As the story progresses, these characters take a mind of their own.  After 15,000 words or so, they stop dancing to my tune. They will object if I make them do something that is out of character. Very frustrating!

Regardless of how much planning you did, or didn't do, you will eventually start writing. Most writers will write following some sort of chronological order—first scene first, second scene second...last scene last—while others may decide to write farther or random scenes when creativity strikes them. I did that once. I wrote a scene that was stuck in my head but wouldn't occur until two chapters later. Well, by the time I arrive at that part of the story, my characters had taken a left turn and the pre-written scene no longer fitted the story. From then on, I kept things linear, though I found myself going back and adding in-between scenes.

Now, let's get down to writing a scene. Some write by layers. First, they put the skeleton of the scene down on paper (or computer)—basic dialogues and basic descriptions. Once they finish, they go back, extend the dialogue and added more physical details—"I visited my grandmother." becomes "I visited my grandmother Edna. She's eight-five years old but doesn't look a day older than sixty-five".—They  sat in a coffee shop. becomes Seated on plastic yellow chairs at the local coffee shop, they sipped on their latte while catching up. Once they finished writing that second layer, they go back at the beginning again and add a third layer (like what or how the characters feel), and a fourth layer (like what their other senses pick up...a smell, an unusual sound...), until the scene is complete. Some writers extend the layer technique to the story, not just the scene. They write the skeleton of the entire story first. Go back and write the first layer until they reach the end. Go back again and add another layer...They don't waste time trying to pack everything in and everything right at the same time.

Some argue that writing in layers is more efficient than trying to write full sentence packed with all the details on the first attempt. They may have a point, but some writers need the full weight of the previous scenes in order to move to the next one. I'm one of them. I visualize each scene, so everything I see in my mind must be included in my scene before I can write the next one. I need to know the house is red, and not a TBD (To Be Determined) color. It also means I can stay stuck on a single sentence for half an hour if i don't feel I got it right. The advantage of packing everything in one shot is that my first draft will closely resemble my finish product. I will still make some changes as I reread it a second, fourth, and fifth time, but those changes will be minor.
 As you can see, there are no magical formulas when it comes to writing. Every writer has her/his unique way of writing. There are no wrong ways, just many different ways. The trick is to find the one that is right for you.

Happy plotting & writing!

JS

 J. S. Marlo's Website

How Do You Go About Developing Your Characters? by Connie Vines

How do you go about developing your characters for a story?

How much time do you spend or does it just happen in the writing process ? What inspires you?

Thank you Rhobin, once again, for a great writing topic.

I believe development of my characters has a great deal to do with the type of novel/story that I am writing at the time. Obviously, my novellas, for lack of work count, are not superficial by any means, but my information is given via dialogue or internal thoughts with visual clues. My romantic suspense will have a lesser degree of character development, unless it relates to the 'suspense element' that say, my traditional romance novels.

However, I do write character sketches for all of my 'people'. I may sprinkle the info in the story, or simply keep in in the back of my mind for character motivation.

• I often use astrological signs to help develop my characters and create conflict. Rodeo Romance, Book 1, (LYNX). Lynx Maddox is a Leo and Rachel Scott is an Aquarius. Opposites attract but they also create great romantic conflict.
• Birth Order is another way to develop your character(s) actions and outlook on life. Pairing a 1st born woman with the 'baby' of the family or vise-a-versa, will create writing inspiration.
• Ethnic background is also to be considered. If one character is from a large immigrate family is dating a person who is an only child (4th generation) with have all types of expected things popping into picture.
• If I am writing a historical novel, I often make a composite of historical people/clues in diaries and letters (WHISPER UPON THE WATER)
• At other times, with all of my careful planning, the writing process flips my character into a secondary character or he/she evolves and I go back and edit/change several scenes.
• Also physical attributes/challenges. We all have them. Did those dimples work in her favor?

What inspires me? Life. People's hopes and dream. Honor. Justice. And sometimes, just the need for a good laugh.

Happy Reading!

Connie Vines

I am so sorry about the late post and lack of photos and links.  My PC crashed during our recent So.Cal outage (last night) and I'm working on my very ancient VISTA Dell PC.