| If your readers don't care about your characters, | | | | over meatloaf and green beans -- tells the family |
| you're sunk. Readers don't necessarily have to like | | | | that they'll have to be uprooted (again). Perhaps |
| all of your characters, but they have to care | | | | the teen daughter brings home a dinner date who |
| about what happens to your main character, or | | | | only Mom (an undercover detective) recognizes |
| there’s no reason for them to keep reading. | | | | as a convicted felon. |
| Which means you have to care about your | | | | The point is: think of an emotionally-charged piece |
| characters, and you have to know them, maybe | | | | of information that will make this meal very |
| even better than you know yourself. To create | | | | different from the one above. Write this scene, |
| characters that live and breathe on the page, you | | | | paying attention to specifics. |
| must first create characters that live in breathe in | | | | WHAT WOULD S/HE DO? Imagine an ethical |
| your psyche. This is why you need to know | | | | dilemma that your character finds himself/herself |
| much more about them than you’ll ever have | | | | in. Maybe your character was offered a job |
| to include in your completed story. | | | | promotion or a large bonus based on a task s/he |
| One way to achieve this authentic character | | | | didn't carry out alone. Does s/he tell the truth and |
| history is to put your main character(s) in as | | | | share the credit with the colleague or keep quiet |
| many real-life situations as possible. And because | | | | about it and bask in the glory solo? Choose a |
| thinking is only the first stage and can only get | | | | moral quandary, plunk your character it in, and |
| you so far, write these situations out, considering | | | | write a short, thorough, descriptive scene. Be sure |
| all sorts of details. | | | | to tap into your character’s thoughts, fears, |
| When you can imagine your character in different | | | | conflicts, and ultimately how s/he arrived at the |
| places and with different people, beyond people | | | | final decision. |
| and places your story requires, you make your | | | | DEAR DIARY: Write three diary/journal entries |
| fictional people exponentially more realistic within | | | | from your main character's point of view, fully in |
| the confines of your own story. | | | | his/her voice and in his/her head. Make the entries |
| Start by deciding on the basics: your main | | | | occur on different days and have them deal with |
| character's date of birth and favorite things (such | | | | different events and emotions. Try to include a |
| as food, color, activity, place, song, movie, book, | | | | whole range of feelings -- joy, sorrow, rage, |
| friend, family member, possession, game, animal | | | | uncertainty, anxiety, to name a few. |
| pet, amusement park ride, season). Remember: | | | | DOCTOR, DOCTOR: Write up your |
| these are details you'll want to work out, even | | | | character’s last physical exam report, as it |
| though they may never need to be discussed in | | | | would be written by the family physician. Include |
| your story. | | | | all relevant details, along with any physical |
| The basics is great place to start, but to create | | | | complaints the character might mention. |
| the most vivid, memorable characters, you'll need | | | | Then write up some clinical notes from a |
| to stretch your imagination and go beyond the | | | | psychologist who has been seeing your character |
| basics. | | | | in therapy. Perhaps your character has discussed |
| The following exercises will get you started in | | | | his/her worst fear with the doctor. Reveal as |
| developing rich, believable, interesting characters. | | | | much background to that fear as you can: when |
| Choose the exercises you're most drawn to, and | | | | and why it began, how it's manifested, how your |
| really let yourself go—don’t worry about | | | | character struggles to cope with it. |
| polished sentences or grammar or mechanics. | | | | DEAR AUTHOR: Your character writes you (the |
| (You can’t plumb the depths of your | | | | author) a letter, instructing you quite specifically in |
| imagination when you’re worried about | | | | how s/he wants to be portrayed in the book. |
| comma placement.) | | | | Make your character’s personality come |
| STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES: List emotional, | | | | through loud and clear in this letter. Try to set |
| intellectual, and physical strengths and weaknesses | | | | yourself aside as you write it. |
| for your character. Include any special talents or | | | | JOB APPLICATION: Get your hands on a job |
| aptitudes. Get your hands on an IQ test and take | | | | application (or create one of your own), and fill it |
| it from your character's perspective, not yours. | | | | out from your character's point of view. Include |
| (Tricky, but fun and worthwhile.) | | | | work history, schooling, references, as well as the |
| DINNER AT OUR HOUSE: Imagine a family meal | | | | character's statement explaining why s/he would |
| at your main character’s dinner table. Write a | | | | be perfect for the job. |
| short descriptive scene revealing the average | | | | Always remember to have fun with these. The |
| evening meal at your main character’s house. | | | | minute you're not having fun, stop. The looser and |
| Now revisit that meal scene and add tension. | | | | more relaxed you are when you try these |
| (After all, tension makes fiction go 'round.) | | | | exercises, the more you'll get from them. You'll |
| Perhaps the school principal called Mom that | | | | discover things about your character you never |
| afternoon and therefore Mom has some serious | | | | thought you knew, which translates to a more |
| lecturing to do (or some serious disappointment to | | | | fully realized, believable person alive in your story. |
| relate). Or maybe Dad lost his job that day and -- | | | | |