Discover Your Character

When an author speaks of a character and just talks as them as though they were simply a basketball, the people listening do not get a real feel for what that character is like, and they are unable to emotionally connect with the character. To make a character be real to the audience, they first have to be real to you. If you're working on a book, and you don't know much about your main character, then you won't have a very interesting book, to you and your audience. You need to have the character come to life, for YOU.

For an author, the character cannot just be a collection of words on a paper, the character has to have feelings and thoughts, learn what your character likes and dislikes, what they're good at and what their flaws are. Make sure they have flaws, because a character without flaws is like a sandwich with only bread, the flaws is what makes the character interesting, likable.

Have you ever heard someone who is a big fan of a book, and they go on and on about how the character is so amazing even with his or her flaws? It's because the author let the character become someone real to them, someone they can talk to and laugh with, and someone they know so that when they're writing about that character, they know exactly what he or she is going to do before they do it, because the author has gotten to know the character so well that the character isn't just a character anymore, but a real person who lives through the author.

Start with giving your character a simple interview, find out his or her skills, likes and dislikes, flaws, quirks, interests and hobbies, goals. Maybe interview him or her over a cup of lemonade and some finger sandwiches. What kind of backstory does you character have? Have there been terrible tragedies or magnificent events? Where did they grow up and with what kind of education? Are the hiding something from you?

If so, try to find out what it is and why they want to hide it. Did they get into a huge fight with someone in a former relationship? What if they lost their job because they did something wrong to upset their boss? These are the kinds of things that you need to find out. You don't need to know all this before you start writing, at least know the basics. Because as you write, you'll get to know your character even more, and these big details will come into full focus for you and your readers, and it will be an even more compelling story.

I hope this helps, remember you are always welcome to ask questions anytime. Also, I will be holding a catchphrase contest, good luck for those of you who want to participate. -Kacie