I’m writing
a presentation right now for a library tour I’m doing next summer to help
promote my books and the topic is Crafting Compelling Characters.
The reason I
picked that topic is because I feel it’s foundational to any good writing. I don’t
care how good your story is, if I don’t care about the characters you’ve lost
me.
So, I
decided to try sections of my presentation out on all of you. (Nasty, aren’t I?)
So please give your feedback and any additional ideas you may have.
Topic one:
The Birth of a Character
Part one: The
Physical
I’m a visual
person, for me I have to have a
picture of my characters close at hand to refer to regularly. For Joel, one of
my MCs for NEWSTEAD, I went to the internet and typed in attractive male
models. I was a little worried about what would show up, but surprisingly there
wasn’t even enough to make me blush.
After I had one that fit the bill, I saved it under my favorites.
Now Rachel,
the other MC, she came about a little differently. I already had a picture in
mind when I created her. I was sitting in a local café and there was a huge
poster on the wall of a beautiful girl who was being haggled by some obnoxious
guys. I wrote down the name of the photograph and looked it up when I got home.
It was An American Girl in Italy by Ruth Orkin, 1951. I studied that picture,
what that girl must have felt like, her body language. Before I knew it, Rachel
was born.
Thursday I’ll
discuss more on the birth of a character, but I’ll get a little deeper than
appearances.
Interesting post. I tend to not have a focused picture of a character when I start writing. I know a lot about her, but I really "learn" her as I write. I may try your technique out, though!
ReplyDeleteI need to, I am such a visual person I need to have an actual picutre in front of me.
DeleteI often picture my character in my head but once in a while I find a picture of someone that seems to be my character come to life.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean, my MC, Joel is almost seven feet tall and I did some of my best writing the day after I stood next to a huge guy in a line; it made it feel so real.
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