Fast Start for NaNoWriMo - Day 6 - 15-minute Biography

[ladyseishou]

What is either a picture or a novel that is not character?
- Henry James



This week Nano Writer we look at the characters for our story: our protagonist, antagonist and our secondary characters (mentor, sidekick) - building each up/fleshing them out with a series of what might be considered more unconventional methods...

For today, we'll start with a more traditional approach...

Working from last week's premise, select a character that works with your story's central idea and genre. For my example:

In a world where magic is commonplace, a young man discovers that his life has a sense of purpose
when he learns to do things for himself rather than have things handed to him on a magic platter.

I've decided to write my story from the POV of a young man. Given that my genre is fantasy and my target audience may be young adults, "young man" becomes more specific: a teen, 15 years old, probably human.

And even though my story will be more about this character's internal journey (given my theme of "purpose"), I'll bring an antagonist on board who will literally oppose this character and represents the opposite of what I want for my protagonist. This character will also be a male teen.

At this point, I could try to fill out one of the numerous character worksheets on the web:

Gotham Writers' Workshop Character Questionnaire

The Character Workshop -- Designing A Life by Holly Lisle

365 Character Questions for Writers and Roleplayers by Heather Grove (note: link opens a pdf file) is the most complete survey that I have found on the web and is designed to be completed over the course of a year!

But my advice: if you have the time read through a couple of these lists, pick and choose only a handful of questions from each: the ones that look interesting or challenging and answer those. Don't worry about the rest because:

Characterization is an accident that flows out of action and dialogue.

Jack Woodford

For today's exercise, spend fifteen minutes sketching out short biographies for your protagonist and antagonist, filling in what you know or what's important for your story:

Sex:
Age:
Occupation:
Short Physical Description (in one sentence):
Where does h/she come from?
Where is h/she at the beginning of the story?
Why is h/she there?

And probably the most important question:

What is this character's goal/need/desire?

How about it, Nano Writer? Do you have thumbnail sketches for your characters? Something more detailed? Tell us about your favorite characterization web sites!



Tomorrow, we'll look at how we can generate additional information for character using the personality theory of Enneagram types. Until then, keep writing, Nano Writer!

Comments

[dragonjournal]

I did all my major characters' character sheets back in September! But, I'll pick, poor poor Jin-Yu.

Sex: Female
Age: Unknown. Possibly about 150 (looks about 16)
Occupation: Known: Socialite; Unknown: Head of the Huang clan.
Short Physical Description (in one sentence): Jin-Yu is slight, almost delicate with vivid electric blue eyes that are rimmed in gold.
Where does h/she come from? Northern Territories
Where is h/she at the beginning of the story? At home on the Huang estate.
Why is h/she there? Going over trade agreements/relaxing for a brief moment.
What is this character's goal/need/desire? To help her clan stave off whoever it is trying to ruin them, and survive long enough to raise a child of her own.

[ladyseishou]

September! Wow! And your planning really shows in your character's profile. Very intriguing this Jin-Yu and also long-lived. Very cool.