The reason I started this new method is because of everything I've been reading lately about stories having a "voice." It's something I think I'm getting better at, but I thought that with a character analysis I might be able to take it up a notch. If I know all the ins and outs of my characters, know how they'll react to the situations I throw at them, I might be able to write them more authentically. Really give them a uniqueness that might be lacking in my previous stories. But we'll see.
What about you? Do you have a method to fleshing out your characters, or do you just write them off the cuff?
I've never been one to know a character going into a book. As an audience, you don't know characters when you start reading--you learn about them through the course of the book. As a writer, I do the same thing. Let the characters develop naturally, they might surprise you and lead you to places you wouldn't have gone otherwise.
ReplyDeleteIt varies for me. In general, I don't do much pre-work on characters. I'll write the first draft and then worry about it because I've been developing them in my head for months or more. But occasionally, I'll do a character sheet to get to know some of the details and to have it written down so I don't forget what they look like when I'm writing. And I've discovered playing the characters in chats is even better way of learning about them.
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Sometimes I'll just be watching TV or something and decide I want a snarky loner for my MC. It really just depends on what kind of infuence I've been exposed to the day I start my story. :)
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