Inspiring characters into being
Therese Walsh on May 05 2009 | Filed under: CRAFT, Inspirations
Kath and I just returned from our annual writing retreat, so you may not see us back to full power until next week. We had a great time with our writer buds, as usual–lots of work, craft talk, laughter, chocolate. I took this shot on the lake. The entire setting was picture perfect; we’ll definitely be back.
Okay, to business. Characterization is a big topic, and I’m glad we have the whole month to discuss it. One thing’s for sure, though: It begins with creation.
Who will you be characterizing? Man, woman, child? Young person, middle aged, senior citizen? Single, married, divorced?
What are the most significant events in this person’s life to date, and how have those events affected and even redefined them?
What is the predominant mood of the person? Is the glass half-full, half-empty, or have they shattered the glass?
Are they avoiding something? Why?
What do they want out of life? No, no, really–what do they want more than anything, down deep in their guts?
I don’t conduct character interviews, but I need to know the answers to those basic questions. The rest will unfurl as the story develops.
One of my most reliable inspirations comes by way of photographs. Not the soothing kind I took on my retreat; I look for something with edge.
Months ago, I asked Caitlin, who posts her work on Flickr, if I could display some of her photos here. She graciously agreed. To me, her pictures conjure emotion. They inspire characters, too. This shot, for example, is one of the inspirational shots I’m using for book #2. Looking at it gave me an instant sense for a new lead character: quirky, dark, damaged, intuitive, naive. The model may very likely be none of those things, but for my purposes, it doesn’t matter; for me, Caitlin has captured these ideas using shading and contrasts, and by the placement of that flowering branch.
Images can evolve in the mind’s eye, too. While drafting The Last Will of Moira Leahy, I hit a point with my protagonist and knew something had to change. She was coming across as a bit tepid, when I needed for her to be stronger. I changed her appearance, transformed her from a lovely woman with long red hair into someone who’d bleached all the color away and found a pair of scissors. Instant edge, I’m telling you, and it helped support her backstory as well. Does this mean that red-headed women can’t be edgy? Definitely not. It just means that I had a hard time merging my visual of the character with the vibe my story needed. For me, making an alteration in the character’s appearance, turning her visually into more of a warrior, made all the difference.
It doesn’t matter if you spend a lot of time describing a character’s appearance or not (I didn’t), a person’s looks can provide insights into their lifestyle (stylish, funky, holes in their sweater, well-heeled?), how they perceive themselves (sexy, buttoned-up, devoid of color?), and definitely how they’re viewed by the outside world. And you can use all of that and more when you decide how you’re going to introduce your characters to the world.
The old saying that a picture’s worth a thousand words? I believe it.
How about you? Do photos and other forms of imagery inspire you? If not, what does?
Check out more of La Caitlin’s work HERE.
Come back tomorrow for Donald Maass’s post on protagonists vs. heroes. Thursday, Juliet Marillier will discuss change and characterization.
Write on, all!
Kathleen Bolton
Therese Walsh
Ann Aguirre
Porter Anderson
Brunonia Barry
Carleen Brice
Keith Cronin
Anna Elliott
Jane Friedman
Donald Maass
Juliet Marillier
Sophie Masson
Jael McHenry
Jan O'Hara
Debbie Ohi
Barbara O'Neal
Crystal Patriarche
Ray Rhamey
M.J. Rose
Chuck Sambuchino
John Vorhaus
Yuvi Zalkow
Sharon Bially
Anne Greenwood Brown
Tracy Hahn-Burkett
Suzannah Windsor Freeman
Kristan Hoffman
Jeanne Kisacky
Erika Robuck
Lydia Sharp
That’s a kind of haunting picture. I can definitely see how it would inspire bits and pieces of a character. I don’t use pictures as I write, though now that I am getting more and comfortable with developing a story and finding my groove, I am branching out to new ways to find inspiration.
Sometimes I start off a story not knowing exactly what a character looks like or what he/she enjoys doing, but I always know their purpose in the story. I know what kind of transformation I want them to go through and I know what I want the outcome to be after that growth.
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Excellent advice, Therese! I especially agree that a writer must look beyond a character’s physical appearance. Just as people in the real world are defined by events in their lives, characters too are shaped by things like a stable, happy upbringing or traumatic events that can leave them feeling victimized.
It gives them more depth and a sense of realism when their mood and actions are grounded by events and situations that drive and motivate them to do what they do through the story line.
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Wow, I needed this today. As soon as I finish reading blogs I’m tackling my edits and on deck for today is to make my MC “less wimpy.” I’m not going to bleach his hair, but this gave me the spark I needed – thanks!
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Thanks for this – your question “No, no, really–what do they want more than anything, down deep in their guts?” instantly sparked the answer I had been searching for in one of my characters. (I knew what she wanted on the surface, but it didn’t feel right because the truth is that she wants something else, something impossible, deep down.)
Also, your picture on the lake is lovely!!
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I don’t need to know what they look like when I start, though sometimes I do. I need to know their essence and then their looks come to me. That’s what happened with my wip. I don’t need pictures. I have a mental picture in my mind.
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As a visual writer I have all sorts of images around me. But I find that as the story develops the characters take over and they introduce their own personalities, and as such, their own image to be projected. I feel it is still up to the reader to form their own image of the characters unlike watching a film where the character has been decided (cast) for you.
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I should clarify that in my example, the character existed before I saw the photo, but when I saw the photo I realized it was that character. The image helped to “round out” her character, too. I hope that made sense.
Thanks for comments, everyone!
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Thank you for this post – those list of questions sent sparks running through my head, and now I’m off exploring new pathways for my characters!
As for inspiration, I’d say a lot of various things inspire me. I’m a closet knitter, and dabble in a bunch of different crafts, and I often find myself inspired by textiles. I like running my hand across a fiber and picturing the kind of person who would also treasure that sensation, or imagining the kind of world I could build around a brightly colored tapestry – who’s room would that hang in? (In case you can’t tell, I tend more toward the fantasy end of the writing spectrum)
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Katrina, I love your inspirations! I’ve never really considered linking touch to character before, but I like it. I’m glad the questions were helpful to you, too. Good luck.
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