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Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Getting to Know Your Characters

How well do you know your characters?
I came across the interview I did with Thomas 'Brutal' Blackthorn, the hero of my first e-published book, The Miner's Wife. As he is one of my very favorite characters...I recommend trying the following interview method as it gave me keen insight into his personality. :):)

I took a class with Laurie Schnebly Campbell on writing a synopsis a couple years ago, but later I discovered several questionnaires for interviewing characters at her website. She has several fun and interesting Methods of questions listed.

I especially found the Method Three 'gloves off' questions helpful in developing Brutal. :):)

Here is the link:

http://www.booklaurie.com/tips_interview.html


Check out these questionnaire lists and see if they don't help you divine tons of insight into your characters and their personalities.

L

P.S. Here are the first 10 questions I asked Brutal and his answers.

Method #3 -- Gloves off questions


1. What do you want? Sex. ---what do you really want? I really want lots and lots of wild wicked sex.

2. Say you’re using the other character for something…what would it be? {smiles sardonically before answering} Sex. The wicked kind I mentioned before.

3. What are they using you for? Brute strength and financial support

4. How do you feel about that? Fine. Why? Because its our arrangement.

5. Assuming you and the other character work out your differences, what’s going to keep you from living happily ever after? Our arrangement is only temporary.

6. Even though we hope they’ll never do it, for now just pretend it could happen: What is the worst thing [the other character] could do to you? Feel sorry for me.

7. Why would that be so bad? I’m a bad ass, I don’t need anyone’s pity.

8. Why would you deserve it? [Long deep sigh of resignation] I’ve led a harsh life some…most wouldn’t have made the strides I’ve made…or even survived at all.

9. What’s the worst thing you could do to [the other character]? Treat her like my possession or a like second class citizen just like her father and ex-husband treated her and not like the smart person I know she is.

10. Why would she deserve it? She wouldn’t, but I need to protect her from harm and other men so I command her to obey me at times when she gets that willful streak.

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