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Post by Queen Nerd on Jun 29, 2006 12:08:34 GMT -5
Something I constantly worry about is that my characters are totally 2D. And I'm rubbish at writing bios and stuff, so I've been looking for a quick fix.
And I found one! This is good for people who have Bebo or similar, or who get a lot of fowarded e-mail. You know those chain mail letters which ask you loads of questions about yourself? Well, instead of doing it for yourself, copypaste it to a blank document and do it for your problem character. May be dorky, but it works for me.
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fishr
Writer
Bennington Monument - Col. Seth Warner - Fought with Green Mountain Boys; captured Fort Ticonderoga
Posts: 69
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Post by fishr on Jun 29, 2006 17:05:35 GMT -5
Good idea! Never thought of that. Another tip I can offer is write an actual letter to your character. Trust me, it can be very weird. Since most characters are derived from some portion within ourselves, writing a letter can trigger hidden traits that weren't obvious before. Another thing I'm getting into is writing scripts for characters, although this may not be a quick fix, so to speak. I have one character that took eight months to understand before I went i depth. Last night was the second time I put this character on paper, and it was done in a script format. Three hours later, after I finished the script, I have a little more understanding for my new char but leave it to me to give colonial America a new twist. Last tip that has worked for me is listing your own traits; good and bad. With hopefully a decent list (because most of us have faults that out weight anything good, lol), you can check off what characteristic(s) this character should have, and begin outlining. You could also take this one step further, just to make your character that much more interesting and possibly add conflict. List any medical or heath issues you've had/have, along with listing your traits. Even if it was as simple as a broken leg, it could add depth to that character because let's face it; nothing ever heals properly. For me, I severely injured my right ankle, and it will never mend. I must have torn many nerves and capillaries, but I took this injury and unconsciously added this dilemma to my main character's father. The father doesn't have an injured ankle but has a shattered right kneecap because a bullet tore through the ligaments. And just like that, I had conflict because my character can't walk well without a cane. So, that's what has worked for me, and the idea about the chain letters sounds to be a neat idea! I'll have to try that one too. Thanks!
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Post by MH Mijolnir on Jun 29, 2006 17:11:27 GMT -5
I've done that...also used some of the 'Questions for your Character' templates that were at YWS
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Post by reichieru on Jun 29, 2006 18:56:29 GMT -5
This is a really good idea. In one of my theatre classes, we were given a list of questions to answer about our character. It works just as well for writing.
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Post by Deloclya on Jun 29, 2006 19:50:44 GMT -5
When I develop characters, I usually have some idea of the character in my head and I just take notes from that at first. But to develop them, I usually have to write with them a bit first. I wrote the first draft of my novel with little pre-writing character development--i had about a page of notes for all of the main characters--and now that I've finished it, I can go back and change things and work with the characters. I know some things that the character would say and some wouldn't and I prefer editing and adding things to my draft than painstakingly smashing each chapter to bits and the first draft and then having to cut down. but that's just me =P Another thing I've done in the past is put the characters in various situations...Just write random scenes, it doesn't even need to be the same setting, with that character and make sure they stay true to themselves. It helps me develop a core of that character that wouldn't change no matter the setting and I know what I can adjust as well. Just a few thoughts
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Post by CassandraJ on Jun 29, 2006 19:56:50 GMT -5
Hmm...I never thought of that. I've been having this problem lately; a few of my characters are a little sketchy. I'll probably go copy some of those survey things people fill out on myspace and fill those out for my characters. Fun.
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Elelel
Junior Writer
SJDfhdlkjf hweaj lk s 7r34 jxcfuiw
Posts: 41
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Post by Elelel on Jun 30, 2006 1:58:20 GMT -5
Yes! A use for the 32 forwarded messages that I I have worked up the courage to sort through yet!
Also, I good starting point for writing notes on a character is to write straight out what they really really want, what they really really don't want, and whether they're going to get it in the story. Even if you think you know in your head, it can be really vague and it's a lot better just to write it down and make it more deffinate.
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