Thread: Getting to know you...

'You' being all my characters, across all my WIPs.

I'm in the process of identifying the issues I keep coming up agaisnt when writing and solving them. The biggest one at the moment is characters.

I don't feel like I know any of them.

I can create ideas and vivid images of them in my mind, doing all they do, saying all they say, but I always feel distant to them. It stops me from doing much empathetic writing and makes scenes feel hollow and, with afterthought, unwanted.

How does one connect with their own characters? I'm finding that I can only write well if I have no thought of this at all - then my mind just seems to make the links happen. I don't want that to be the way I write - in phases. I've worked out that I need to solve these problems, but I don't know how.

Does anyone?

1) Music - I try to think of music that has the kind of attitude or feeling that the character has for me; I've never actually made a playlist but I've considered it. If you're imagining scenes like in a film, think about what the background music would be, what would give an idea of the character's internal state in that moment.

2) I write back stories for them, think about what their formative experiences have been. Full back stories may not need to end up in the finished product, or only as allusions and brief mentions, but it allows me to think about how the character sees the world and why, what is significant to them, how they'll react to their circumstances. To make up an example, if you've got a character who's very jealous, you could think about why that is - has he had things taken from him? What, and how did it happen? Or did he never have much to begin with, was his family poor or something? What were his parents like? and so on.

How well do you know people in your own life?

I think "knowing" characters has to do with the ability to empathize and understand people in general. Characters are born from that understanding -- and they realized or limited by the extent of it. Some of that comes with experience, but for some people the understanding seems to be innate. If the understanding is there, I suppose you can tap into it with practice -- not sure how you can make up for it if it isn't.

How well do you know people in your own life?

I often see my social life like this - with people I 'know' (can connect with, feel like I'm on the same page with), I can interact with very calmly and naturally. Withg people I don't 'know', I don't really know what I'm doing and I often end up doing the wrong thing.

All my friends I 'know', all my family I 'know', and a bunch of other people I associate with I 'know'.

It's the same with my characters. Those I don't feel that I 'know', I can't use effectively. Those I do 'know', I can.


lasm: music is a great idea. I was listening to some Pendulum today, and I thought it fit the mood of my work perfectly. The idea of writing back stories that might never end up in the finished product is new to me, but it sounds like it would really help. I'll try it. Thanks.

I think "knowing" characters has to do with the ability to empathize and understand people in general. Characters are born from that understanding -- and they realized or limited by the extent of it. Some of that comes with experience, but for some people the understanding seems to be innate. If the understanding is there, I suppose you can tap into it with practice -- not sure how you can make up for it if it isn't.

One of the great disadvantages of being 15, I guess.

My current WIP doesn't take itself that seriously, so I should be able to make up with not being able to connect with characters as much by not even trying to, in some situations.

I make sure each character has a specific goal.

For example: Michael wants to win his upcoming bike-race. Stephanie wants to quit her job and become an artist. Evan wants to find his estranged sister.

All their behaviors are filtered through their specific goals. Of course, not everything they do is in relation to their goal. But it's always there, helping me define their path through the story.

If you give your characters a direction to travel, they will, ideally, begin to show their personalities to you along the way.

KyleColorado, your reminder is just what I need.

I was doing that in a past WIP (around 90 pages in, might pick up when I feel like it) and all the characters were working. Goals are sooooooo important!

I have not a specific 'procedure'. I just have ideas, when I listen music, when I'm walking on the street etc. Usually the goal is made by characters when they are already on the paper (or PC). Until now I never started writing with the goal defined, the characters 'tell' it to me after I made them 'live' in the starting chapters.

Cadence, try to 'listen' to the characters that you created.

Try to face this issue starting writing in 1st person and then 'translate' your product in 3rd person.

I have a 200,000 word story with about a half dozen main characters. I connect to them like you wouldn't believe.

I think that's the best answer. Give your characters realistic personalities, tangible development, and spend a lot of time with them. How can you NOT connect with them after all that?

Everyone's advice is really good, and I am gleaning very much from it all. Though, one thing that I don't see mentioned -- something that I do -- is this: Insert a part of your personality or life experience into the characters. No one knows you better than you. You associate better with yourself than anyone else. By doing this, I think you may find it very easy to feel your characters. The same can be done with someone that you're close with: a best friend, relative, etc.

Originally Posted by Cadence

One of the great disadvantages of being 15, I guess.

Like they say, fake it 'till you make it. That's what your imagination is for.

Originally Posted by cullmeyer

Insert a part of your personality or life experience into the characters.

Of course. This is the highest quality material around.

I'm generally quite an empathetic person but I still get stuck sometimes. When that happens I do employ a number of the techniques suggested by others but I also go out. Walking, mingling, meeting people - or just observing them - will give substance to your characters. If you already have some idea of who they are, then go to somewhere that they would hang out and you can guarantee you'll pick up a few phrases or stories that will give enough depth to your character for you to start fleshing them out as you get to know them. But remember - composites - do not take too much from real people you know!!!

There is an old saying, along the lines of - to really know someone, walk a mile in that person's shoes.

Most stories involve putting people (characters and readers) into unfamiliar situations. When I want to get inside a character, I imagine myself in that character's situation, and then try on different personality traits and possible backgrounds until I find the combination that seems to fit what I expect that character will do.

For storytellers at work, that means juggling multiple personalities - no wonder we get strange looks from ordinary folk.

developing your characters well kind of puts you in the place where you need to develop a temporary case of schizophrenia.
if you can't in some way become that character in your head, you probably won't pull him/her off too well on the page.