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
- First
name?
- Surname?
- Middle
names?
- Nicknames?
Physical / Appearance
- Height?
- Weight?
- 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 1st
draft)
- Catchphrase?
- Bad habits?
- What
makes them laugh out loud?
- How
do they display affection?
- How
do they want to be seen by others? (this can be a secret)
- How
do they see themselves?
- Strongest
character trait?
- Weakest
character trait?
- How
do they react to praise?
- How
do they react to criticism? (this can be a trigger for a villain)
- What
is their greatest fear?
- What
will they stand up for? Willing to die for?
- Who
do they quote? (The Commissioner in the TV show, Blue Bloods quotes Teddy Roosevelt.)
Friends and Family
- Is
their family big or small? Who does it consist of?
- What
is their perception of family?
- Do
they have siblings? Older or younger?
- Describe
their best friend.
- Do
they have any pets?
- Who
are their natural allies?
- Who
are their surprising allies?
Past and Future
- What
was your character like as a baby? As a child? (This is something the
hero/heroine can wonder about or even ask.)
- Did
they grow up rich or poor?
- Did
they grow up nurtured or neglected?
- What
smells remind them of their childhood?
- Has
anyone ever saved their life?
- Strongest
childhood memory?
Conflict
- How do
they respond to a threat?
- Are
they most likely to fight with their fists or their tongue?
- What
is your character’s kryptonite?
- How do
they perceive strangers?
- What
is their choice of weapon? (the home-cook could serve a crispy and dry mac
and cheese casserole.)
- Where
do they go when they’re angry?
- Who
are their enemies and why?
Possessions
- What
is in their fridge:
- What
is in their purse or wallet?
- What
is in their pockets?
- What
is their most treasured possession?
Values
- What
do they think is the worst thing that can be done to a person?
- Did
they keep or break their last promise?
Miscellaneous
- What
would they do if they won the lottery?
- What
fairy-tale do they hate? Why?
- Do
they believe in happy endings?
- What
would they ask a fortune teller?
- 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?
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.
My weblog:https://mizging.blogspot.com/
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Happy Reading,
Connie Vines
