Initial Construction of Characters

Today I want to discuss how I create my characters for my novels. As silly as it seems, I don't spend a huge amount of pre-writing time getting to know my characters. Believable characters are a huge part of what makes a story successful, so it would stand to reason that I should, but I don't. Here's why and what I do at this stage.

I find my characters come to life while I write, which is the opposite of my plot, which is lifeless if I don't map it out. For the most part, I flesh out their characteristics and personalities on the fly. That's not to say I ignore them before I actually start writing, however.

I need a name for a character before I start. I can't begin giving them life before a name is attached. Usually for an important character, if a name doesn't jump out at me, I'll brainstorm a bunch of different names and look them over. I gather these names from baby name books, character naming books, and my own imagination. It's not an exact science, but almost always two or three will jump out at me. Of these few remaining names, one will sound best for the story and situation of the character. (I go through the same process when picking names for places and anything else that needs a name.)

Once named, based on what the story is about and the character's place in said story, I'll give a couple of key characteristics, be it physical, psychological, or whatever. I do this for all the important characters. The reason I tailor the characters to the story is because the characters are tools to make the plot work (and be entertaining). My job as an author during the first draft and subsequent revisions is to make it seem like the story is a character-driven one instead of how I constructed it. The readers can't see the characters as mere tools that move the plot along, so I need to be wary of that as I write since that's exactly how I created them!

At this point in constructing the novel, that's all I do with characters. I simply decide how many are considered main characters, name them, and give them a couple of key traits. As I continue plotting, I'll write down ideas to flesh them out, but the bulk of it happens during the first draft. When I revise, the first few chapters are usually heaviest with changes and tweaks because I need to fix up where I didn't yet have a handle on the characters. I need them to match up with how they act later in the book.

Next week I'll get into more of the heart of how I plot. I'll show how I organize my outline (and what I mean by outline). Until next time, keep writing and/or reading.

Character Creation Pt. 2

In a short story I don't characterize at all. In the begining, I mean. I just start writing, letting story lead me. The character will grow organically, and if I've done my job, the characters in the story will seem real and well thought out. I also just push through to the end, not revising at all (but more on that in a future post). Therefore, if when I'm revising the story feels flat, one thing to look at is the characters. If they turn out to be nothing more that cookie cut-outs, chances are the story won't work. This is the time to tinker with the character, not at the beginning of the process. Make the character work. I'm the author, not the characters, no matter what others might say. The first draft is just to get ideas down into a workable manuscript, while the revisions are when I craft it into an actual story. Sometimes the entire thing is very close to done with the first draft (characters and all), but more often times it takes four or five (or more) passes through with a red correcting pen before the story (and characters) are ready to be presented as an actual story.

Novels are a bit different. As I've said, I've never penned a novel all the way through, but I have ideas, both my own and from what I've read, about characterization. First off, I truly believe it matters what kind of novel you plan to write as to how much characterization you should do. Personally, the stories I like to read and write are plot-driven. Characters are important, but they depend on the plot, not the other way around. I'm not going to go through a whole character checklist to find out which hospital the main character was born in or at what age he first sat on the toilet and pooped without diapers. It's not esential. I don't need to know that. To write, I just need to know the essentials of my characters to get started. All the little things that pop up to give a depth to the character are essential, but they can come in the process of writing the durn thing.

I've created my own little list of what I want to know about my character before I start. This list has six things for me to flesh out. I write a paragraph on each (more if it just screams out for me to do so) and go from there. Maybe this can help you, too.

1. Write a paragraph on the character's past.
2. Write a paragraph on the character's present (before the actual start of the story).
3. Write a paragraph on the character's role in the story.
4. Write a paragraph on the character's motives and goals.
5. Write a paragraph on the character's main conflict.
6. Write a paragraph on how the character changes (his or her epiphany).

I have other things I can add if I have them in mind right away, such as the character's most prominent personality trait, his or her habits, and other things along those lines. If, however, they don't jump out at me, I'll wait. Something great may come to me while I'm getting to know the character while writing. Or when something pops up in the plot that would make a quirky personality trait or hobby or talent relevant, I can think of something then. Or in the revision process. (Also notice that most of the list depends on having a firm grasp on the plot before the characterization process can start.)

My point is this: you don't have to know everything about your character before you start. If you think you do, fine, do it. But if you need permission to start writing your story before you know what presents your character got for his third birthday, consider this my high-five to you to get started.

One other point I want to make before I sign off for today: Notice I didn't add physical description to my characterization. I don't believe a character (the main characters, at least) should have much physical description added to them. Let the reader decide what the main character looks. Unless a certain physical trait is important to the story, don't bother. Of course, if the character's long legs get him out of trouble somewhere in the middle of the story (or especially if it's in the climax), make sure you casually mention that somewhere in the beginning. You don't want to cheat the reader this way.

Until next time, have fun reading and/or writing!

Creating Characters Pt. 1

I don't agree with writers who say characters are the only way to start a project. They say plot comes from characters and only from characters. You should know your character almost better than you know yourself before you start writing. You should know every bit of detail about them, from who their first crush was to what the first solid food they ever ate was. Only after you know all about these characters can you even think about what the plot of the story will be.

BS I say.

Don't get me wrong, having a good character, one who the reader can relate to, is extremely important to a good story, but in my opinion, plot is king. The character is there to help tell the story, to entertain. The character should fit into the story, not the other way around.

Of course, when the story is finished, that shouldn't show. It should look like the story evolved because of the characters. The way this happens, in my opinion, is not because of intense characterization before the process, but because the author learned more about his or her characters in both the first draft and the revision process. The author should think about the characters a bit before writing starts, but how much time spent depends on the project.

Next time I'll discuss my thoughts on that last sentence in more detail. Until then, have fun reading and/or writing!