Portraying Characters
Nov. 3rd, 2009 03:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kethni(More bits and bobs that I'm learning. Because they might be interesting to other peeps and I'll also be able to find them again!) These are character creation suggestions.
Character checklist:
Physical/Biological - age, height, size, state of health, strengths/weakness, sexuality, gait, voice.
Psychological - intelligence, temperament, happiness/unhappiness, attitudes, self-knowledge, unconscious aspects.
Interpersonal/cultural - family, friends, colleagues, birthplace, education, profession, hobbies, beliefs, values, lifestyle.
Personal history - major events in the life, including best and most traumatic.
5 main methods of potraying characters:
Interpretation - How the character is interpreted by both the narrative voice and other characters. Such as Mohinder calls Adam a boyfriend stealer ;) or when the writer says, 'Mohinder was both intelligent and attractive. Unfortunately he knew both facts too well.'
Appearance - One area I always fall down. Physical details can act as an index to a characters pyschology and values as well as being a map of their history. Tattoo's, religious iconography worn, as well as scars can all speak volumes.
Action - Actions may be habitual behaviours (something I don't think I've used) which provide an insight into the character. A story must also show decisive actions - ones that generate problems, discoveries, and changes.
Thought - One of the strengths of written fiction is the ability to show mental and emotional processes. Thoughts can be reported or shown directly or indirectly.
Speech - A character's speech reveals not just personality and opinions but attitudes, beliefs, educational level, and economic or class background. If you do it right that is. I suspect mine tend to sound the same, or not differentiated enough, anyway.
The hot seat game:
Have someone ask you questions, any questions, which you must answer as your character. If you can't answer the question you don't know your character well enough :)
Character checklist:
Physical/Biological - age, height, size, state of health, strengths/weakness, sexuality, gait, voice.
Psychological - intelligence, temperament, happiness/unhappiness, attitudes, self-knowledge, unconscious aspects.
Interpersonal/cultural - family, friends, colleagues, birthplace, education, profession, hobbies, beliefs, values, lifestyle.
Personal history - major events in the life, including best and most traumatic.
5 main methods of potraying characters:
Interpretation - How the character is interpreted by both the narrative voice and other characters. Such as Mohinder calls Adam a boyfriend stealer ;) or when the writer says, 'Mohinder was both intelligent and attractive. Unfortunately he knew both facts too well.'
Appearance - One area I always fall down. Physical details can act as an index to a characters pyschology and values as well as being a map of their history. Tattoo's, religious iconography worn, as well as scars can all speak volumes.
Action - Actions may be habitual behaviours (something I don't think I've used) which provide an insight into the character. A story must also show decisive actions - ones that generate problems, discoveries, and changes.
Thought - One of the strengths of written fiction is the ability to show mental and emotional processes. Thoughts can be reported or shown directly or indirectly.
Speech - A character's speech reveals not just personality and opinions but attitudes, beliefs, educational level, and economic or class background. If you do it right that is. I suspect mine tend to sound the same, or not differentiated enough, anyway.
The hot seat game:
Have someone ask you questions, any questions, which you must answer as your character. If you can't answer the question you don't know your character well enough :)
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no subject
Date: 2009-11-03 08:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-03 09:15 pm (UTC)