Scribbles & Munch

      Now that I'm working on new stories, I'm creating new characters.  In some ways, this is my favorite part of writing.
      It's probably because of my background in psychology, but I find writing people to be absolutely fascinating!  Some writers describe the act of creating characters as feeling a lot like meeting someone.  Others liken it to raising a child, or sculpting a statue, or unearthing a long-buried fossil.  Frankly, all of these analogies speak to my experience.  But if I had to describe my own personal method?  I would say it feels like exploring a building in a thick fog.*

Just like a magician's trick, the delight is in the reveal!

      There's a vague outline that solidifies the more I investigate.  When I'm looking directly at a feature, it's perfectly clear: I can see it, touch it, even smell it.  How much exploring I want to do is entirely up to me.  Do I want to know the character's preferred hobby?  Sleeping habits?  Favorite food?**  I always seek out where they were born and the nature of their family.  If I want, I can wander to the building behind, and uncover the details of their parents.  Then grandparents.  I've actually sketched out family trees going back eight generations for certain characters--it wasn't outlined at any point in the story, but I needed to know for the tale to unfold properly.
      The main indication that a story is a serious project versus a passtime only is the presence of a "cheat sheet."  This includes a description of each main character, including looks, education, family background, and other notes relevent to the story.  And to be honest, this is what gets written first, fastest, and - in some cases - with the most enthusiasm.  Because the characters will tell the story better than I ever will.  It's their actions and reactions, their thoughts and feelings that make the tale unfold.



*Only less creepy and damp.

**I always know my characters favorite and least favorite foods--if this surprises you, then you must be new to this blog.