Tag Archives: character

Am I Supposed to Have a Character, or Be One?

- February 25, 2012

This week’s question: How do you develop your characters? I would like to object to the form of the question in that it involves facts not in evidence: to wit, that I am a fiction writer. Yes, I have on occasion committed fiction. Each November I do Nanowrimo, stringing together some 50,000 words of original— […]

Where the Character Leads, I’ll Shine a Flashlight

- February 24, 2012

Thinking about how I develop characters is tricky, because I’ve never given it tons of thought. My only truly conscious choice is that I don’t particularly care for giving characters physical descriptions. As a reader I tend to apply my own biases to envisioning the character. For instance, I read Pride & Prejudice while envisioning […]

People Watching

- February 24, 2012

We were sitting on the steps leading down to Centennial Park from the parking lot of the old burger joint one night, drinking cheap beer advertised on TV and talking about girls. My friend was older than me, maybe five or six years older, maybe a little more, but he was wise and full of […]

Warped Characters?

- February 23, 2012

In the very first draft of my very first novel, I struggled with character a lot–I didn’t have any bad ones.  Nope, all my characters were well-meaning, with great heart and minor, excusable flaws.  Even the person who burned down the church had a perfectly good reason for doing it–not a justification, exactly, but certainly […]

Unusual Bedroom

- February 21, 2012

Almost all of my stories start with a character. Even when I only have the vaguest idea of what the story is about, or where it takes place, some loudmouthed character starts telling me what’s up. “This is my story. This is what happens to me. You’re gonna tell it right now.” Why do my […]