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QOTD Saturday June 25

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Stephen
Matthew
Amanda
Maggie
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Post  Maggie Sat Jun 25, 2011 11:35 pm

*smiles*

QUESTION: How much research/work do you do on your characters? Do you take personality tests to figure out their personalities? Do you write their histories? Do you base them off people you know in real life? Maybe it's not a big deal to you? Share.
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Post  Amanda Sun Jun 26, 2011 12:14 am

A lot less than I should. Embarassed Juggling all four voices in my head, I lose one or two of them sometimes--they get all fuzzy, and I'll have to edge into their heads to gain clarity. I'll have a solid idea of who they are, and then I turn around to work on a scene from a different character's perspective and forget. (Only one character stays in my head constantly, and it's probably because I secretly have a crush on him. But I guess it's not a secret anymore...Rolling Eyes)

Anyway, when asked what they're like...well, they're like...themselves? I know what they'd do in most situations if I write it out or think about it. But I don't know how I'd do on a personality test, trying to answer for them. I should try harder. The good thing is that I know they're not one dimensional! Otherwise I'd have them all figured out perfectly, haha. I plan to write each of their histories in first person as an exercise, and maybe work some of what I learn into my MS, or let it factor into my later books with them.
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Post  Matthew Sun Jun 26, 2011 4:45 am

I think I could write an entire blog post on this... hmm... *light bulb appears*

I used to put a lot of effort into creating my characters. I used to have large word document character templates I'd fill out etc. With my new WIP I've slackened off and I just do it in my head. I've based a few characters off people I know, but just physical appearance, not their personality.

I've been writing about my main character for years, and so she's become more than just a figment of my imagination; she's a real person. I've got a bit of a biography on her but I've never tried a personality test. That would be interesting.
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Post  Stephen Sun Jun 26, 2011 6:15 am

My characters will have different goals in their lives and from that I make their personality based on my imagination and people with that type of personality Smile
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Post  Bwood Sun Jun 26, 2011 9:25 pm

For each of my characters I wanted to make my story at least a little authentic so I've done a lot of research into different stuff during the cold war. Making sure that's actually how some characters would talk, think, etc.

However past that I try to make my characters different with their own flaws and quirks to make them interesting. As far as personality tests I haven't tried those for any characters and I don't think I'll need to.
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Post  Maggie Sun Jun 26, 2011 10:20 pm

*likes all these answers*

I think I identify with Matt's most. I did the same thing -- used to go all out with every detail about my characters, and then in recent books I've been slacking off and doing all the figuring out in my head. And most of my characters looks are loosely based on people I know or have seen, though their personalities are totally my own. Smile
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Post  Maggie Sun Jun 26, 2011 10:20 pm

And by 'my own' I don't mine mine personally, I just mean I created it.
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Post  Constance Sun Jun 26, 2011 11:57 pm

I LIKE this question!! Very Happy

Okay. So. I have the baseline idea of my characters in my head. I write down details, otherwise I'll forget the details, like I'm wont to do. (I like the word "wont". Just sayin'.)
And... yes. I do like doing personality tests for them. It gives me an idea of what I should have them do if I can't figure out how they should act in a situation.

I've tried sitting down and filling in one of those lists of different details about characters... but honestly, I have a hard time filling those out about ME. And I'm REAL. (I think.) So I make details as I go, if I need them. Personally, I think it's the personality you should focus on, not the history(unless their past somehow effects their personality––But then, I usually build the past around the personality). Because unless you're really good at weaving in info, (which some people are) you probably aren't going to include all those details. And even in real life, I prefer to judge someone by their personality as opposed to their past.
And if their personality is realistic to me, the rest of them just fills in itself. When I can have a mental discussion with them about something that is driven by their personality, THAT is when I start to consider them a real character.

*takes breath* Amanda. We need to talk further on those "Shutting up" lessons. xP
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Post  Sarah Mon Jun 27, 2011 3:55 pm

I always have a vague idea of a character in my head You know, the likes, dislikes, things that they would/wouldn't do and then the rest comes out in the novel. Like the MC will have memories of her sister or family or friends and that's how I find out about them. I have to cut most of that stuff out after I write the novel but it helps me form the character Smile
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Post  serena423 Tue Jun 28, 2011 9:21 am

I tried going the character creation chart route for a few years and, while it's great for keeping things like eye and hair color straight, I found it didn't tell me much about who my characters are as people.

A writer friend of mine then suggested something that's helped immensely. Write a series of "I am" statements about your character, really delving into who they are as a person.

Ex: For one of my supporting characters, Angel, her statements led me to learn something about her that was a complete surprise to me:

- I am the popular girl every boy wants to date and every girl wants to be.
- I refuse to be a stereotype. Just because I'm pretty, doesn't mean I'm shallow.
- I don't miss my mother and I feel bad because of that. (her mother died in childbirth)
- I'm tired of always being in the spotlight, of being alone in a group of people because no one knows who I really am.
- I crack under the pressure. There's nothing in my life I can control.


That last realization, though I hadn't originally realized it, was Angel telling me she was anorexic. And that changed her plotline dramatically, making her feel more fleshed out and real to me as a person, rather than just a character.

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