I wasn’t cool in….well, ever. I was on the newspaper and literary magazine staff. I hung out with people in high school that are now architects, IT people, CPAs….but definitely not whatever the cheerleaders and football players became. (Politicians? What did those folks become? Inquiring minds want to know…)
I’m a nerd.
In my Myrtle Clover series for Midnight Ink, my protagonist, in some ways, is an elderly nerd. I completely relate to her. She makes funny literary references, she’s a retired English teacher….I get Myrtle.
But not all of my characters are Myrtles. I have characters that are rednecks, theologians, blue collar workers, wealthy do-gooders, etc.
How do you handle writing different personality types?
I squash my inner-nerd. Sometimes it’s a pleasure to do so. Really.
I explore different personalities by imagining what it would be like to be them. Sort of like playing dress-up when you were a kid.
When I really dislike someone, I write it down. Usually if I don’t like them, it’s because the person is 180 degrees different from me. And a wonderful character, for that very reason.
I model a character on someone I know. And, naturally, completely change the character so they’re not recognizable to the person who inspired it.
I model a character on someone I wish I could be. When we’re looking in the mirror in the morning and wish we could see someone more glamorous or more adventurous in there….well, here’s our chance.
There’s no resume required when writing characters. It’s nice to use our imaginations to fill in the blanks. And…..we’re writers. We get to make things up.
Hi Elizabeth,
You make it sound like so much fun. I am thinking about making my first attempt at fiction-writing after many many years of non-fiction.
Karen Walker
Good post, as usual, Elizabeth. I think your line about playing dress up is a good analogy. I, too, try to imagine what a certain character-type would do or say. In this method, “using” people you know or met comes natural. I also find pictures from the internet and save them in my software or computer. Then, refer to them for description. That also works for places.
Anyway, I thing characters are THE key to a good story. Good characters can save a mediocre plot. Generally it doesn’t seem to work the other way around…at least for me. Have a great and safe Fourth and weekend.
Best regards, Galen
Imagineering Fiction Blog
P.S. Yeah, I get the nerd thing, too. Not because I am one, of course…just, uh, perceptive.
And isn’t that wonderful? We get to make things up, be different people, kill off the bad guys, save the children. Whatever we want. Gotta love it.
Helen
Straight From Hel
What a lovely post.
I really like the idea of writing it down if you don’t like a person!
That is such a wonderful idea.
Tina-Sue
Authors Promoting Authors
I used to imagine myself as “God” being able to play with characters like chess pieces. Now I get that I am a conduit for characters and I’m one of THEIR chess pieces – perhaps the Queen who they want to keep to make the game interesting.
This means – like you point out – the characters are often nothing like me. I have one character at the moment Dirk Hartog who is someone I’d prefer at the moment not to play with – but he insists.
There is perhaps as sliver of me somewhere, but not very much in the case of some bloody awful, evil, horrible characters.
I too love the analogy of dress up (forever the kid) A friend once told me that trying on clothes was dress up for adults – scoffing at me when I said I never intended to buy any of them. Dress up is meant to be fun .. and wearing the skin of someone we don’t like often allows us insights into ourself we would have otherwise missed.
I definitely think the characters that are the most rounded are based on people I’ve known. I try, especially if somebody is outlandish or might fall into cliche area, to base it on an actual person so they can become believable.
I think you have a great point though, about writing down real behaviors of people who rub you the wrong way.
(and I think we should all embrace our inner nerd. As for those jocks and cheerleaders… I knew a few and have a secret about them… they’re just people now–the glory fades and they join the masses)
Character. You know, I’ve always held that character is everything. Stories happen around people. I used to just slap a name on a sheet of paper and ignore the person who might be behind the name. Now I start with a photograph, usually found of an anonymous person on the net, and make that photo the beginning. I build from there, creating a biography. Even a minor character gets a similar treatment.
Of course, it helps to be psychotic.
I love it – writing fiction. You get to play god, creating people and worlds and killing people – great fun! ;)
The Old Silly
I’m a nerd, too :)
But I’m horrible at making things up! That, I suppose, is why I write nonfiction.
It sounds like everyone enjoys the character-writing process as much as I do! To me, it’s one of the best parts of writing.
Elizabeth
That is what I love about creating characters – stepping into someone else’s shoes and allowing yourself to BE someone totally different than your real life personna. I really like the idea of writing down little tidbits of things as reminders of perceptions and actualities of people totally different from yourself to use as inspiration.
Nancy, from Just a Thought…
In my WIP, I’m writing some of the scenes from the POV of a really bad slimeball. I get into it, and I even start talking like this foul-mouthed thug. So much fun.
Elizabeth –
GREAT post! I especially like the idea about making a note when you dislike someone, and why. I can think of a couple of people who have irritating habits that would work wonderfully for characters.
I’ve often jotted comments I’ve overheard – as in line at the grocery store, etc. I’m going to start carrying a “character” notebook with me all the time…