This is part three of a series attempting to answer the question: Where do your ideas come from?
This blog post may be a bit abstract. I'm hoping to share how I create characters for a story. As shown in post 2, character creation is really the final planning step for me. By this time, I already have a general plot line and an idea about the setting. I've even loosely defined the background of some of the characters so that they belong in that plot line and in that setting.
Now is the time to flesh out those characters. Here it becomes a little difficult to talk about process. In some cases, I've started with names based on what I think the character maybe like. For example, if I have a character that I anticipate we'll be happy most of the time, I might choose a name like Joy. By the end of the writing process, and may decide to change that name, but for the time being it's an excellent place holder.
Or, I may start with a physical description. For example, height, hair color, eye color, and clothing choices. I am attempting to actually visualize this character. I don't picture people I know or celebrities. These characters really are characters in and of themselves.
I find the background of my characters makes the most difference in who they are. How they relate to their family, their education, and other life experiences determine what they think and what they do; just like "real" people, so I also flesh that out.
How do I flesh out the backgrounds for my characters? One technique is much like an interview process for a magazine article or newspaper. I have conversations in my head with my character. Sometimes, I imagine two of the characters talking to each other, not necessarily in line with the story, and see what they say to each other. Another fun way to get to know a character is to envision two other characters talking about them. While there is only surface information, I can get a feel for how they deal with others, whether or not they're patient, kind, prompt, fair, and so on. How deep into their backgrounds I go, depends on how well I feel I've started to get to know the characters.
When the characters begin to come to life, I can start to envision them in the setting and in the plot and allow them to interact in scenes that would fit in with the story. This is all in my head, without writing a word on paper. I allow the characters to interact in ways they may never interact in the story, as well, in order to get to know them better.
At this point, real plotline development will begin. In fact, I don't really have a choice. I will start to see and hear the characters interacting with each other in scenes that demand to go into the first draft. So my character development and my more detailed plot development begin to go hand in hand. As I work out which individual scenes must go into the first draft in order to take my reader from beginning to conclusion, the individual characters will shape how that will be done.
Although, at times I have attempted to develop an absolute outline of the plot, thus far I have failed to complete a draft of the story that has followed a rigid guide. The characters will from time to time do what they wish because of who they are, and I had no choice but to follow along, hoping that I will be able to bring them back on track for the ending I intend.
I know this may be a little hard to understand. I see my characters in my head much like you would see on TV screen or in the movies. I can't always tell them what to say like a script writer, though. It can be a big shock when a character suddenly reveals something about themselves that I didn't know. Then I have to decide whether to let them be themselves or to cut the dialog and attempt to rein them in. So far, I've found that characters will not cooperate if I try to rein them in. They may be part of my imagination, but in my imagination they are real, and I can't control them anymore than I can control other people around me.
In order to allow my characters to breathe on the page, I have to allow them the freedom and space to live in my own mind. So I allow them to be true to themselves as best I can, even when it means a detour in the plot, or perhaps an entirely different ending. Thankfully, I haven't ever lost an ending to a character surprise, but I'm accepting of the fact that one day I might not have a happy ending because the characters won't allow it, or vice-versa.
If you have thoughts on this subject or questions you'd like to ask, please add a comment and I'll address it.
Thank you for reading this series of posts.
