By
Lanee’ Blunt
A novel is made from many
parts and if you look at it like that it is easier to create your characters.
Start with a notebook and write down everything in the notebook about your
characters. Describe each of your characters a character sketch.
Name all of your characters. Give your protagonist and the antagonist a
name. What do they look like? Where did
they go to school? How does the
protagonist dress, and where does she live? Take each character separately and
pick them apart. Is the character an
only child, or does he have siblings.
What are the names of the siblings? You will find yourself understanding
the novel much better than you did with just an outline.
For
each of your major characters they should all have an outline or summary. Start with the background where did they go
to school? What is their early childhood experience, marital status, financial
situation? What does your character
want? What drives him? How does he handle obstacles? How did he spend the week
before the story begins? These are some
of the questions you can ask.
Don’t worry about getting
your sentences perfect or if you have used the right grammar. The sketch is a place for your
imagination. Think about your character
as a real person and imagine what they are like. What kind of student was she? What are her early childhood
experiences? What is her occupation?
What year was she born? Background
information leads to motivation because early experiences may have forced her
to do what she is doing.
