Have you ever read a story and given up half way through because you’re really not interested? The characters seem one-dimensional and do things that you don’t believe they’d do. We’ve all read stories like that and the reason we become bored is because the writer doesn’t really know his/her characters well enough to make them convincing. Knowing your characters intimately is vital when writing engaging stories. If we’re not interested in them, why should we care if they fall off a cliff/ their partner leaves them or their cat dies? Your reader must care about the characters you create otherwise why should they waste their valuable time on them?
Here’s part of a questionnaire I give to my students so they can create a fully rounded human being.
1. What is his age/ name/height/ color of eyes?
2. How does he walk or move? Does he have any mannerisms or habits? Does he smoke? If he doesn’t, what is his attitude towards people who do?
3. What type of clothes is he comfortable in? Does he change his clothes often?
4. How does he speak? What’s the pitch and speed of his voice? Any favorite sayings or words? Does he use slang or swear?
5. Does he live alone or with other people? Does he have any children? What is his relationship to them? What are his children like, if he has any?
6. Where does he live? Does he own his home? Is he domesticated, tidy or messy?
7. Is he successful in material terms? How important is that to him?
8. Does he like his job? If not, what would he rather do?
9. Are his parents living? Does he like them? What has he inherited from them both physically and psychologically?
10. What sort of personality does he have? How does he express tension? How does he express pleasure? How does he express anger?
11. What does he really want? What is he prepared to do to get it?
Once you really know your character he will start thinking, speaking and acting for himself, not being manipulated by you. i.e. he [or she] becomes real.
About The Day of the Swans (2012)The relationship between Stefan, a charismatic stalker, and Anna, a clinical psychologist is both intriguing and erotic.
When Stefan tells her that she’s his long-lost sister she believes she’s treating a highly delusional man.
But after she discovers that her parents have been lying to her, Stefan invades not only Anna’s life, but her dreams as well.
Who is telling the truth?
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