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Sunday, May 21, 2006
Getting to Know Them -- Bronwyn Jameson
I've been blathering about gathering story ideas and clippings as visual cues, but the real time-chomper for me is getting to know the characters. Some authors learn their story people while they're writing the first draft. Me, I have no clue what these people will do or say, how they'll react, feel, emote, until I know them pretty thoroughly. (At first I wrote "know them inside out" but if I waited until I knew everything I would never start the story!)
How do I get to know them? I start with a character chart that includes all the basics--physical description, favorite this and that, home, family, friends, pet, job, etc. Some of these bits and pieces come easily; some I get wrong at first and need to change as the whole of the person comes together. I write a pretty comprehensive backstory, including the important (good and bad) events that have shaped his or her beliefs, family milsetones, education and career turning points, romantic history.
And when I say "I write a backstory", this isn't something I can sit down and cobble together in an afternoon. Much thinking is done. Several drafts written. There always seem to be missing pieces or things that don't quite add up, and I need to dig deeper to find out why. Interviewing the character helps on several fronts. Firstly, it forces me to ask the hard questions and to come up with some answers. Secondly, because I'm answering for the character I'm formulating his/her individual voice.
Inevitably I move from answering specific questions into free-writing, first person, the character's inner most thoughts, hopes, needs, desires, fears. I Learn what matters most. I discover triggers and hot buttons. And I discover the important stuff, the key to character, to conflict, to the heart or theme of the story. Then I'm ready to sit down and start writing the book.
Speaking of which... I *do* have a book I need to be writing and I'm about to get comfortable at the very back of my writing cave. It's been fun to spend another week in the spotlight, chatting about parts of my pre-writing process. I'll be back again in August to talk about my upcoming release, The Bought-And-Paid-For Wife.
posted by Bronwyn Jameson at 5:40 AM
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1 Comments:
Dena said...
Thanks Bron for sharing your methods and things you do to write a story this week. I look forward to your next book THE BOUGHT-AND- PAID FOR WIFE.It sounds like a fun and sexy story.
4:21 AM
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