photo by Sybren
Now, here’s one trick that might help you remember to create dynamic characters. Many books on characterization will tell you go write up character sheets that list your character’s skin color, educational background, medical history and so on ad-infinitum. But I find it far more valuable to always think of my characters in flux. I don’t say, “What kind of person is he?” and then try to put tags on him. Instead, I ask, “What is he becoming?”
-via David Farland’s Daily Kick in the Pants (a great resource by the way, definitely subscribe)
Many times a writing teacher will spend a lot of time talking about one very particular thing. “Notice the passage of time in this scene,” they’ll say, and seemingly obsess over it. This is probably because they are dealing with an issue of their own, as I am with dynamic characters.
The main character of my new fantasy novel is for some reason really not that interesting. Though she is powerful and confident and in my opinion a heroine worthy of MZB’s Sword and Sorceress series.
So this quote definitely hit me well. I have spent so much time figuring out how she got to be where she was at that I haven’t thought at all about what she is currently and about to go through.
“What is [s]he becoming?”
wow. This is good.