Character Auditions ...
The first person you interview for a job isn't always the best fit, so why would the first character you design be the best candidate for a leading role in your novel?
Seriously, your lead will either propel your story forward or bog it down; intrigue your readers or turn them off; add dramatic tension or be a major bore.
So why not make them work for the position of lead?
There are several ways to hold these auditions or interviews. Each takes work, but they pay off in the end.
First, gather your applicants by using one of the following methods:
Create several short character worksheets that record the basics: age, a brief physical description, likes, dislikes, what makes them intriguing, interesting or useful. Include a brief family history, medical history, etc. Cut photos out of magazines and write down your first impressions of who that person is and why they'd make the best lead for your novel, their resumes. Make sure you include some character flaws when creating the resumes. Nobody's perfect.Make a list of the perfect person for the lead and then skew it to create several new people with many of the perfect attributes you've already listed combined with new attributes. These new attributes should include things that will make the lead's job more difficult, create tension or discord with the plot or other leading characters along the way.Once you've got several characters ready for interviews, lay them side by side an analyze their motives for accomplishing the tasks in your story, their special talents that will help them along the way, and the character flaws that will hinder them and made the story more intense or interesting.
You may find the perfect lead, the one who will be able to accomplish all the tasks in your story while engaging the reader and winning the love interest ... but ask yourself:Will it be too easy for this character to make it to the end? Do they have enough room to grow and develop throughout the story or are they strong enough already? Are they able to develop new skills and talents along the way or do they know it all on page one?Are they fully compatible with the love interest or do they have flaws that create needed tension?
As you ask the questions, you may choose to discard the perfect lead and move onto number two or three ... but when you find that character with the perfect balance of talent, history, personality and character flaws, you will create a stronger, more compelling story. Your readers will be more engaged and have greater cause to root for the lead - because they won't be perfect and they'll have to struggle and grow to become the person they need to be for the story to be successful.
Seriously, your lead will either propel your story forward or bog it down; intrigue your readers or turn them off; add dramatic tension or be a major bore. So why not make them work for the position of lead?
There are several ways to hold these auditions or interviews. Each takes work, but they pay off in the end.
First, gather your applicants by using one of the following methods:
Create several short character worksheets that record the basics: age, a brief physical description, likes, dislikes, what makes them intriguing, interesting or useful. Include a brief family history, medical history, etc. Cut photos out of magazines and write down your first impressions of who that person is and why they'd make the best lead for your novel, their resumes. Make sure you include some character flaws when creating the resumes. Nobody's perfect.Make a list of the perfect person for the lead and then skew it to create several new people with many of the perfect attributes you've already listed combined with new attributes. These new attributes should include things that will make the lead's job more difficult, create tension or discord with the plot or other leading characters along the way.Once you've got several characters ready for interviews, lay them side by side an analyze their motives for accomplishing the tasks in your story, their special talents that will help them along the way, and the character flaws that will hinder them and made the story more intense or interesting.
You may find the perfect lead, the one who will be able to accomplish all the tasks in your story while engaging the reader and winning the love interest ... but ask yourself:Will it be too easy for this character to make it to the end? Do they have enough room to grow and develop throughout the story or are they strong enough already? Are they able to develop new skills and talents along the way or do they know it all on page one?Are they fully compatible with the love interest or do they have flaws that create needed tension?
As you ask the questions, you may choose to discard the perfect lead and move onto number two or three ... but when you find that character with the perfect balance of talent, history, personality and character flaws, you will create a stronger, more compelling story. Your readers will be more engaged and have greater cause to root for the lead - because they won't be perfect and they'll have to struggle and grow to become the person they need to be for the story to be successful.
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