I think one of the most fun parts of writing any story is creating the characters. Because as an author, you have the power to bring a whole world of people to life. You get to give these people names, faces, talents, fears and quirks.
Of course, that also makes it one of the most challenging parts of writing fiction. You’ve got to be able to describe for your readers what your characters look like and sound like.
More importantly, you’ve got to be able to describe what your characters are thinking, feeling and doing. That can be tough when you’re writing about a person that doesn’t really exist.
So to help me create fictional characters that seem real, I start with a basic profile:
- Name (first, middle and last)
- Age
- Birthday
- Height
- Eye Color
- Hair Style and Color
- Body Frame (thin, athletic, chubby, etc.)
Once I know my character’s name, how old he is and what he looks like, I start adding some personality by asking myself questions like:
- Is he outgoing or shy?
- What is she passionate about? Why?
- What does he not like to do? Why?
- What scares her? Why?
- Does he have any weird habits? Why?
- What talents does she have? Why?
- What are his biggest weaknesses? Why?
- How many brothers and sisters does she have?
- What is his favorite book? Why?
- What flavor of ice cream does she like? Why?
By answering these kinds of questions about your fictional characters, you get to know the people you write about. The better you know WHO your characters are, the easier it is to put them in the middle of a story situation and ‘watch’ them react.
But that’s a lesson for another day. For now, just create your character’s basic profile, then answer the questions listed above to help you get to know the person you’re writing about.
Have fun!
To your writing dreams,
Bonnie Jean
P.S. I didn’t make as much progress on my novel last week as I wanted to because I fell into my old habit of thinking too much. I’ve been trying to get all the details just right when I need to just write whatever comes to mind in this first major draft. So that’s my goal this week: write fast and furious without letting the details slow me down.
P.P.S. Don’t misunderstand. The details are super important. That’s why I’ll be adding them in when I edit my story!
