Discovering Your Characters

 

SOMETIMES YOU GET lucky when a fabulous character appears in your story, fully formed. Other times, your characters are less than cooperative and you have to work at making them likable and interesting. You’re not going to find an absolute formula for writing great characters. But you can break down the great characters of literature and film to figure out what makes them tick.

 

Exercise: Write a list of your favorite characters. Consider why you like them and write down the traits you resonate with. Try to confine the traits to one-word tags both to simplify the exercise and to keep it as generic (and widely applicable) as possible.

 

Examples:

• Cora Munro: Tough, Brave, Loyal, Open-Minded. (The Last of the Mohicans directed by Michael Mann)

 

• Elizabeth Bennet: Witty, Outgoing, Opinionated, Loyal. (Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen)

 

• Danielle de Barbarac: Optimistic, Spunky, Passionate, Idealistic, Ethical. (Ever After directed by Andy Tennant)

 

• Sue Barton: Kind, Brave, Unprejudiced, Generous, Unflappable. (Open Range directed by Kevin Costner)

 

Exercise #2: Answer the following questions about your protagonist.

 

Question #1: How is your protagonist different at the beginning of the story from how he will be at the end?

 

Question #2: What “before” scene can you include in the First Act to illustrate the personality, problems, fears, and/or weaknesses your protagonist exhibits in the beginning?

 

Reference: Structuring Your Novel, chapter 4, pages 51-54.