Voices in my head. A shapeless shadow from the corner of my eye. A nighttime vision from a sketchy dream. My fictional friends get started in strange ways.
Every writer has their own way of cooking up characters. Some open the mind with whiskey; others meditate; I like to close my eyes and say a quick prayer; the voices, shadows, and visions show up again and again.
So far, I’ve yet to be disappointed.
While that’s the easy part of writing – the exciting, love-crush feeling of meeting a new character, there is real work involved. Writing a novel is like getting married. You wouldn’t just tie the knot with anyone, right? Neither should a writer dive into a relationship with a character they picked up in some shallow dream. You need to learn about them, how they’ll fit into your novel, and how they’ll interact with others. Most of all, you need to know what makes them tick. If you skimp on this part, you risk flat-feeling protagonists, giant holes in your narrative, and a dead-end plot.
In short, you’re sunk.
It’s the rare author who sits at the majestic desk overlooking the foggy mist blowing off the ocean as America’s greatest novel spills from her keyboard. In reality, it’s about structure and function: what will the arc of the story look like? Who will be the primary characters, and who will support their quests? Who is our villain? Why do we hate him? Ultimately, why would someone want to buy and read your work?
Enter the character profile, your chance to play God.
Once you’ve got a general handle on the map of your plot, it’s time to put faces, names, and quirky characteristics to your story’s cast and crew. There are plenty of ready-made character development tools out there, but I have my own secret recipe for cooking up complex characters. Here’s a peek into my laundry list of things I need to know before someone walks onto my stage:
Everything’s in a Name
If you’ve met your character in your meditation or dream, they may have hinted at their name. Most times, I’ve had to dig for the right one. Grab a book of baby names and peruse until something jumps out at you. If not, be bold and make one up. Avoid the cliché and the ho-hum, and go for something that screams your character’s purpose. Try it out, roll it around. Does it slide off your tongue or sound thick and blah? No harm, change it. You may decide you love the name Shane for your protagonist (it reminds you of someone in high school, yada, yada)…but does your character feel like a Shane? If not, ditch it.
Let’s Get Physical
Once you’re set on a name, think about what will my reader see? Think height, weight, hair, and eye color. Is he stocky? Is she waif-like? What distinctive features does she have? Is she petite, or does she have a head shaped like a canned ham? What does his voice sound like? Is he a big-faced guy with a big laugh or a quirky nerd with a musical tone? Then, dig deeper: what does your character like about himself? Maybe he loves his dreadlocks; she loves her cheerleader smile. What do they despise about their bodies? Does he have a scar from a Bunsen burner accident on his thigh? Maybe she has a scar on her arm from where her stepmom hit her? Write it all down and refer to it as your story plays out. You’ll need all these details to paint a vivid picture for your reader as the magic unfolds.
Create Some History
So, deep, rich characters come from knowing them intimately. In my second novel, a character named Beach is 17, blonde, green-eyed, six feet tall with long curly hair. He’s ratty, disheveled, and smokes pot. Now I can add to him, giving him dimension: He has a record for underage drinking, and he’s a student who works part-time in a pet store. He loves English Lit but isn’t popular in school. His worst moment was getting caught masturbating with his sister’s cat. He’s at the bottom of the social totem pole in high school. He’s been in love twice, once with a sophomore named Raynette, whose boobs he fondled at Homecoming. Now we know a little bit more about Beach. Time to go even deeper, though.
Do Some Soul Searching
To really be able to play with characters, you need to know everything about their personality: Is he honest, or does he lie? Is she a tease, or does she go all the way on the first date? What is he afraid of? What does she love? Do they face life head-on or take a back seat? Are they glass half-empty or half-full? What do they seek in others, and what do they hate in themselves? Is she scared easily, or is she brave? We can add these to Beach – he has a fear of being alone and regrets not asking out Raynette again; Mad Magazine makes him pee his pants in laughter. He’s passionate about music and good marijuana; He hates his gums and dishonesty in others. He is amazed at Jimi Hendrix, but passive, irresponsible but honest. What about his family? If he had one wish, what would it be? What’s his darkest secret? The list is endless….
Once you know your characters, the fun part can really start – put them together and see what they do. Get comfortable with them, and let them lead your story down the path you’ve created. Beware, though. Once the last page is saved and sent, you’ll miss these crazy cats – that is, until the next dream…
By Carrie Alani
