tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post8559860911711222027..comments2023-10-30T07:08:09.860-07:00Comments on It's a Mystery: 10 Questions to Ask Your CharactersElspeth Futcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-5355587610940642352010-09-16T16:13:56.794-07:002010-09-16T16:13:56.794-07:00Your posts are so good, Elspeth. This one reminds ...Your posts are so good, Elspeth. This one reminds me a little bit of the Donald Maass workshop on "The Fire in Fiction" where he told us to imagine the one thing your character would never do, and then make her do it. So ask your characters what things they would never do...Patricia Stolteyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-43587339718570225162010-09-15T05:56:06.494-07:002010-09-15T05:56:06.494-07:00Love that bonus question! I should probably ask t...Love that bonus question! I should probably ask those last two, also... I usually get to know my characters by throwing them in a scene and seeing how they act, THEN I give them some attributes that make sense.<br /><br />That said, the scene rarely makes the book. It just is sort of how I get a feel for personality.Hart Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17599570189253229318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-64177542839555752122010-09-14T15:32:28.046-07:002010-09-14T15:32:28.046-07:00Great list. I start out with questions but usually...Great list. I start out with questions but usually after one or two they are happy to go on about themselves. At times I run across a shy one or maybe he/she just likes to mess with me. <br />If I learn something later I put it in a section of the notebook. I love reading about them later.Mary@GigglesandGunshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07350818228268801008noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-81236028869645091122010-09-14T14:30:11.051-07:002010-09-14T14:30:11.051-07:00Great questions. I know what would happen if I ask...Great questions. I know what would happen if I asked the bonus question. Some would clam up. Some would give me that "friendly" wave. Others would tell me to mind my own business. My characters aren't very nice to me at all. Perhaps I should tighten their leashes.Carol Kilgorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15168273312704732896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-67120323799543304112010-09-14T13:41:16.372-07:002010-09-14T13:41:16.372-07:00That bonus question will get you every time!
That&...That bonus question will get you every time!<br />That's a great set of questions to use for an interview. Thanks!Laura Enohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09982794146667832204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-3856806805019994882010-09-14T13:16:29.400-07:002010-09-14T13:16:29.400-07:00I like this, Elspeth! I do interview them - someti...I like this, Elspeth! I do interview them - sometimes with alternate hands (dominant for me (as if!) and non-dominant for them) It is interesting to find out what happens. I did it late on in the revision I'm doing to find out what the heck was happening. I don't mind that they do what they want but they could at least tell me! Jeesh. I ask the women what they carry in their purses and Jan Morrisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01771180344305042855noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-4189705851374141312010-09-14T12:22:45.447-07:002010-09-14T12:22:45.447-07:00What a great idea, Elspeth! I create and keep upda...What a great idea, Elspeth! I create and keep updating a character log, but interviewing your characters is a fine idea - thanks for the tip!The Old Sillyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09661188622348794193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-2202873422461983262010-09-14T11:25:20.196-07:002010-09-14T11:25:20.196-07:00Great questions and love the bonus. My character&#...Great questions and love the bonus. My character's answer to that is usually, "Because I can!"Laura S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13934230198562773803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-12361114471802341342010-09-14T10:48:45.064-07:002010-09-14T10:48:45.064-07:00Jen; I always try to remember what I got taught in...Jen; I always try to remember what I got taught in theatre school - "What do I say about other people and what do other people say about me?" The answers to that give me the character.Elspeth Futcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-55993275967167137772010-09-14T10:46:50.035-07:002010-09-14T10:46:50.035-07:00Margot; The answer to that question also tells me ...Margot; The answer to that question also tells me which characters lie. Some do. Sneaky devils.Elspeth Futcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-65547243618365283482010-09-14T10:46:05.048-07:002010-09-14T10:46:05.048-07:00I love reading questions to characters (and charac...I love reading questions to characters (and character work sheets). Very clever ways to try and understand your characters. Notice I said try. Your bonus question is one I ask my characters repeatedly...<br /><br />Cheers,<br />JenJenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06683486631901017529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-43384276976429950312010-09-14T10:40:02.522-07:002010-09-14T10:40:02.522-07:00Elspeth - Thanks for these questions! They really ...Elspeth - Thanks for these questions! They really do help get characters fleshed out and more real. I also ask my characters how they feel about the other characters in the the story. Sometimes they even tell me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-18308050797853237002010-09-14T10:33:22.479-07:002010-09-14T10:33:22.479-07:00Clarissa; I try to show them who's boss. I don...Clarissa; I try to show them who's boss. I don't always succeed.Elspeth Futcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-17824217062298093822010-09-14T10:24:55.800-07:002010-09-14T10:24:55.800-07:00I love your bonus question! I think my characters ...I love your bonus question! I think my characters start taking over my writing process sometimes and it makes me frustrated.<br /><br />CDAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12160669603997465454noreply@blogger.com