How Pinterest Helps Me Create Characters
Erica here:
Creating characters who feel realistic and well-rounded is a challenge for me. I tend to be a plot-first novelist, and have to think pretty hard about characters and what will make them unique.
I've read books on the subject of character-creation, gone to lectures, and jotted down notes while reading the stories of great fictional characters. All these things are very helpful, but for me, I've found another tool that helps me, too.
Pinterest.
How can Pinterest help me create fictional characters?
1. Character images: When I am starting a new story, I search Pinterest for images to represent my hero and heroine. The first photos are what I think Lady Jamesina Everard and William Crofton, Earl Beckenham look like for my upcoming Regency Novella, Jamie Ever After.
The next pair of photos are what I think Beryl Valentine and Gardiner Kennedy from Win, Place, or Show in the Of Rags and Riches Novella Collection might look like.
Jamie Everard template
William Crofton, Earl Beckenham template
Beryl Valentine template
Gardiner Kennedy template
2. Interests and Collections: Well-rounded characters have wide-ranging interests. This is borne out on Pinterest very well, just by looking at the variety of different interests represented by my own Pinterest boards. People collect things they like. Teapots, Birdhouses, Antique Firearms, Shoes. When creating a character, I try to find something interesting that they like. Some examples from my stories are: Beryl Valentine is all about her horses, riding, showing, loving on them. And William Crofton breeds Gordon setters, beautiful hunting dogs from Scotland.
3. Locations. Where people live says a lot about them, and Pinterest is a great place to find interesting looking houses, rooms, and landscapes in which to place your characters. Examples are: the horse farm of Beryl and Gard's dreams, and the English manor house that William brings Jamie to right after their wedding.
If someone were to look at your Pinterest boards, what might they conclude as to your character? Are you a collector of things? Do you have wide-ranging interests or are your interests confined to a few things? Would they be able to tell your favorite color or design style or preference in books and clothing?
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Creating characters who feel realistic and well-rounded is a challenge for me. I tend to be a plot-first novelist, and have to think pretty hard about characters and what will make them unique.
I've read books on the subject of character-creation, gone to lectures, and jotted down notes while reading the stories of great fictional characters. All these things are very helpful, but for me, I've found another tool that helps me, too.
Pinterest.
How can Pinterest help me create fictional characters?
1. Character images: When I am starting a new story, I search Pinterest for images to represent my hero and heroine. The first photos are what I think Lady Jamesina Everard and William Crofton, Earl Beckenham look like for my upcoming Regency Novella, Jamie Ever After.
The next pair of photos are what I think Beryl Valentine and Gardiner Kennedy from Win, Place, or Show in the Of Rags and Riches Novella Collection might look like.
Jamie Everard template
William Crofton, Earl Beckenham template
Beryl Valentine template
Gardiner Kennedy template2. Interests and Collections: Well-rounded characters have wide-ranging interests. This is borne out on Pinterest very well, just by looking at the variety of different interests represented by my own Pinterest boards. People collect things they like. Teapots, Birdhouses, Antique Firearms, Shoes. When creating a character, I try to find something interesting that they like. Some examples from my stories are: Beryl Valentine is all about her horses, riding, showing, loving on them. And William Crofton breeds Gordon setters, beautiful hunting dogs from Scotland.
3. Locations. Where people live says a lot about them, and Pinterest is a great place to find interesting looking houses, rooms, and landscapes in which to place your characters. Examples are: the horse farm of Beryl and Gard's dreams, and the English manor house that William brings Jamie to right after their wedding.
If someone were to look at your Pinterest boards, what might they conclude as to your character? Are you a collector of things? Do you have wide-ranging interests or are your interests confined to a few things? Would they be able to tell your favorite color or design style or preference in books and clothing?
SIGN UP FOR MY NEWSLETTER
Find me on AMAZON.COM
Find me on FACEBOOK
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