30 Days of Writing Meme - Day 9
9. How do you get ideas for your characters? Describe the process of creating them.
I'd just like to point out that this is the silliest question I've ever heard of.
I mean, I can understand "where do you get your ideas from" in part - though really, where does anyone ever get a good idea for anything ever? - but where do characters come from? Everyone I've talked to seems to have the same problem as I do. Characters just happen.
One day you're sitting at the table eating cheerios, watching god knows what on the tv, wiggling your toes and fiddling with thoughts, when all of a sudden, all of a sudden someone plops down on the couch beside you and starts giving you details. Or not giving you details and just being exceptionally present. They just are. They come from the ether between here and the Dreaming and they either stick around or they don't, revealing as much as they want and making you fight for the rest. Although, ok, sometimes you can sweet talk them.
Don't look at me like that. Characters are people. If you think they're not you're doing something wrong I promise.
And you've got to deal with them each individually. They'll change when you're not looking if you aren't careful. Sometimes they come fully formed, name and all, and sometimes they keep things secret. Sometimes it's only a matter of considering them, having a conversation so to speak, to get the details you want. Sometimes you have to actually write them first, only opening up with real words on a page... Parker said it best. Characters are like locks, you have to be fiddly, and wait for the click...
I'd just like to point out that this is the silliest question I've ever heard of.
I mean, I can understand "where do you get your ideas from" in part - though really, where does anyone ever get a good idea for anything ever? - but where do characters come from? Everyone I've talked to seems to have the same problem as I do. Characters just happen.
One day you're sitting at the table eating cheerios, watching god knows what on the tv, wiggling your toes and fiddling with thoughts, when all of a sudden, all of a sudden someone plops down on the couch beside you and starts giving you details. Or not giving you details and just being exceptionally present. They just are. They come from the ether between here and the Dreaming and they either stick around or they don't, revealing as much as they want and making you fight for the rest. Although, ok, sometimes you can sweet talk them.
Don't look at me like that. Characters are people. If you think they're not you're doing something wrong I promise.
And you've got to deal with them each individually. They'll change when you're not looking if you aren't careful. Sometimes they come fully formed, name and all, and sometimes they keep things secret. Sometimes it's only a matter of considering them, having a conversation so to speak, to get the details you want. Sometimes you have to actually write them first, only opening up with real words on a page... Parker said it best. Characters are like locks, you have to be fiddly, and wait for the click...