Nicola Marsh - romance author

CHARACTER INTERVIEW

You've had a great idea for a plot.

Or maybe a sensational character has leapt into your mind fully formed?

Or if you're like me, partially formed. You may have a nebulous vision of what this character will be like: his or her personality/attitude/goals/looks.

One of the keys to a great book is rich characters, characters that make you cheer for them, characters that draw you into the story, vibrant, realistic characters that make you sigh with regret when you close the book.

You need to make your characters come alive and one of the best ways to do this is know them intimately before you start writing the story.

So how do you find out more about your characters? Interview them.

Here are a few key questions I ask mine before I start:

Character's greatest fear:

Why?

What is the worst thing that could happen to him/her?
Character is most at ease when:
Most ill at ease when:
Biggest vulnerability:
Drives and motivations:
Talents:
Character flaws:
Mannerisms:
Biggest accomplishment:
Character's darkest secret:

Does anyone else know?

If yes, did character tell them?

If no, how did they find out?

There are plenty of character profile worksheets available, asking a staggering array of questions. I stick to the key questions above (plus have a physical description of my characters, usually with a picture to match)

Along with the above, the vital things you need to know about your characters before you start are:

What does she think she wants? (external goal)

What does she really want? (internal goal)

Why does she want it? (her motivation)

What's her problem when the story starts?

How will it get worse?

(I've used 'she' here but don't forget to answer the same questions for your hero too.)

Watch out for further interview techniques coming soon!

Happy writing!

(articles are copyright of Nicola Marsh, 2008, and may not be reproduced without permission.)