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| clipart courtesy pixabay.com |
"I like it when the deeper you go with the character, the more
you see the layers start to peel away." --Edward Norton
Had a need this week to go deeper with a minor character, peel away the layers of his life--see his face a little clearer. Where to go for prompts?
Thankfully we don't have to go far. Some resources I've found helpful:
Pulling out some favorite questions:
"Look at your character's feet. Describe what you see there. Does he wear dress shoes, gym shoes, or none at all? Is he in socks that are ratty and full of holes? Or is he wearing a pair of blue and gold slippers knitted by his grandmother?"
"When your character thinks of her childhood kitchen, what smell does she associate with it? Sauerkraut? Oatmeal cookies? Paint? Why is that smell so resonant for her?"
"Dear Character: How do you feel in a crowd? How do you feel alone?"
"Your two main characters have to change a flat tire in the rain. What do you learn about them from this?"
The danger is in getting lost in the lists, they pose so many possibilities!
Do you have favorite questions that help reveal who your character is and what motivates him or her? Glimpses into the past that helped shape your character's present? A favorite questionnaire source you frequent?
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